American Express is a charge card restricted to persons with an upscale economic profile. It is used primarily in the travel and entertainment realm, but can also be used to fund cardholders’ accounts with online gaming establishments. Casinos, poker rooms and sports books that accept American Express will run the charge, and the credit is almost instantaneous. The name of the payee on the monthly statement may not be the same as the name of the gambling site. Amex will permit US cardholders to complete transactions with online companies, but if the charge is to an obvious or known gambling site, it may be turned down. For players outside of the United States, this is not a problem.

Casinos and other web sites pay a fee to Amex for receiving funds through the charge card, and some may pass this on to the customer, so it is a good idea to inquire first. Other casinos permit higher deposit limits for Amex customers. Many online establishments do not work with American Express because the fee structure is higher than it is with MasterCard, Visa and similar credit card systems.

Generally electronic wallets and other payment processor companies do not work with American Express, but that, too is a matter for special inquiry if it is important.