How To Use Zelle To Make Offshore Gambling Deposits In 2024
Zelle, by volume, is the biggest instant transfer service in the United States, and it is a product of a number of banks that developed and deployed it to be a domestic PayPal/Venmo competitor. As such, you likely have access to Zelle Pay right now, right through your existing bank account. But if want to know how to use Zelle to make offshore gambling deposits, there are few extra steps to be aware of, as the purpose of Zelle is to use it to buy Bitcoin (or, alternatively, to deposit via vouchers or MatchPay at select participating sites).
Our Zelle-to-Bitcoin gambling guide explains exactly how to use this new banking service to get money into your legal online casino or sportsbook sites ASAP, as well as how to use Zelle with vouchers and MatchPay. For gamblers, fast deposits are a make-or-break proposition, and Zelle Pay helps you get your gambling account funded within just a few minutes when most other methods take several days. Read on to find out how to load up your betting bankroll fast as Zelle!
The Best Offshore Gambling Sites That Accept Zelle-To-BTC Transfers In 2024
| Logo | Site Name | Bonus | Rating | USA | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore Casinos | |||||
 | Bovada Casino | 100% Max $3,000 |  |  | PLAY NOWReview |
 | Slotslv Casino | 100% Max $5,000 | | | PLAY NOWReview |
 | Cafe Casino | 500% Max $5,000 |  | | PLAY NOWReview |
| Offshore Sportsbooks | |||||
| Bovada Sportsbook | 50% Max $1,000 | | | PLAY NOWReview |
 | Betus Sportsbook | 100% Max $2,500 | | | PLAY NOWReview |
 | MyBookie Sportsbook | 100% Max $1,000 | | | PLAY NOWReview |
 | BetOnline Sportsbook | 100% Max $1,000 | | | PLAY NOWReview |
| Offshore Poker Sites | |||||
| Bovada Poker | 100% Max $500 | | | PLAY NOW |
| BetOnline Poker | 100% Max $1,000 | | | PLAY NOW |
Is It Legal To Use Zelle To Fund Your Offshore Gambling Account?
Zelle is legal for just about any online transaction, including those that can help fund offshore gambling accounts. However, because Zelle is restricted to US senders and recipients, you have to go through a few extra steps in order to use this service to get your betting account topped off. Namely, you can buy Bitcoin with Zelle, with which you can then deposit into any reputable, legal betting site overseas. This works with all reputable gambling venues. You can also use Zelle to make voucher or MatchPay deposits/withdrawals at several top-rated sites.
As far as the legality of offshore gambling itself, you’re also in the clear. US federal gambling laws do not criminalize individual residents for depositing, playing with, and winning real money at offshore casinos and sports betting sites. The Wire Act and UIGEA apply only to domestic gambling operators and US-based banks. However, though Zelle is a product of those banks, because you are lawfully using it to purchase BTC or to make private P2P transfers, the UIGEA does not apply in any way.
What Is Zelle Pay?
In general, how Zelle works is very much like how PayPal, Cash App, and Venmo work. It is an instant pay service developed by a consortium of the top banks in the United States, including Bank of America, BB&T, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Bank, US Bank, and Wells Fargo. Zelle works natively with hundreds of partner banks and credit unions as well, and even Visa and Mastercard support the platform. Chances are, if you have a US bank account, you already have full access to Zelle.
All that said, it is important to note that Zelle is currently a US-only service. This means that you can use it to quickly send funds to anyone in America who also has access to Zelle, but both the sender and recipient must be inside the country. Zelle will not work internationally.
Now, you might think that would make it impossible to use Zelle to fund your offshore gaming account, but that’s not the case. In the next section, we’ll explain the process.
How Does Zelle Work For Gambling Offshore?
In order to use Zelle to fund your offshore gambling account, there are two routes you can go. The first and most accessible is that you can use Zelle to purchase Bitcoin (BTC). Since Bitcoin is a globally accepted and totally unregulated decentralized currency, it can be used across borders freely and safely. And because BTC is has the world’s strongest known blockchain encryption, these electronic transfers are the safest ever conceived.
The second option is to use Zelle in conjunction with offshore gambling vouchers or the third-party MatchPay service. Several sites support vouchers (aka player transfers), but only Bovada LV supports MatchPay as of Q3 2021.
Before you can use Zelle, you need to make sure that your bank is set up to support it. Since most US banks are, this is simple enough: Just log in to your online banking suite at your bank or credit union, and navigate to their instant pay section. If they support Zelle, you’re good to go – just follow the instructions after making your selection.
If you don’t see the option, you’ll need to know how to set up a Zelle account. Fortunately, you can do this through the iPhone Zelle app or Android Zelle app (or on a desktop computer through the company’s official website). When you use Zelle Pay this way, however, just be aware that your transfer limits will be lower than using it through your bank’s official portal. Your bank does not have to support Zelle in order to use the service, but you can transfer more money more easily if it does.
