PostePay

PostePay is a prepaid card issued by Poste Italiane, the Italian postal operator, and is one of the most widely held payment cards in Italy. It runs on a major card network, so it can be used like a prepaid card for online deposits where supported. It is an Italy-focused method, useful at operators serving Italian customers.

Postepay is a prepaid debit card issued and managed by the Italian Post Office (Poste Italiane). Postepay cards are versatile, require no bank account and can be managed online or at your local post office branch. A Postepay Standard card costs €20 to issue, and cards can be loaded at the post office, at participating ATMs, via the Poste Italiane app or online at postepay.it.

The Postepay card is a useful deposit method for anyone without a bank account or anyone who isn’t comfortable sharing banking details with online betting sites. Because it is not connected to any bank account, it can only be used to deposit whatever you have loaded onto the card.

Postepay Betting Sites

Postepay Evolution cards include an associated IBAN. Now Postepay betting sites can even send and receive wire transfers. Employers can pay employees straight to their cards while customers can use the card to send money straight to regular bank accounts.

If you have a Postepay card and would like to use it to gamble online, visit any of the above sites to sign up for a betting account. Log in to the cashier, choose the “deposit" option and then choose Postepay as your method. You’ll be asked for your card details and then the transaction will be completed in real time.

Keep in mind that Postepay Standard runs on the Visa network, so it can be used at online bookmakers and poker sites that accept Visa cards. What’s more difficult is finding sites that accept customers from Italy.

Fortunately, there are still a handful of Italian betting sites that accept Postepay. All of the above Postepay betting sites meet both criteria and are therefore my top picks. I have personal experience with each site and can confirm that each of these is a safe place to bet online.

More Information

Postepay is a fairly straightforward product. All you need to do is head down to the post office with your ID and the €20 issue fee, or order the card in the Poste Italiane app or on poste.it. You can load the card with cash at your post office, through ATMs and with electronic funds online or through a mobile app available on the Google Play and Apple stores.

You can use the card where its card network is accepted — Visa for Postepay Standard — and cash may be withdrawn at Postamat and bank ATMs. No bank account is required, and an Evolution card can send and receive wire transfers. Finally, you can visit postepay.it or download one of the mobile apps to manage, reload and view recent transactions for your card.

A Postepay Evolution card’s associated IBAN can also be used to receive wire transfer withdrawals from betting sites. This is a major advantage compared to most cards because it is rare that gambling sites can send payments to cards. The IBAN associated with an Evolution card can receive regular wire transfers, making that card capable of handling both deposits and payouts.

Fees and Info

• Website: www.postepay.poste.it

• New card cost: €20 (Postepay Standard)

• Annual fee: €19 (Postepay Evolution); no annual fee on Postepay Standard

Depositing to betting sites: Free

• ATM withdrawals: Free

• Receiving wire transfers: Free

• Support number in Italy: 800.00.33.22

• Support number from abroad: +39 02.8244.33.33