Legal PayPal Gambling In 2024
2024 Update: Direct PayPal deposits to online gambling sites are currently not possible. However, if you want to make quick, legal betting deposits using PayPal, you can use online gambling vouchers at select sites, as well as the MatchPay platform at Bovada.
Until recently, one of the biggest issues facing online gamblers and legal betting sites operating overseas had to do with the comparatively limited bet funding options available to US-based players.
Now, legal PayPal gambling in the US is a possibility, as the introductions of the revolutionary new gambling voucher system and MatchPay platform mean Americans can now use the most popular person-to-person (P2P) instant-pay money transfer method to get their accounts topped off. Note, however, that you can’t make direct PayPal deposits at these sites, which is why betting vouchers (aka player transfers) or the MatchPay service (Bovada only) must be employed.
If you’re looking for online casino real-money PayPal banking options, the first all-in-one gambling site to roll out support for PayPal is Bovada. As usual, Bovada is the industry leader when it comes to new banking methods, and its adoption of online betting vouchers along with MatchPay means that gamblers can finally make PayPal deposits (and use other P2P services, i.e. Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle gambling deposits) quickly, legally, and safely.
To learn more about what’s in store at legal PayPal betting sites, it pays to read our brief guide, pal!
Note: PayPal announced in late 2020 that they support buying Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which you can now do right inside the PayPal app itself. While this promises to be a real gamechanger for the online betting industry, bettors are advised to wait for now. PayPal has put in a few major limitations at launch that prevent BTC buyers from being able to send their crypto out of their PayPal accounts. We expect this to change in the near future, so please stay tuned!
Is It Legal To Play At Online PayPal Betting Sites?
Yes! However, your options for doing so at domestic operators are limited. As of 2022, there are fewer than 10 states that have launched local online casino gambling within their borders.
That said, if you are a resident of a whopping 45 states, you can safely and legally sign up and play at trusted PayPal-friendly online betting sites operating internationally and outside of US jurisdiction, as there are no US gambling laws preventing you from doing so.
Residents of Washington should be aware that there are local state laws in play that nominally bar all forms of online gambling. However, legal PayPal betting sites will still accept players from these states, as the laws are not historically enforced. Still, please follow all local gambling mandates if you live in WA, and proceed only at your own risk.
Most Trusted PayPal Gambling Site For 2024
Software
Real Time Gaming + Rival
Compability
Site Rating
Bovada
The First PayPal Betting Site Accepting US Members
Bovada is the number one online casino, sportsbook, poker room, and racebook in America. The site has been in operation for a generation, and it has famously never missed a payout. Now, with the introduction of Bovada Vouchers and MatchPay, users have more deposit options and withdrawal options than ever before.
Bovada Vouchers and MatchPay both allow customers to make PayPal gambling deposits (as well as Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle deposits), making Bovada the first of the legal online casinos that accepts PayPal. Of course, while it surely won’t be the last, Bovada is – and will always be – the best of these sites, as it offers its members the best values in gambling across the board.
Bovada PayPal deposits also come with all the online gambling bonuses and perks you expect, so it’s easier than ever for members to sign up, pay, play – and win! – their way.
Pros
Operates legally out of Costa Rica, Central America
Now accepts PayPal + other P2P options via Bovada Vouchers + MatchPay
Bitcoin + Crypto accepted
Best bonuses with the lowest rollovers in the industry
Over 250 casino games + live dealer games
Full sportsbook, online poker room, international racebook
USA-friendly for players 18 and up
Cons
Excluded States: CO, CT, DC, DE, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, WV
PayPal deposits require private player-to-player voucher transfers
MatchPay transfers require third-party MatchPay membership (free)
Best Online Betting Sites With PayPal Deposit Options
| Site | Review | Bonus Offer | USA | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casinos | ||||
| Read Review | 100% Max $3,000 | Play now | |
 | Read Review | 200% Max $3,000 | Play now | |
 | Read Review | 350% Max $2,500 | Play now | |
| Sportsbooks | ||||
| Read Review | 50% Max $1,000 | Play now | |
| Poker Sites | ||||
| Read Review | 100% Max $500 | Play now | |
Types Of PayPal Betting Sites
There are several different betting markets available to players at all-on-one online gambling sites like Bovada and other top operators.
The best legal online gambling sites that accept PayPal deposits and support PayPal payouts (via vouchers and/or MatchPay) typically include some or all of the following, so one account gets you to access to all the real-money online gaming you can handle – and then some!
Online PayPal Casinos
Online PayPal casinos – that is, online casinos that accept PayPal deposits – feature hundreds of RNG (random number generation) games, including electronic online slots, online blackjack, online roulette, online baccarat, and more.
Specialty games such as bingo and keno are also on offer, and all of the titles are regularly audited and certified for fair play and iGaming compliance. The best PayPal-friendly gambling outlets also have legal live dealer casino games to enjoy 24/7.
