The Maestro Card was created as a joint venture between Mastercard and Europay International. Today, it is accepted in over 100 countries and it is also known for offering secure online transactions.
With the Maestro Card, customers have instants access to cash through a PIN number no matter where they are in the world because it can be used as a debit card or as a pre-paid card. This payment method is becoming more popular in Europe as the EU nations are trying to adopt a common payment system by 2010.
Backed by the prestige of its founders, the Maestro Card is accepted in most top online casinos.
Meastro - Highlights
Instant Transfers. When a player uses a Maestro Card to deposit into a casino they will ger instant access to the money as the transactions take place instantaneously.
Money Access. One of the best things about this card is that the cardholder can access their money at home or while they are abroad.
Easy to Get. Maestro Cards are very accessible, even if you have a bad credit record because this functions as a debit card or a pre-paid card.
Issued in the US. Maestro cards issued in the US are linked to a checking or savings account and are backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This card is gaining more popularity in the country.
Security. With the Maestro Card, you get pretty much the same security system that MasterCard uses. Everytime you make a purchase you are required to enter your SecureCode, this number is private and will not be shared with the online merchant.
Mastercard Benefits. Even though pre-paid cards like Maestro can be suspected of being used for money laundering, MasterCard ensures that all of their money laundering regulations are enforced. Also, the Maestro card is a popular method accepted in a lot of places just for being backed by MasterCard, unlike most other pre-paid cards.
Meastro - Downside
Fees. The downside to this card are the fees. These fees depend on the issuing bank but they can be somewhere around $120 for opening. Then you can get charged $1.50 for card loading and the monthly fee is $3 per month. ATM transactions charge $3 and if you only make an inquiry it can cost around $1.
Meastro - Personal Opinion
The Maestro Card is a very easy and safe methods to process transactions online. The fees are extremely high and I recommend that if you want to save some money you should not go for this one. In some places it may be too hard to process online payments and this card will make the process extremely easy so in this case it may be worth paying the fees.
However, if you are picking between pre-paid cards, this is the top option because all of them will charge fees but with Maestro you will get all the security and benefits from MasterCard which is a very reputable company.
