# Nine checks before your first deposit from a phone > Nine checks to run before your first deposit in a betting app in Ireland: payment method, bank block, limit, age check, minimums, fees, email proof, network and budget. Source: https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/before-your-first-deposit-from-a-phone/ Updated: 2026-11-07 Before your first deposit, check nine things: the method is not a credit card, your bank is not blocking it, your own limit is set, age verification is done, you know the minimum and any fee, the confirmation email arrives, your network is trusted and the amount fits your budget. If one check fails, do not deposit. ## The nine checks **First-deposit checklist. Source: Gambling Regulation Act 2024; GRAI Protection Tools · checked 7 November 2026** | # | Check | Fail if | Detail we have | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Method is not a credit card | The app accepts or you use a credit card | Banned by s.165 | | 2 | Your bank does not block it | The payment is declined or blocked | Bank blocks are listed by the GRAI | | 3 | Your own limit is set | No limit is set yet | Operators must offer one (s.164) | | 4 | Age and identity check is complete | The check is pending or failed | Required before an account opens (s.169) | | 5 | You know the minimum deposit | You cannot find it | Not checked | | 6 | You know any fee | A fee appears only after you confirm | Not checked | | 7 | A confirmation email arrives | Nothing arrives after the deposit | Check your inbox and the account history | | 8 | Your network is one you trust | You are on public Wi-Fi | Use your own mobile data or home network | | 9 | The amount fits your budget | It is more than you can afford to lose | See the planner | **In short:** nine checks; the first four are set by law or by your bank. ## Checks 1 and 2: method and bank - Credit cards, and e-methods funded from credit cards, are banned for gambling (s.165, in force since 5 February 2026). - Methods we track: debit card (Visa Debit and Mastercard Debit as one), Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and bank transfer or Open Banking. Which operator accepts which: Not checked. See the [payment methods table](https://beforeyouinstall.com/data/mobile-payment-methods-documented/). - The GRAI Protection Tools page lists gambling blocks at AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS, PTSB and Revolut. - If your bank offers a block, you can switch it on ([steps](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/switch-on-a-bank-gambling-block/)). Whether blocks apply by default: [claim check](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/do-irish-banks-block-gambling-by-default/). More per method: [debit cards](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/debit-card-betting-apps-ireland/), [Apple Pay](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/apple-pay-betting-apps-ireland/), [Google Pay](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/google-pay-betting-apps-ireland/), [PayPal](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/paypal-betting-apps-ireland/). **In short:** debit-type methods only; your bank may block gambling payments. ## Checks 3 and 4: limit and age - Set a deposit limit first: [how to do it](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/set-a-deposit-limit-in-a-betting-app/). - Convert a limit between day, week and month with the [deposit limit planner](https://beforeyouinstall.com/tools/deposit-limit-planner/). - Finish the age and identity check ([steps](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/verify-age-and-identity-in-a-betting-app/)). **In short:** limit and age check come before the money. ## Checks 5 to 9: costs, proof, network, budget - Minimum deposit and fees come from the operator's payment page. Captured so far: none. - Keep the confirmation email and note the time. - Use your own network. Public Wi-Fi is a fail. - Pick the amount from your budget, not from the minimum. **In short:** find the costs first, keep the proof, use your own network. ## If a check fails - **Check 1 or 2 fails.** Use a debit-type method, or talk to your bank. Do not try to bypass the rule. - **Check 3 or 4 fails.** Stop. Finish the limit or the identity check first. - **Check 5 or 6 fails.** Ask the operator in writing for the figure. If it will not give one, do not deposit. - **Check 7 fails.** Look at your account history. If the money left but is not credited, follow the [complaints order](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/complain-about-a-betting-app/). - **Check 8 or 9 fails.** Wait. Deposit later, on a trusted network, with a smaller amount. **In short:** a failed check means wait, not bypass it. ## How we checked - Law: Gambling Regulation Act 2024, ss.164, 165 and 169. - Banks: the GRAI Protection Tools page, as recorded in our country notes. - Still to capture: minimums and fees from operator payment pages (data table D4), and each bank's own page. Each needs a date. - We made no deposits to test any app. **In short:** the law and the bank list are sourced; minimums and fees are not checked. ## What changed - 7 November 2026: first version of this page. **In short:** no earlier versions exist. ## Related questions **Can I deposit with a credit card in a licensed Irish betting app?** No. Credit cards, and e-wallets or similar methods funded by a credit card, are banned for gambling under s.165, in force since 5 February 2026. **Which banks have gambling blocks?** The GRAI Protection Tools page lists gambling blocks at AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS, PTSB and Revolut. Whether each applies by default is Not checked. See the [payments hub](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/payments/). **Can I set a limit before I deposit?** Yes. Licensed operators must let you set a money limit (s.164). Set it before your first deposit and keep the confirmation. 18+ only. Gambling can be addictive – play responsibly. Set limits, take breaks and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Free 24/7 support: 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie. **In short:** 18+ only; help is free and open 24/7. ## FAQ **Can I deposit with a credit card in a licensed Irish betting app?** No. Credit cards, and e-wallets or similar methods funded by a credit card, are banned for gambling under s.165 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, in force since 5 February 2026. **Which banks have gambling blocks?** The GRAI Protection Tools page lists gambling blocks at AIB, Bank of Ireland, EBS, PTSB and Revolut. Whether each applies by default is Not checked. **Can I set a limit before I deposit?** Yes. Licensed operators must let you set a money limit (s.164). Set it before your first deposit and keep the confirmation.