UPI/IMPS Review & Best UPI/IMPS Casinos
Did you know that India is projected to reach 760 million smartphone users in 2021? Believe it or not, few countries have adopted these devices as swiftly as India. Aside from needs such as communication and research, Indians are using phones for perhaps the most important thing of all – payments. And it just so happens that Indian banks were eager to facilitate online money transfers. Thus, the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) were born, both projects of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Even companies like Google are paying attention to the efforts of the NPCI.
Due to how easy and safe it is to use IMPS/UPI, online casinos have picked this payment method up rather quickly. And players immediately flocked to deposit money in order to play their favorite games. As the excitement reached a high point recently, we felt like we had no other choice but to provide you with a complete analysis of IMPS/UPI. In this review, we’ll cover all details, technicalities, and everything else that might be of importance to you. You’ll also find out what the best IMPS casinos are, as well as the best UPI casinos. Sounds good?
Top Casinos That Accept UPI/IMPS Deposits
Ever since UPI and IMPS were launched, fast transfers and excellent service became available to Indian casino players. While it’s excellent to see so many sites picking up IMPS/UPI, it’s hard to find the best ones that offer this payment method. Fortunately, our team decided to do this just so you don’t have to. We tested all the best IMPS/UPI casinos and ranked them according to more than 15 key variables. Here’s the list – pick any site you like, have fun, and remember to play responsibly!
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Company Background
Both IMPS and UPI are run and owned by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a state-run regulatory body that deals with online payments in the Indian market. The NPCI was founded in 2008, just as the world started getting used to digital money transfers. It’s officially a non-profit organization and is officially run by the Indian Banks Association and the Reserve Bank of India.
In 2009, the NPCI received a Certificate of Commencement of Business from the government, which gave them the green light to move forward. Year after year, they added more banks to the fold, just so every project they launched could get the same amount of coverage. Expansive coverage is the most important thing in a country with over 1 billion people, after all.
Year 2010 saw the launch of IMPS. This platform was designed to facilitate transfers between banks. With it, users could send money to other individuals without too big of a hassle. The sender only needs to know the bank account number of the recipient, as well as their Indian Financial System Code (IFSC). Today, more than 200 million transactions are made with IMPS each month, amounting to a total of $20 billion.
As for UPI, it was launched in 2016. Even though it has many similarities to IMPS, UPI aims more at app use and mobile transfers. That’s why many online casinos in India offer these methods side by side. While they both have the same stellar reputation, they can be used for slightly different purposes. And it’s precisely UPI that became the crown jewel of India’s fintech scene. Both the media and organizations from all over the world admired the rollout of UPI, along with its spectacular rollout and great features.
Still don’t understand the difference between IMPS and UPI? Don’t worry – we got you! By analyzing both platforms and using them at casino sites in India, we concluded that these differences are key:
- IMPS requires you to know the casino’s banking details. For UPI transfers, you only need their UPI Virtual Payment Address (VPA).
- To make IMPS deposits, you need your bank’s app. UPI lets you connect multiple bank accounts to a single VPA.
- With UPI, you enter much fewer details than with IMPS.
- For UPI, there are no waiting times for transfers. As for IMPS, all deposits are cleared after about 30 minutes.
- You don’t need a bank account to use UPI, while with IMPS, it’s mandatory
Target Markets
Currently, both IMPS and UPI are only available at Indian online casinos. After all, both platforms are run by NPCI, a state-run organization. Even though it’s a shame only Indians can experience this way of depositing/withdrawing money, but country-specific banking methods have proven to be successful.
However, that doesn’t mean the NPCI doesn’t want other people to enjoy their services. On the contrary, the NPCI recently launched NPCI International Payment Ltd., a subsidiary that’s basically the organization’s gateway to other markets. As of 2021, it has been confirmed that nations from Asia, Africa and the Middle East have expressed an interest in adopting UPI. So far, there has been no new information, but we’ll update this review as soon as something pops up.
How to Set Up an IMPS Account: Step by Step Guide
Since these are two different platforms, there are two different sign-up processes. Let’s start off with IMPS, shall we?
Go to your bank’s website and ask for a Mobile Money Identifier (MMID
The MMID is a 7-digit number that you’ll use to verify all your IMPS deposits. Along with it, you’ll only need a valid phone number. Make sure that no one knows your MMID and that you’re always entering it from a secure device.