Zelle Deposits
A Zelle deposit, in the context of offshore gambling, is usually going to be a Bitcoin (BTC) deposit. This means that the first step to depositing with Zelle is to purchase BTC. To learn how to buy Bitcoin with Zelle and then load up your betting account, simply follow these steps:
- Make sure your offshore site of choice accepts Bitcon. All reputable sites like those listed here do, so if you’re thinking about joining a site that doesn’t, you should probably stop thinking about it immediately and pick a more trustworthy operator.
- Certify that your current bank offers Zelle support. You can find this in your online banking portal or bank app. If your bank does not support Zelle, you can download the official Zelle app for iPhone or Android and tether your checking account to that app, similarly to how PayPal and other services work.
- Make an account at LocalBitcoins.com. LocalBitcoins is one of the world’s premier Bitcoin exchanges, allowing you to purchase BTC from US-based private individuals using the Zelle payment service. While other exchanges can take up to 10 days before crediting you with Bitcoin, LocalBitcoins allows you to get your BTC within just 20-30 minutes.
- Once you have your Bitcoin (it will be sent to the digital Bitcoin wallet of your choice), navigate to your offshore gambling site and click or tap on the Bitcoin deposit option.
- Follow the instructions provided, sending your BTC to the site’s Bitcoin address. This process takes about five minutes at most.
- Once your BTC is credited to your gambling account, it will be converted into USD or mBTC (milliBitcoin), with which you can then gamble immediately.
- When you win a wager and have met all bonus rollover/playthrough requirements, you will be able to withdraw in Bitcoin/crypto, since the Zelle-to-BTC process means that you’ve technically deposited in Bitcoin. And remember, BTC/crypto is the only way to get same-day payouts!
Using Zelle with vouchers or MatchPay is a different process. With vouchers, players must create voucher codes using all or part of their eligible account balances, which they can then post online for sale to other members. A buyer can contact a voucher seller and initiate a money transfer with Zelle, at which point the buyer will receive the seller's voucher code. This can then be deposited via the site cashier page as normal. MatchPay (Bovada only) streamlines this process by automatically matching buyers and sellers.
Zelle Bonuses
When a Zelle-assisted gambling deposit is used as a Bitcoin deposit, you will be eligible for any of your chosen site’s increased BTC bonus options. Most sites offer boosts to those who use Bitcoin (or other cryptocurrencies) to deposit, as there are no transfer fees or international banking regulations with which they – or you! – must contend. Because BTC makes offshore operators’ lives easier, they sweeten the pot by giving you better welcome and reload bonuses for using it.
That said, when you use Zelle with vouchers or MatchPay, you will only have access to your site's standard offshore gambling bonus offers.
Remember, however, that all offshore gambling bonuses come with rollover or playthrough requirements to be aware of (the terms and conditions are clearly attached to each bonus) and that these bonuses are fully optional and opt-in.
Zelle Payouts
Unfortunately, you cannot be paid out directly in Zelle at offshore betting sites, as Zelle transfers must originate and conclude in the geographic United States. Because offshore books operate from other countries, direct Zelle Pay withdrawals are off the table.
That’s hardly a problem, however. If you're depositing with Zelle-to-BTC, you can be paid out in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Crypto is the only guaranteed same-day payout method at any offshore betting site, and it never comes with any added fees attached. BTC payouts also have among the highest limits of any gambling payout option, and they’re the most secure and reliable way to get your money into your pocket right now!
For voucher or MatchPay withdrawals, you can often claim same-day payouts, though these are not guaranteed, as they're reliant on user demand at your site of choice. However, as with crypto, there are no added fees for these kinds of withdrawals.
About Localbitcoins.com
LocalBitcoins is an international peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange founded in Finland in 2012. It is one of the most reputable BTC exchanges in the world, uses a tamper-proof escrow system to guarantee sales on both ends, and allows US residents to buy and sell Bitcoin safely and quickly using Zelle.
Normal Bitcoin buy-in sites – like Coinbase – come with extended wait times of up to 10 days, meaning that you can’t actually get your hands on your BTC for quite some time after buying it. LocalBitcoins goes around all this by setting you up with private US sellers who accept Zelle so you can get your Bitcoin in minutes instead of days or weeks! LocalBitcoins has a stellar track record, and it is in operation in over 200 countries.
Zelle Gambling FAQs
Why don’t offshore gambling sites accept Zelle directly?
As stated above, Zelle Pay is a US-only money transfer platform. Because offshore sites are offshore, you have to use Zelle to buy Bitcoin and deposit with that.
Similarly, your gambling site will then pay you out in crypto because they don’t have access to Zelle in order to initiate a payment that way. Zelle is not an international money-sending service.
