Which Are the Best Online Poker Sites Which Welcome Interac Deposits
My Canadian readers will need no introduction to Interac (though just in case, I have given an overview at the bottom of this page). For everyone else lets get straight to the point. The US UIGEA laws and paranoid Canadian banks together mean that even though real money poker is perfectly legal in Canada – depositing can be a pain.
Interac solves this issue, it not only works for poker deposits from all the leading banks – it works quickly and smoothly too. Players with accounts at TD, RBC, Scotiabank, Canada Imperial, Bank of Montreal and Manulife can deposit with Interac (and I see no reason smaller / regional banks would not work in exactly the same way).
Here are my picks for the best online poker sites currently welcoming Interac. Naturally I have focused on the tournaments / SNGs – though cash games, bonuses and (more importantly) the ongoing promotions are also covered.
Best Interac Poker Sites #1 - Unibet Poker (Easy Top Pick)
Not only does Unibet have the softest games online in 2024, they make it super-easy for Canadians to deposit and withdraw too.
This site is unique in many ways. Top of my list is that it is (almost!) free from the hordes of grinders you get at Stars, Party and GG. Instead you get quirky short-handed games, unique software with cartoonish avatars and plenty of recreational players that pop over from their giant sportsbook and casino areas. While not as busy as the big-name sites, there is enough traffic for a decent game selection, especially in Hold'em.
Their deposit bonus is unique too. You get a $30 match, then get started on the 'play-through' bonus, this is rake / fees based and can boost your initial bankroll by up to $1000. After that there are promotions, specials and cross-over offers with the other areas of this giant site.
Interac deposits are the icing on the cake.
Unibet are worth checking out - you'll see the difference in skill levels of your opponents right away. Take advantage of the giant play-through bonus now - over at www.unibet.com
Best Interac Poker Sites #1 – 888 Poker
No doubt in my mind that the best Interac site at the moment by a long way is 888. The reason is that the focus on recreational / non-pro players over the last few years has created a site which is both a lot of fun and potentially very profitable.
They’ll also offer you up to $88 completely free to check out the games (you get a free $8 right away, then 10 more instalments of $8 as you collect points). This is separate from the matched deposit bonus, which you can claim at any time.
Here are some of the things to check out:
- The ‘Fish’ themed tournaments, everything from the Goldfish up to the ‘Whale’, guaranteed prizes, fields which are not so big you’ll need to play for half the night and super-soft too.
- The Super XL Series events… This is the tournament festival at 888, each time this runs (every 3 months or so) the prizes and variations get bigger and better.
- The ‘Blast’ lottery SNGs, prizes of up to 10,000 times your buy-in, 4 handed, super turbo and timed. These are a lot of fun to play, and can land you a serious windfall.
- Soft cash games, SNAP (fast fold) and the regular games are noticeably looser and crazier than at sites like PokerStars.
Interac deposits are welcome along with credit cards, money transfers and more. You can expect fast cashouts too.
Check out the latest promotions (there are tons of these...) and claim your $88 free at www.888poker.com now!
Best Interac Poker Sites #2 – PokerStars
I can’t exclude the biggest and best known poker site of all, even though I have my reservations about the number of ‘small stakes pros’ they have at the tables. This site did not get to be biggest by accident, they really are good. Everything from the software to the guaranteed prize tournaments are a cut above the rest. Service used to be great, now I rate this as ‘efficient’ instead.
Many people do not know that you can claim 3 ‘first’ deposit welcome bonuses at PokerStars – this works fine with Interac deposits.
There are 2 steps. First, register an account, use the pull down menu of ‘where did you hear about us?’, choose ‘Affiliate Marketing Code’ and put PSP1111 in here (this tells them that I sent you!).
Next you go the cashier and follow the steps for Interac deposits. You’ll be asked for a bonus code along with the amount to deposit. Here you can use STARS600 up to 3 times, within 90 days. This gets you a matched welcome bonus of up to $600 in total across the 3 deposits.
There are a ton of reasons that PokerStars retain their number 1 status. Once your Interac (or any other type) deposit is through, here are some highlights that I would recommend:
- Play in the ‘Sunday Million’. This $215 entry tournament runs every Sunday and has a guaranteed $1,000,000 prize pool. It has become an institution and every player should experience it at least once. If you can’t afford the entry, why not join one of the many satellite qualifier games?
- Try some Fifty50 Sit N Goes. These are unique to PokerStars. The prize pool is split at the start of the game. Half goes to the 5 players (these games are 10 handed) who are the last 5 standing. The other half is divided based on chip counts when you hit the final 5 and the game ends.
- Zoom Poker is another game not to be missed. This is the biggest and best fast-fold poker variation around.
- I also recommend the many tournament events at PokerStars. These include the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), plus the Spring Championship, Turbo Championship, Micro Millions (for smaller stakes players) and many more!
There is a lot to like about PokerStars, though I will recommend that you keep your eyes open for the ever-present multi-tabling pros.
Remember, Marketing Code = PSP3108 when you register, and bonus code = STARS600 for those Interac Deposits – check out www.pokerstars.com for the latest events and big money promos.
Quick Interac Poker Deposits FAQ for New Users
What Is Interac?
Also known as eTransfer or even eChecks, Interac is a Canadian non-profit which developed a way to securely send money by mailing it, along with a security question, from participating banks. All of the major Canadian banks are part of this system, along with a lot of smaller ones.
What Are the Benefits of Using Interac?
Two big benefits. First, since you log on to your own bank separately and initiate an outbound transfer, you never need to give a 3rd party any bank or credit card details. This makes Interac very secure, even if a poker site got hacked, the hacker would not be able to extract any more money from your bank account using stored information.
The second benefit is that this always works to make deposits. Credit and Debit cards are often blocked by banks. While using them in Canada is perfectly legal, the banks are nervous about US laws preventing these deposits – and sometimes just anti-gambling (or anti-freedom of choice if you prefer). With PayPal and Skrill deposits also unavailable in Canada, Interac makes a reliable and safe option.
How to Initiate My Interac Poker Site Transfer?
This will be slightly different for each site. First create your account and find your way to the cashier (the site will ‘helpfully’ make sure you get there!). Choose Interac and follow the instructions here, including adding a bonus code if you have one. Next you log on to your own bank and send the money to the e-mail address provided by the poker site. You’ll need to tie-in with them on the security question – though this process should be quick and easy.
You can find out more at www.interac.ca
Unibet are worth checking out - you'll see the difference in skill levels of your opponents right away. Take advantage of the giant play-through bonus now - over at www.unibet.com
More Deposit Methods Articles:
- Canadian Poker Deposit Methods