Solo Card Online Poker Site Deposits

The Solo card is a debit card in the United Kingdom and a sister card to the Maestro debit card.  Solo launched in 1997 and was issued as a cash card. There are now more than five million Solo cards in circulation, so it is growing into a large card issuer. Solo cards require all transactions to receive authorization from the issuing bank, thus certifying that the requested funds are in place.  As a result, you never have to worry about overdrawing your bank account if you use a Solo card.

This makes the Solo card a good option offering balance – you can receive the benefits of quick, modern transactions using plastic while still having the peace of mind and safety of knowing that you can only spend what you have.

Solo cards are linked to the Maestro processing system, but since they are given to customers as young as 11, some online merchants won’t sell any adult products to customers with solo cards.  That obviously plays a big role in the online gambling and online poker marketplace, as there are generally age limits of at least 18 if not 21 on those transactions.  Therefore, some poker rooms will not accept the Solo card.

Nevertheless, there are three prominent poker rooms that accept deposits via the Solo card.  Party Poker is the foremost, as one of the largest and longest-running sites.  Of course, Party Poker is not available to American players due to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which was passed in 2006 and caused the company to quickly withdraw from the market.  Since many casual American players stopped playing online, Party Poker’s non-US approach has led to a softer player pool, but also means that U.S. customers looking to use a Solo card are out of luck as far as Party Poker is concerned.

Ultimate Bet Poker and Absolute Poker fill the void though, as both take the Solo card and are open to United States customers.  The two are among the largest rooms open in America, so there are plenty of games to be found on either site.

If you would like to sign up for a Solo card, the company advises going to the local branch of a bank that offers the card.  Currently, NatWest and HSBC are the best options.  More information is also available on each of their sites.  There are currently around 900,000 stores in the United Kingdom that accept the Solo card, and a larger number that accept it as part of the global Maestro network of merchants.

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