Because voucher and MatchPay Zelle payouts are private user-to-user transfers, this also gets around the international geographic restrictions mentioned above.
What banks use Zelle Pay?
When it comes to which banks use Zelle, the easier question to answer is “Which banks don’t use Zelle?”
Zelle is supported by almost all national and local banks and credit unions in the US, as well as by credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard. Chances are, if you have a US bank account, you already have full access to Zelle.
Is Zelle safe to use for online gambling?
Yes! When you use Zelle to purchase Bitcoin with which to make your offshore gaming deposits, Zelle is – by proxy – the safest possible way to fund your overseas casino and sports betting accounts.
Bitcoin, remember, is decentralized and uncontrolled by any government or financial institution. Further, thanks to its blockchain-based open-ledger encryption, it’s by far the safest known way to transfer funds electronically.
Similarly, if you use the Zelle voucher or Zelle MatchPay option, deposits and withdrawals are just as safe provided you follow all instructions as outlined on our voucher/player transfer and MatchPay guides linked above.
How long does Zelle take to transfer?
Zelle transfers take about 20 to 30 minutes when using the service to purchase BTC at LocalBitcoins. For normal peer-to-peer transfers (like sending money to your friend), Zelle is effectively instantaneous.
With vouchers or MatchPay, Zelle transfer times are dependent on site member demand and can take anywhere from five minutes to a couple of days.
Is LocalBitcoins legit?
LocalBitcoins is 100% legit, and because of their ingenious escrow system, you cannot be ripped off by individual sellers. When you agree to purchase BTC via LocalBitcoins, the site holds your funds and the seller’s Bitcoin in escrow.
This guarantees the transfers and makes it impossible for sellers to take your money and then skip out on sending you your Bitcoin. As a middleman, LocalBitcoin’s reputation for fairness and reliability is unrivaled.
Is Zelle instant?
When using Zelle to send money to friends, relatives, or US-based businesses, it is nearly instant. A typical Zelle transfer takes between 2-3 minutes.
However, when you use Zelle to buy BTC, because of LocalBitcoins’ escrow system and security measures, it may take between 20-30 minutes to get your Bitcoin.
With vouchers and MatchPay, Zelle times vary from just a few minutes to 1-2 days.
Does Zelle charge a fee?
While Zelle could charge a fee in theory, the service currently does not come with transfer fees attached. Your bank could change this and add fees in the future, but in their effort to force adoption and compete with the likes of PayPal et al., there are no fees associated with Zelle at this time.
How much money can you send with Zelle?
There are several Zelle limits to be aware of, but they each depend on your bank and your status at said bank. Most banks limit Zelle transactions to between $1000-2500 per day.
However, if your bank doesn’t support Zelle and you’re using the Zelle app, this limit starts at roughly $500 per week for new users.
Can a Zelle payment be reversed?
Nope. But before you say “What the Zelle?!” about it, consider the benefits: Banks treat Zelle transfers like cash, meaning that they do not monitor or restrict what you use those transfers for.
In fact, all partner banks have taken a specific “disavowal” policy for all Zelle transfers. In other words, they don’t know what you’re using Zelle for, and they don’t want to know. Just like you’d pull cash out of an ATM, whatever you do with that cash is your business, not the bank’s. For offshore gamblers, this is an added level of anonymity and privacy that is a positive boon.
That said, if your account is hacked or compromised and a Zelle transfer is made without your active consent, you are insured by your bank against this fraud, so there is no risk. You must, of course, trust your recipient, which is why it’s crucial to use a service like LocalBitcoins, vouchers, or MatchPay, as they all hold sellers to account
Does Zelle work internationally?
Not at this time. It is conceivable that Zelle will one day work internationally, but even then, we would recommend using the Zelle-to-Bitcoin process or voucher/MatchPay process rather than directly depositing funds into your offshore gambling account.
Does Zelle work with all banks?
Basically, yes. Zelle works with over 500 US banks, subsidiaries, credit unions, credit card companies, and more. If you’ve got a bank account or a credit card, you can probably use Zelle right now with minimal setup.
How long does it take to get money from Zelle?
If you are receiving funds from a US-based payer, you will get your Zelle transfers credited to your account more or less instantly. But again, international payers – like offshore gambling sites – can’t use Zelle to pay you directly. In this case, you’ll be getting a Bitcoin payout (or other crypto payout), voucher payout, or MatchPay payout.
Disclaimer: Zelle is not affiliated with LegalOffshoreGambling.com, nor is the service affiliated with any online casino, sportsbook, racebook, or poker room. Zelle is a US-based banking service that makes it quick and easy to transfer money privately via vouchers and MatchPay or to purchase Bitcoin through LocalBitcoins.com, allowing online gamblers to bypass lengthy BTC exchange wait times. Zelle disavows the use of its product for all gambling purposes.