The problem of choosing a payment system for a gambling operator
At first glance, choosing the right payment system for gambling operators is a relatively simple process. Still, in reality, it turns out that there are a considerable number of points that you should pay attention to — licensing, commissions, fraud, and much more. It is challenging not to get confused in this whole system.

Passability of payments, the complexity of selection by licenses, and chargebacks
Each payment system develops its policy regarding gambling operators and casinos. Some of them, such as Visa or SKRILL, allow you to deposit and withdraw money to your account simultaneously. At the same time, Mastercard has introduced restrictions on the withdrawal of funds in several countries.
Many casinos ask their customers to deposit and withdraw money through the same operator so that it is easy to verify data. But in the case of PaySafe vouchers, this becomes impossible. Of course, the more payment systems, the better, but you need to consider small features.
Here it is necessary to take into account the capabilities of the chargeback. Sometimes people replenish their funds, then do not play a single game and try to withdraw money again, but payment systems do not allow it. It can significantly scare customers and create conflicts.
Today, there are many payment systems, but not everyone thinks about things that are obvious at first glances, such as licensing. If you own a casino and operate legally, you need to work only with someone who has the appropriate license. It is imperative if you use cryptocurrency as payment. The policies of different countries regarding these assets are entirely different; Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia became the first countries in the EU to ask for crypto wallets to obtain an official license to operate legally, while other countries have not yet developed clear regulations.
Commissions and tariffs, terms of receiving money
Each payment system wants to receive income from the interaction of gaming operators. That is why they charge high commissions and rates. Many casinos strive to choose partners that offer the most favorable conditions, where the commission is less than 5% and preferably less than 1%. It is a natural desire not to pay more and not to lose profits.
Another critical point is the timing of the receipt of money. Some payment systems can instantly transfer money, while others — within 24–48 hours. So, all payment systems strive to deposit money immediately, while it takes longer to withdraw money. There is much debate as to why this is happening. Some casinos position themselves as those that specialize in instant payouts. In this case, they are forced to look for those payment systems that will support the concept.
Gambling is traditionally an industry with a lot of fraud
The gaming industry is associated with fraud for many. Of course, there are operators here who work honestly and entirely legally. As a result, it isn’t easy to negotiate with payment systems because both parties strive to prove that you are working within the law.
The fact is that each payment system values its reputation. Therefore, it seeks to check all its partners to prevent fraud carefully.
The tools and costs of anti-fraud algorithms are important
When making online payments, there is always a chance that intruders will intercept them. That is why many gambling operators and payment systems use various tools and invest a lot of money to ensure maximum security.
The better the security of the payment system, the higher the commission it can ask for; in practice, it is better to pay more and not be afraid of possible problems with fraud, theft, or interception of payments.
One of the most critical elements is the anti-fraud service — an analytical system for recognizing fraudulent payments using bank cards. It aims to prevent payments from stolen or lost cards and much more. The more trained the engine you use, the more expensive it is, but the better the result will be.
Here is a shortlist of comprehensive banking fraud detection and anomaly detection systems:
- ARIC White Label;
- FICO Application Fraud Manager;
- FraudWall;
- FRAUD-Analysis;
- IBM Safer Payments;
- Intellinx.
Of course, this list is far from complete, but these are the most well-known and used systems that have shown effectiveness.
Regional restrictions
Your casino must decide on the regions within which it will operate because the choice of currency, payment system, language, and much more will depend on this. So, for example, the most popular e-wallet PayPal works in more than 200 countries worldwide, but 97 of them have the “Send only” package — the service package only allows you to send foreign currency. Thus, people from these countries will not be able to use the payment system to play in the casino.
Practice shows that almost all payment systems have regional restrictions or policy changes. So, you need to choose the most common payment systems in the countries in which you will work and check their gambling policies.
Some examples of popular payment systems for gambling operators
A relatively simple way to understand which payment systems to pay attention to is to find your direct competitors on the site who operate in the same region. Most likely, you will see approximately the same list:
- Debit and credit cards Visa, Mastercard, Maestro;
- PayPal;
- Neteller;
- Skrill;
- Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin and Litecoins from the world’s top 10);
- Support for offline methods of replenishing gaming deposits (payments for online casinos via Western Union, Moneygram, PaySafe, etc.).
It is worth noting that the list of payment systems for entry and exit will be slightly different. For example, you will not be able to withdraw money using the last option. You can also get acquainted with the list of about 30 payment gateways in an early article and an analysis of the top 5 payment methods in the field of gambling.
What are KYC and AML principles?
Any financial system seeks to check its customers for possible fraudulent activities and strives to combat money laundering. Unlike various cryptocurrency platforms where anonymous work is possible, this is impossible in modern banking. Financial institutions are fighting for the transparency of transactions, and a loan can only be taken upon the presentation of several documents. The purchase of foreign currency is also made according to the passport. The abbreviations KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) appeared in business circulation.
In different countries, different government bodies deal with KYC and AML. To work legally, you need to obtain a work permit here. Compliance with KYC and AML policies allows users and exchanges to convert cryptocurrencies into real money quickly.
The terms KYC and AML are found only in countries with legal restrictions. There are no such requirements in offshore companies.
Conclusion
As you can see, the choice of payment systems for gambling operators is a complex process, which implies the need to consider a considerable number of details. So, many clients who use cryptocurrency assets prefer anonymity, but it becomes impossible to obtain a license for such activities.