Online PayPal Poker Rooms
Most legitimate online gambling operators are also big into poker cash tables and online poker tournaments. When it comes to legal poker sites for US players, PayPal deposits make it faster and easier than ever to ante up and take a seat at the digital felts, where you’ll find all the classics including Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi-Lo.
The best online poker rooms feature cash tables for quick games at all pot levels, Sit ‘N’ Go poker events for quick hour-long tourneys and full-on big-money poker tournaments with hundreds or even thousands of players vying for massive six-figure grand prizes.
Online PayPal Sportsbooks
PayPal betting at legitimate online sportsbooks like those featured here allows you to get your account funded before the big game starts.
Other deposit methods – like Bitcoin deposits – can earn bigger bonuses than PayPal deposits, but if you’ve never used crypto before, it can take up to 10 days to buy Bitcoin before you can even use the stuff to bet. Time is of the essence for sports betting, and that makes PayPal sportsbook deposits essential!
Online PayPal Racebooks
While online horse racing betting isn’t available at every legitimate online casino, many operators feature racebooks that cover meets from all over the US and internationally (Canada, Mexico, UK, Middle East, Australia, Japan, etc.).
With PayPal horse betting deposit options now available, more players than ever will have access to betting big – and winning big – on the true Sport of Kings.
How To Buy Bitcoin With PayPal
In late 2020, PayPal made the groundbreaking decision to support a host of popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. This means that you can now buy Bitcoin with PayPal, which is a true gamechanger in the legal online gambling space.
While international betting sites cannot accept traditional PayPal deposits directly, if you’re using PayPal to make Bitcoin transactions (and other cryptocurrency transactions), you may be able to send direct deposits to offshore betting sites in the form of crypto from right inside your PayPal app. This not only makes the crypto buy-in process a breeze for tens of millions of new potential gamblers, it also allows them to easily send that crypto to their favorite betting sites.
That said, it is conceivable that PayPal will have some regulatory features that could bar such transfers directly. In that case, you can and should still use PayPal to buy Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and Bitcoin Cash (or other supported cryptocurrencies: Avalanche, Shiba Inu, Dogecoin), but you’ll have to transfer those cryptos to other exchanges or to crypto wallets before depositing them with your online gambling operator of choice. Currently, you can't yet transfer PayPal crypto assets off the PayPal network, so PayPal can't be used for crypto gambling right now.
How To Deposit With PayPal Using Online Betting Vouchers
Despite the fact that legal online betting sites like Bovada now accept PayPal and other popular P2P deposits, it’s important to note that you cannot deposit PayPal transfers directly to these venues.
However, with online gambling site vouchers (i.e. Bovada Vouchers), you are able to make PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay betting deposits by using the service to purchase the eligible account balances of other members at your gambling site of choice.
The PayPal voucher process works this way (using Bovada as an example, since they’re the first major betting site to employ the voucher platform):
- Sign up at Bovada (or any online gambling venue that supports betting vouchers) by following any link on this page.
- Once you have entered your account information and password, you will be able to select the Voucher deposit method. (If you’re already a member at Bovada, you can find the Voucher option under the “Deposit” section of your account portal after logging in.)
- Find a gambling voucher for sale on your site's official community page/forum and contact the seller.
- Use PayPal to send funds to the seller, who will then release their Bovada Voucher code to you.
- On your site's Cashier page, enter this voucher code into the appropriate field.
- Once you submit your voucher deposit, you will automatically have the full amount of that voucher credited to your account with no added fees. You are also eligible for all standard online betting bonuses.
How To Use MatchPay For PayPal Gambling Banking
MatchPay gambling banking works almost identically to the above voucher method, though it streamlines things by removing the act of buying and selling voucher codes from the equation. Instead of site members doing all the hard work of requesting vouchers and contacting buyers and sellers, the MatchPay service does all this automatically.
To use MatchPay, you must first become a MatchPay member. Fortunately, that's simple enough, and Bovada – which is currently the only legal online gambling site for US players that supports the MatchPay method – allows you to enroll for free right from the site's cashier page.
Once you sign up with MatchPay, you can use PayPal and other P2P apps and eWallet platforms to buy other members' account balances or sell your own for instant, fee-free, same-day payouts. While MatchPay cannot guarantee same-day payouts every time (a buyer must be waiting and you must be matched with said buyer by the service), more often than not, you'll have your money within just an hour or two.
Legal PayPal Gambling FAQs
PayPal is a person-to-person (or P2P) money transfer service that allows people to make instant payments to other PayPal members. As the first and most popular P2P transfer service around, PayPal is used by nearly 300 million active users worldwide and nearly 200 million users in the US alone.
With sites now offering online gambling that uses PayPal deposits via betting vouchers or the third-party MatchPay service, more betting enthusiasts than ever are free to sign up and gamble over the Internet than ever before.
Disclaimer
PayPal is not associated with this website or any of the online gambling sites mentioned on this page, nor do they endorse any form of gambling. This website simply reviews and provides information on how PayPal works and how it can be used to fund legal online gambling accounts.