Guide · 6 min read
Bookmakers with paysafecard: easy to pay in, different to pay out
paysafecard is a prepaid code you buy with cash at a shop counter, a petrol station or a post office and redeem online without sharing any bank details. It is popular with bettors because it caps your budget hard. But it has limits you should know before you use it at a bookmaker, above all when you want your money back.
Updated 22 October 2026
Contents
How a deposit works
- Buy a code: at a newsagent, supermarket, petrol station or post office, usually in fixed amounts. You get a 16-digit PIN on a receipt. Retail partners differ by country; paysafecard's store finder shows the ones near you.
- Choose "paysafecard" at the bookmaker and enter the amount.
- Enter the PIN in paysafecard's payment window. The money is on your betting account straight away.
- Keep the receipt until the code is fully used. Without the PIN, any remaining balance is lost.
Because you only enter a code, the bookmaker never sees your bank details. You still don't bet anonymously: a licensed bookmaker must verify your identity whichever method you use. See bookmaker ID verification.
Limits per payment
EU anti-money-laundering rules cap remote payments made with anonymous prepaid products at €50 (Directive (EU) 2018/843, which amended the 2015 directive). paysafecard's own fees and limits pages show the same €50 maximum per payment with an unregistered code, as of October 2026, and point to a registered paysafecard account for larger amounts. The bookmaker's own minimum and maximum deposits come on top. Outside the eurozone, limits are set in local currency and under local rules, so check paysafecard's page for your country.
For small stakes that is plenty. If you want €300 on a betting account, you need several codes and several payments, or a registered paysafecard account.
How you withdraw
Money can't flow back onto a code you bought. Winnings and unused balance come back another way:
- Bank transfer to an account in your own name. This is the usual route.
- paysafecard account: some bookmakers can pay out to a registered paysafecard account. paysafecard sets its own payout limits for this; for Austria it publishes €250 a month on the standard account.
Before the first withdrawal, bookmakers almost always require completed verification. Because paysafecard is bought with cash, some bookmakers also ask earlier for a bank statement or the source of your money. That isn't harassment; it is anti-money-laundering practice. How to respond is in source of funds checks, and how long payouts take is in bookmaker withdrawals.
Fees (as of October 2026)
Buying a code is free. After that, paysafecard charges fees that are set per country. These are the figures it publishes for Austria, its home market, as an example:
| Fee | Amount (Austria) | When |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance fee, prepaid code | €3.30 a month | from the 2nd month, deducted from the remaining balance |
| Maintenance fee, paysafecard account | €2.80 a month | from the 13th month, after 12 months without a transaction |
| Refund of balance | 5%, at most €5 | per refund |
| Currency conversion | fee set by paysafecard | only when paying in another currency |
In the UK and other countries the amounts and the month the fee starts can differ; the fees page for your country is the one that applies.
You buy a €50 code and deposit €30. The remaining €20 sits unused. From the second month, €3.30 comes off every month. After six deductions (€19.80) practically nothing is left. Redeem codes soon and in full.
Some bookmakers also exclude paysafecard deposits from welcome offers. Check the terms before your first deposit; see bonus wagering requirements.
Good as a budget cap
paysafecard's biggest strength is its weakness: you can't spend more than you bought. For recreational betting that is a simple guard against topping up on impulse. Two notes:
- If you go straight back to the shop for the next code after losing the budget, there is no cap any more. A deposit limit you set at the bookmaker is more reliable, because it applies at night and to every payment method.
- If you notice you top up more often than you planned, our responsible gambling page lists free help, including self-exclusion schemes.
Watch out for paysafecard code scams
A PIN is like cash: whoever knows it can spend it. Fraudsters use that. Typical tricks are fake "winnings release" fees you are asked to pay by paysafecard, fake customer-service agents on the phone, and chats selling "guaranteed tips" for paysafecard codes. No genuine bookmaker asks you to send a PIN by phone, email or messenger. Only enter PINs in the payment window on the site where you hold your betting account. In the UK you can report fraud to Action Fraud. What is behind supposedly risk-free tips is explained in arbitrage betting scams.
Poor for sure bets
With sure bets your money sits on several betting accounts and has to be moved around regularly: winnings build up at one bookmaker while the balance at another runs low. paysafecard is not made for that:
- Deposits only: money comes back by bank transfer, which takes one to several working days depending on the bookmaker.
- Small amounts: at €50 per payment you need eight payments for €400.
- Costs on leftover balance if codes aren't fully redeemed.
- More source-of-funds questions, because the deposit was paid in cash.
For moving money between accounts, a transfer from your own bank account or, where offered, PayPal is usually more practical: see bookmakers with PayPal. All methods side by side are in bookmaker deposit methods, and how much capital sure bets need is in arbitrage betting starting bankroll.
Frequently asked questions
Can I withdraw to paysafecard at a bookmaker?
Not to a code you bought. Withdrawals usually go by bank transfer to an account in your name, often only after verification is complete. Some bookmakers can pay out to a registered paysafecard account.
How much can I deposit with paysafecard at once?
In the EU the maximum per payment with an unregistered prepaid code is 50 euros, as of October 2026. For larger amounts you need a registered paysafecard account. The bookmaker can also set its own minimum and maximum deposits.
Does paysafecard charge fees?
Buying a code is free. paysafecard then deducts a monthly maintenance fee from any remaining balance after a set period; in Austria it is 3.30 euros a month from the second month, as of October 2026. Redeem codes soon and in full.
Is paysafecard suitable for sure bets?
Not really. Deposits only go in small amounts, and winnings don't come back to the code but by bank transfer. That is slow for moving money between betting accounts. As a deliberately capped budget for recreational betting it can make sense.
This guide names payment methods neutrally and contains no affiliate links. Fees and limits change; paysafecard's and the bookmaker's current terms apply.
Sources
- paysafecard Austria: fees and limits, checked October 2026 (in German)
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2018/843 (fifth anti-money-laundering directive), prepaid limits
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2015/849 on anti-money laundering
- Action Fraud: report fraud and cybercrime (UK)
As of October 2026, checked against the linked sources. Not legal, tax, financial or betting advice.
Not betting advice. 18+. Betting involves risk. Only use money you can do without. See our disclaimer.