‘Pending withdrawals also known as ‘reverse withdrawals’ refers to the period of time you have to reverse a cashout or withdrawal request. Between pressing the “withdraw” button and the actual processing of the withdrawal, there’ll be a window of time where you can cancel the payout and get your money back.
Casinos have different time frames for the pending (reverse) withdrawal period. In general, though, pending times range from 24 hours to three days. In the table below you’ll see our recommended casinos current pending withdrawal period.
Casino | Pending Period | Manual Flushing | |
---|---|---|---|
10Bet | 1-3 days | ||
32Red | 24 hrs | ||
777 | 3 days | ||
888 | 3 days | ||
Betbright | 2hrs | ||
Betfair | up to 48hrs | ||
Betway | 24-48hrs | ||
BGO | 2hrs | ||
Casino of Dreams | Upto 7 days | ||
Casumo | Immediate | ||
Coral | Upto 12hrs | ||
Dunder | 24hrs | ||
Genting | 24hrs | ||
Hippodrome | 48hrs | ||
Ladbrokes | Upto 12hrs | ||
LeoVegas | Immediate | ||
Mansion | 3 days | ||
NetBet | 24-48hrs | ||
Paddy Power | Upto 24hrs | ||
Party | 3 days | ||
Rizk | 24hrs | ||
Royal Panda | Upto 24hrs | ||
Sky | 24hrs | ||
Videoslots | Upto 24hrs | ||
Virgin | Upto 24hrs | ||
Winner | Upto 24hrs |
Why Is There A Pending Withdrawal Period?
One of the main reasons online casinos and betting sites having pending periods is to get you to cancel your withdrawal and continue playing. This might seem cynical but online casinos are the ‘house’, and the house only makes money when someone is playing and losing. They don’t make money when you decide not to play by withdrawing your winnings. By offering a ‘time out’ they are hoping that you will change your mind and reverse the withdrawal request.
Another reason for the pending period that it helps reduce the casino’s operating expenses. In the same way you have to pay a charge to your bank if you want to clear a cheque sooner or process an international payment, casinos have similar operational costs.
Pros and Cons of Pending Withdrawals
The cons of pending withdrawal periods are quite clear: you have to wait longer to get your cash and you may get tempted to cancel the withdrawal and lose the money you intended to collect.
Are there any advantages to pending periods though? Surprisingly, there is one: it gives you a chance to reflect on your decision. Although it’s not a scientifically provable phenomenon, some casino players believe in runs and, when you feel as though luck is on your side, it could be a good move to carry on betting. We’re not suggesting you do this, but it’s a theory and pending periods allow you to reverse a withdrawal and ride a rush of good fortune.
Another potential positive is that you may have made a mistake when requesting a withdrawal. Whether it’s the wrong amount, the wrong payment method or just a complete mistake, pending withdrawals allow you to undo a potential mistake.
Pending Withdrawal Time Trends
If pending casino withdrawals are generally a negative thing for players, the good news is that things are changing. Although the majority of online casinos still impose a pending period on your cashouts, time-frames are getting shorter. Part of the reason for the narrowing of the waiting period is that casinos are getting the message that players don’t really like it.
With the competition in the online gaming industry, every casino site needs an edge and shorter pending periods is an easy way to gain one. Beyond this, payment processors are getting more efficient and less expensive. Moreover, with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin now offering secure, instant withdrawals, operators are being forced to adapt and reduce waiting times.
As a guide, Microgaming casinos have average pending times between 24 and 48 hours. In contrast, Playtech sites and 888 Casino take 3+ days, whilst those sites running NetEnt software or with origins from the Scandinavian market have immediate to 1 day pending periods.
Manual Flushing
Manual flushing in an online casino is the process of starting the withdrawal process and bypassing the ‘pending period’ by directly contacting the casino. If you request a “manual flush”, the casino will make it impossible for you to then reverse the transaction. If a site offers manual flushing, you can send them a message (live chat is the best way) after clicking the cash-out button, and ask them to prevent you from cancelling the process.
Manual flushing is both a means to get your money back quicker and a safety net for players who often cancel their withdrawal requests. Not all sites offer manual flushing. So, if you’re someone that needs saving from themselves, we suggest you check the sites on the table above that do offer this feature.
Withdrawal Locking
As is often the case with online casinos, innovation leads to new ways of doing things and withdrawals are no different. In a bid to make its package more attractive and give you more control over your bankroll, Rizk Casino launched “withdrawal locking” back in 2016. Essentially a form of manual flushing but easier, this feature locks your pending withdrawal so you can’t cancel it.
The reason this feature has become popular is its simplicity. Instead of going through the process of requesting a manual flush and waiting for it to be activated (during which time you could still cancel a withdrawal), locking is instant. After requesting a cashout, you can return to the transaction page and choose one of two options: cancel or lock.
See Rizk’s promotional feature on their industry disruptive new feature
Once you’ve selected “lock”, you’ll be asked to confirm your decision and that’s it. When the funds are locked, you can’t adjust, cancel or influence the transaction in anyway. This is great news for players and, in reality, the direction the industry is heading. With players and regulators now demanding more responsible gaming settings, withdrawal locking could soon become the norm. Indeed, if it does, then the issue of pending withdrawals may not be such of an issue anymore