New payment methods are constantly making business transactions easier. They are also available on the road because Google Pay can be used to make purchases in local stores as well as online. A detailed overview of important information can also be found on the topic of Google Pay casinos. But what is there to consider when using online casinos that accept Google Pay, and what options does Google Pay offer in general? This article provides information.
What is Google Pay?
Google Pay is a payment service that turns your smartphone into a wallet. However, not only a smartphone serves as a means of payment, but the service can also be used on tablets and smartwatches. Of course, there are prerequisites:
- Android – the service comes from Google and thus supports Android operating systems. On iPhones, the service can be installed, but it can only be used to send money to friends. Making payments is not possible.
- Smartphone – whether smartphone, tablet or smartwatch: the prerequisite for paying in stores is an NFC chip. This is generally included in the newer smartphone models.
- App – the Google Pay app must be installed. Now the Google Pay account is linked to a cash account. Credit cards and Visa cards, but also the user’s own PayPal account, can be stored, which is now used to create a connection with the bank account. Direct deposit of the bank account is only possible with some online banks; most stationary banks rely on their own payment systems.
At the end of the day, Google Pay is not a trick. When shopping online, you simply select Google Pay during the payment process and follow the instructions. In brick-and-mortar stores, the smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch is held up to the card-reading terminal, and the payment process is completed. For smaller purchases of up to $25, security queries only take place randomly; for higher amounts, the smartphone must first be unlocked.
Depending on the payment method stored, the amount just paid is now debited from the payment method or made available for debiting.
Where can you pay this way everywhere?
Initially, Google Pay was intended as a universal means of payment, but in practice, users encountered stores that were not equipped accordingly. That has changed in the meantime. In general, Google Pay can be used in many ways:
- Online retail – as soon as the merchant specifies Google Pay as a payment method, payment can also be made with this account. Most merchants now have Google Pay as part of their standard offering.
- Online casino – for deposits, Google Pay also offers itself as a quick and easy solution. However, withdrawals do not work, as Google Pay only provides for payment transactions, not cash receipts.
- Events – those who book tickets online can likewise use Google Pay. The major ticket sellers work with the service.
- Retail – gas stations, supermarkets, shopping malls, and even toll booths on highways now offer the payment method.
The advantage of Google Pay is that it converts directly into other currencies, and drivers do not have to go through the hassle of exchanging money when traveling abroad. Of course, the same applies to stationary or online shopping.
Despite all the advantages, Google Pay is not without its disadvantages. Users can currently neither rely on the service being offered on vacation nor on car trips or at home. The rule here is:
- NFC terminal – the store needs not only a normal card reader but a terminal that can communicate via NFC with the smartphone or smartwatch. These are usually the stores where payment can be made by card by just holding the card up to the terminal. The sign for these terminals consists of the WiFi sign.
- Offer – in addition, not every merchant cooperates with Google Pay. Most stores display in the checkout area which services and cards are accepted.
So unless the aim is to top up one’s gaming account at the casino on the car journey, users should still carry cash or another means of payment with them. One exception is the Scandinavian countries, where virtual payment is much more widespread than in the rest of Canada.
What needs to be taken into account?
The Google Pay service is secure. However, it is only as secure as the user has set the smartphone. For smaller amounts, it is not even necessary to activate the device; the smartphone just has to be held up to the terminal. For larger amounts, the smartphone must be unlocked. Important:
- Unlocking – whether with Google Pay or with the payment app of one’s own bank: the smartphone must be able to be securely locked and unlocked. Fingerprint, iris scan or passcode are the prerequisites because otherwise, anyone who has the device in their hands can also pay with Google Pay. The service always runs in the background.
- Data protection – Google naturally works with the service’s data. During a payment process, the name and location of the merchant, the date and time of the purchase and sometimes product descriptions are transmitted. The latter are summarized if the purchase is made in a supermarket, for example.
- Two-phase authentication – the Google account and also Google Pay can be protected with 2-phase authentication. During the payment process, this can mean that the payment has to be approved once again via code, fingerprint or another protection mechanism. Those who travel a lot should edit the settings in the account to increase the security level.
Many people are unsure about contactless payment because they fear – or read on social networks – that the payment process will be triggered if they just walk past a corresponding terminal. However, this is not possible. The range of the NFC chip is not sufficient for this, and in addition, the payment processes must be triggered by the checkout staff themselves.
Anyone with an NFC-enabled bank card can check this in the supermarket. If the card is just a few centimeters too low on the terminal, it can no longer be read at the top. And before the terminal is ready, the reader won’t work at all.
Conclusion – Google Pay as a universal alternative
Google Pay is incredibly practical when it comes to cashless and contactless payments, thanks to its PayPal connection. The payment service is also useful for online transactions since many merchants offer it, and it is very simple.
However, the service cannot be used with every credit or Visa card or even with a bank account. Here the way leads again through PayPal. Online banks are more likely to offer cooperation than stationary banks and savings banks, which in turn want to spread their own contactless services.
