Rank #30 · Open banking / instant bank
Sofort / Klarna(Sofort)
German-speaking-Europe open banking rail (Sofortüberweisung, now part of Klarna). Smooth but increasingly deprioritised vs Trustly.
- Deposit speed
- Instant on confirmation
- Withdrawal speed
- Not supported (deposit-only typically)
- Deposit clearance
- Bank-authentication leg plus SEPA-Instant
- Withdrawal clearance
- Withdrawals typically route via SEPA bank transfer separately
- Fees
- Operator-absorbed merchant fee; free for player
- KYC drag
- Low (often no KYC at deposit)
- Geography
- DE, AT, CH strong; EU-wide PSD2 coverage
Sofort (originally Sofortüberweisung, now operated by Klarna) is an open-banking pay-by-bank rail with strong adoption in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (the DACH region) and broader EU coverage via PSD2. For casino players in German-speaking Europe, Sofort historically was the dominant non-card deposit option; at offshore operators it’s still common, though Klarna has been deprioritising it relative to its own Pay Now product.
How Sofort works at a casino
The mechanic is similar to Trustly:
- Select Sofort at the casino cashier
- Choose your country and bank
- Log in with your online banking credentials through Sofort’s interface
- Confirm the payment with your bank’s authentication (TAN, app push, biometric)
- Sofort initiates the SEPA transfer; the operator credits your account on confirmation
Total elapsed time: 30-90 seconds typical, with most time spent on the bank-authentication step.
The deprioritisation note
Klarna acquired Sofort in 2014 and has since rolled the brand into Klarna’s broader product set. Newer Klarna products (Pay Now, Pay Later) are operationally distinct from Sofortüberweisung. At many merchants, the “Sofort” branding has been replaced by Klarna-branded checkout.
For casino players, this matters because:
- Operator integrations of “Sofort” may now route through Klarna’s broader infrastructure
- Klarna has gambling-merchant restrictions in some jurisdictions, which can affect availability
- Trustly is increasingly the open-banking rail of choice at multi-country operators because of its broader bank coverage outside DACH
Casinos in our coverage accepting Sofort
InterCasino, Olimp, and other European-oriented Anjouan operators commonly list Sofort. Verify on the live cashier; in some cases the “Sofort” option may have been replaced by a Klarna or Trustly equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sofort the same as Klarna?
Sofort is a Klarna product since 2014. Operationally it's the original Sofortüberweisung pay-by-bank flow. Klarna has additional consumer products (Pay Now, Pay Later) that are distinct from Sofort.
How fast is a Sofort casino deposit?
30-90 seconds typical, dominated by the bank-authentication step. Once authorised, the deposit credits immediately.
Can I withdraw casino winnings via Sofort?
Sofort itself is push-payment-only; withdrawals at most operators route via separate SEPA bank transfer (1-2 business days) or alternative rails.
Is Sofort or Trustly better at a casino?
Operationally similar. Trustly has broader bank coverage outside DACH; Sofort has stronger DACH-region penetration. Choose based on which your operator integrates and which authenticates more smoothly with your bank.
What to read next
- Trustly for the broader European open-banking alternative.
- GiroPay for the Germany-specific bank rail (to come in batch 4).
- SEPA for the underlying bank rail Sofort uses.
Sofort / Klarna accepted at (operator coverage)
References
- Klarna Sofort product overview , Klarna
- PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication , European Banking Authority