Download your bank’s eBanking app
Now that the bank has provided you with an MMID, all that’s left to do is to download their eBanking app. This step is important because you’ll need the app to confirm every IMPS deposit. It’s a great security measure that ensures any attempts at account theft are futile.
Or you can use IMPS’ SMS service
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of downloading more software onto your phone, you can always make IMPS deposits via SMS. The moment you claim an MMID and download the eBanking app, you can also transfer money just by typing out a few keywords and the casino’s banking info. Don’t worry, every IMPS casino provides these details in advance.
Available Currencies
INR
How to Set Up a UPI Account: Step by Step Guide
If you’re more of a fan of easy sign-up processes, then you’ll prefer UPI over IMPS. Here’s what you need to do in order to start making UPI deposits.
Download the UPI app
If you want to start playing at the best UPI casinos right away, all you need to do is get the UPI app from the Play Store/App Store. The software is great, so you won’t experience any problems whilst handling the app for the first time.
Enter your personal information
One thing we like about UPI is that the NPCI invests a lot of effort into preventing fraud. Therefore, it’s essential that you provide your details. Don’t worry, though, as they are safely stored, encrypted, and inaccessible to third parties. These details include your name, surname, address, phone number, and email.
Generate your VPA
To be able to play at UPI casinos, you need a virtual payment address, aka a VPA. You can generate it on your own, as you can use small case letters and numbers. In the end, it will look something like this: [email protected]
Link your bank account/another payment platform.
You can use UPI with much more than your bank account, believe it or not. After generating your VPA, go to the Manage Bank Account section. There, you can connect either your bank account, or an account from another UPI-supported platform, such as GPay, PayTM, BHIM, or another supported app. And that’s it!
Available Currencies
INR
Casino Deposits and Withdrawals
Just like with the sign-up process, IMPS and UPI provide different ways in which you can make deposits at online casinos in India. Here’s how you can fund your account with IMPS.
- Go to your casino of choice and log in.
- Head over to the Payments/Banking/Cashier/Deposit section.
- Select IMPS.
- Enter the amount you wish to deposit and your MMID.
- Click confirm and confirm the transaction once again in your eBanking app. That’s it!
But what about IMPS withdrawals? No need to worry – the process is exactly the same. The only minute difference is that you have to actually wait for your winnings to arrive.
As for UPI, here’s how you can start playing your favorite slots and table games at casinos in India.
- Pop by your casino’s homepage, log in and go to the Withdrawal section.
- Choose UPI as your desired withdrawal method.
- Enter the amount you wish to deposit, along with your VPA.
- Click Confirm (after double-checking everything, of course).
- Open the main UPI app or any other UPI-supported payment service, and generate a new PIN.
- Now, back at the casino, just enter that PIN to confirm the transaction, and you’re good to go.
Just like with its older brother, IMPS, UPI has the same withdrawal method. This makes playing at Indian casinos a walk in the park, mainly because you don’t have to remember too many complicated steps.
Detailed Overview of Transaction Fees
If you’re using IMPS, then the fees depend on your bank. As every individual institution is free to negotiate its own terms with the NPCI, different banks charge different amounts. To be absolutely sure about the amount, contact your bank’s customer support and tell them to provide you with details information about the fees and if they rise for bigger deposits.
As for UPI, there’s a flat fee of ₹0.5, which is more than reasonable. It’s also a great way for the app to finance itself and prepare funds for adding new features, and possibly, expanding on an international level.
What are the Timeframes for UPI/IMPS Payments at Online Casinos?
When putting the two casino banking platforms head-to-head, UPI comes out on top when it comes to waiting times. All deposits are instant, while withdrawals can take a while, with 3 business days being the maximum amount of time you’ll wait for your winnings.
IMPS falls behind especially when it comes to deposits. There’s a 30-minute waiting period for all transfers arriving into an account, which means that you won’t be able to play right away. When it comes to withdrawals, however, the situation is more or less the same. Three days is the worst-case scenario.
Deposit and Withdrawal Limits
Both IMPS and UPI have a minimum deposit limit of ₹1. As amazing as it sounds, this is no surprise. These platforms were made to provide people with easy payments for their everyday needs. That’s why small amounts were the initial goal of the NPCI.
