The Top Payment Gateways for Sports Betting Platforms in 2025 — and How to Choose the Right One

Bones, dice, coins, chips… clicks, clicks, clicks, clicks… How people bet has come a long way over the years. Today, millions of people just click a button and gamble away digital dollars, leading the online gambling industry to projections of growth upwards of $153 billion by 2030.

If you’re a player (pun intended) in the space, it’s crucial to select the appropriate payment gateway for your sports betting platform, because the payment gateway you choose will directly influence your user experience — one of the most critical factors in an increasingly crowded marketplace. This article explains why implementing payment gateways is extra challenging when you offer betting and gambling, the top payment gateway providers for sports betting platforms, and insights to help you make informed decisions along the way.

Challenges unique to online betting payment gateways

There’s no shortage of popular payment gateway providers for sports betting. A payment gateway is a service that processes electronic payments, acting as an intermediary between your online gambling platform and various financial institutions. Simply put, if a payment method is like the type of mail you send (credit card, e-wallet, etc.), the payment gateway is like the post office that makes sure your payment “mail” gets delivered safely and to the right place.

Before we get to the gateways, it’s important to understand that sports betting platforms have unique payment requirements compared to standard e-commerce:

1. They need to handle both deposits and withdrawals
2. They must comply with strict gambling regulations
3. They require robust fraud prevention
4. They need real-time transaction processing
5. They must maintain detailed transaction records for compliance

While the technical implementation of a payment gateway is challenging, the regulatory compliance aspects often prove to be the most complex part of the process. Different jurisdictions have varying requirements, and you’ll need to ensure your payment system can adapt to these different regulatory frameworks.

Why choosing the right payment gateway matters

Selecting the right payment gateway for a sports betting platform is a strategic decision that can make or break an operation’s success. The payment gateway directly affects critical aspects of the business: transaction reliability, user trust, regulatory compliance, and overall profitability. Let’s dig deeper into these:

Security & fraud prevention: A poorly chosen gateway might lack robust security, leading to data breaches, fraudulent transactions, or excessive chargebacks — all of which can be catastrophic for a betting platform’s reputation​. The right gateway will offer advanced encryption, secure data storage (or tokenization), and built-in fraud detection tools to protect funds and preserve customer confidence in your platform’s integrity.

Regulatory compliance: Regulators heavily scrutinize online gambling payments. Using a gateway that doesn’t comply with the laws of each jurisdiction could expose you to legal penalties or even loss of license. The right gateway will support compliance measures such as age verification, KYC checks, AML transaction monitoring, and adherence to regional rules (for example, automatically blocking payments from prohibited areas or methods)​. Choosing a provider experienced in the iGaming industry helps ensure all these bases are covered.

Transaction speed and uptime: In sports betting, timing is crucial. Players may need to deposit quickly to place a bet on a live event, and they expect timely payouts of winnings — a good payment gateway processes deposits and withdrawals with minimal delay​. If transactions are slow or frequently error out due to an unreliable gateway, users will get frustrated and might leave for a competitor. High throughput and uptime are essential, especially during peak sporting events when transaction volumes surge. Thus, the gateway’s performance and scalability (ability to handle many concurrent transactions) are key considerations for user experience.

Support for multiple payment methods: Today’s bettors come from diverse backgrounds and have varying preferences for how they pay. If a gateway has a limited selection of payment options, an operator could alienate segments of users who don’t find a convenient way to deposit​. Supporting a wide range of popular methods through a single gateway or a combination of them can significantly broaden the platform’s appeal. On the flip side, integrating an incompatible or obscure gateway might mean certain standard payment types (like a major card network or e-wallet) are not available.

Cost efficiency and profitability: Different gateways have different fee structures, including transaction fees, currency conversion fees, chargeback fees, setup, and/or monthly fees. These costs directly impact operator’s margins​. Choosing the right gateway means finding a provider that balances cost with quality. Low fees are great but not at the expense of security or reliability. A well-chosen gateway can optimize costs (e.g., routing transactions to minimize interchange fees, or offering volume discounts). In contrast, a subpar choice might eat into profits through high fees or lost transactions.

There are several payment gateways particularly suited to online gambling.

The 12 best payment gateways for gambling and betting sites

First, we’ll look at the big ones that support multiple payment methods.