However, casinos usually don’t accept such small deposits. The minimum deposit is usually around the ₹700-750 ballpark, while you won’t be able to withdraw more than ₹360,000. Keep in mind that there might be exceptions to these numbers, as they are only the average threshold we noticed during our research.
Best UPI/IMPS Casino Bonus
Do you want to get more chances to win without even spending all of your hard-earned Rupees? If so, then UPI bonuses and IMPS promotions are the things for you. Thankfully, many casinos in India like to reward their players with generous sums and lots of free spins. There are many available bonuses, but we advise you to choose one of these, as they’re the best of the best:
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Security
We can’t complain about security, honestly. Both UPI and IMPS use 2-factor authentication (2FA), which effectively prevents anyone from stealing your account and making unauthorized transactions. Many banking methods don’t offer this level of security, so it’s nice to see the NPCI being up to date with data safety standards.
There’s also the fact that you have to provide your real information. Identity checks are, sort of, a security measure on their own. But when you also realize that IMPS and UPI use high-grade SSL encryption, it’s not so hard to understand why both platforms deserve praise for their efforts.
Customer Support
Here’s yet another aspect of this banking method duo that we were impressed with. Although, it’s worth mentioning that the lack of live chat isn’t that big of a deal. IMPS and UPI are both run by a consortium of banks, which means that you should always contact them first. Nevertheless, we wanted to see what the NPCI is made of, so we thoroughly tested their support team. They’re obviously well-organized, but what really struck us is the level of knowledge every staff member has.
Not too many companies get this level of results from employee training, so kudos to the NPCI. The main website, which houses both IMPS and UPI, is also filled with tones of useful information, tips, and guides. Frankly, it’s one of the most informative sites we’ve ever seen. Great job!
Player Experiences
Overall, players have mostly good things to say about IMPS and UPI, but UPI is definitely the more popular choice because of its lower fees and faster transfers. However, that doesn’t mean that IMPS is a pushover. Users that rely mainly on their bank accounts love IMPS, and they even don’t mind the small differences between the two sister-banking methods.
In terms of negative reviews and experience, there’s the usual presence of people blaming IMPS/UPI for late withdrawals and whatnot. Remember, it’s the banks that have the final say when it comes to such issues. Therefore, we believe such inflammatory comments are written in the heat of the moment and don’t exemplify the qualities of IMPS/UPI.
Extra Features
Both IMPS and UPI come loaded with extra features, such as bill sharing, cash on delivery payments, scalability, and most importantly – direct complaints through the app. We at Casino Banking Methods always say that communication with players is the key. Well, UPI in particular has this down to a fine science, as it’s very easy to get to the bottom of any problem. Keep in mind that most of these extra features aren’t related to online gambling.
Mobile Capability
In terms of software quality, the NPCI definitely didn’t spare any expenses, at least when it comes to their native apps. Since the UPI platform can be used with a number of third-party apps, we can’t guarantee that you will always have the same experience every time. To ensure that everything goes smooth, use one of UPI’s own apps.
Interesting Facts
- IMPS was founded in 2010 and was once India’s most popular casino banking method.
- UPI will potentially be available in other parts of the world, as several countries have sent offers to the Indian Government.
- UPI is also supported by PayTM, GooglePay, SamsungPay, and AmazonPay.
- Both IMPS and UPI require 2FA for use, on top of their existing security measures.
- You can only use IMPS if you are a citizen of India.
- More than 240 Indian banks are a part of the IMPS network.
FAQ
What are UPI and IMPS?
IMPS is an online banking solution for transfers between two bank accounts, while UPI is a real-time payment system that doesn’t require you to connect your account.
Are UPI and IMPS safe?
Yes, both platforms use two-factor authentication and are run by the Indian government.
How do I make a UPI deposit?
Just go to your casino’s Cashier page, select ‘Pay with Virtual Payment Address’, enter the VPA of the casino, double-check the details and click/tap Submit.
Do online casinos offer IMPS/UPI bonuses?
Yes, since these are popular ways of transferring money, lots of sites give you rewards for IMPS/UPI deposits.
Do UPI and IMPS have any fees?
IMPS charges you on a bank-by-bank basis, so check with your bank to know the exact details. UPI has a flat fee of ₹0.5.
My IMPS deposit didn’t get clear immediately, what should I do?
Just wait a bit. Usually, it takes 30 minutes to process IMPS deposits. If the process takes a bit longer, contact your bank.
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