Worldpay

Worldpay serves as a comprehensive payment gateway that has established itself as a significant player in the online gambling industry, particularly notable for its robust security features and ability to handle high transaction volumes across multiple currencies and payment methods. Worldpay offers merchants specialized features like built-in fraud detection, chargeback management, and compliance tools designed explicitly for gaming operators.

What makes Worldpay particularly valuable for gambling operators is its ability to handle the complex risk management needed in the gaming industry, including sophisticated identity verification, real-time transaction monitoring, and integration with responsible gambling tools.

Ikajo

Ikajo stands as one of the most reputable international payment processing platforms in the online betting industry. With a truly global reach, the platform seamlessly handles transactions in more than 100 different currencies while offering over 100 distinct payment methods, serving customers across more than 150 countries worldwide.

What sets Ikajo apart is its comprehensive suite of advanced features, including sophisticated risk management tools that help prevent fraud, intelligent payment routing systems that optimize transaction success rates, and detailed analytics capabilities that provide valuable insights into payment patterns and performance.

Latpay

Latpay specializes in secure payment processing solutions across multiple sectors, including regulated gaming and entertainment industries. Their platform features robust security protocols and comprehensive compliance measures, including advanced identity verification systems to help businesses meet regulatory requirements.

The payment system is designed to be highly compatible with existing business infrastructure while maintaining strict security standards. Through their integrated ID validation system, Latpay enables businesses to verify customer identities and maintain appropriate documentation effectively.

PaySafe

Paysafe is a leading global payments provider with a strong foothold in online gambling. Known for its suite of secure, frictionless payment solutions, Paysafe offers direct merchant acquiring, real-time fraud prevention, and regulatory expertise tailored for high-risk sectors like sports betting and online casinos. In addition to its gateway and acquiring services, Paysafe owns two of the most widely used e-wallets in iGaming — Skrill and Neteller — which are trusted by operators and players worldwide. Together, these offerings make Neteller one of the most comprehensive and gambling-friendly payment platforms available.

Skrill

Skrill, a Paysafe-owned payment service, is a trusted payment processor utilized by several well-known online gaming platforms, including industry leaders like Bet365 and Betway, established brands such as Royal Panda, and various other reputable operators. It offers instant deposits and withdrawals, supports multiple currencies, and includes built-in fraud prevention systems.

Users can fund their Skrill accounts through bank transfers, credit cards, or other payment methods. However, some betting sites limit promotional offers for Skrill, so users might be ineligible for welcome bonuses, free bets, or other promotions.

Neteller

Neteller, also owned by Paysafe, stands as a globally trusted method for betting payment options, particularly in the UK. Operating similarly to Skrill but with more funding options, Neteller provides robust security features and enables instant deposits while offering VIP benefits to regular users.

It’s also known for its proprietary Net+ card that allows users to access their funds at ATMs. This e-wallet allows both deposits and withdrawals for betting accounts, though users should note that using Neteller may disqualify them from receiving free bet promotions, much like with Skrill.

Nuvei

Nuvei is a leading payment gateway specializing in high-risk industries, including iGaming and online sports betting. It provides payment processing for top-tier sportsbooks and casinos, including Betly and other regulated operators. Nuvei supports instant deposits and withdrawals, multi-currency transactions, and a broad range of payment methods, including credit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and even cryptocurrency payments.

The platform is known for its high transaction approval rates, ensuring seamless deposits for bettors. Additionally, Nuvei incorporates AI-powered fraud prevention tools to reduce chargebacks and unauthorized transactions. Depending on the region and operator policies, some betting platforms may require additional identity verification when using Nuvei for withdrawals.

SafeCharge (A Nuvei Company)

SafeCharge, acquired by Nuvei, is another high-risk merchant processor specializing in gaming. It offers AI-driven fraud prevention, multi-currency support, and seamless API integration for betting platforms.

Trustly

Trustly is a gateway focused on instant bank transfers, making it ideal for European sports betting markets. It enables direct, real-time transactions from a user’s bank account to a sportsbook without requiring credit cards or e-wallets. It’s a regulated and compliant gateway under PSD2 Open Banking rules.

Xace

Xace is a specialized gaming payment gateway and banking solution tailored for iGaming. It offers banking and payment processing for gambling operators, including dedicated business accounts for payouts and deposits.

Harvex

Harvex specializes in fast, reliable payment processing for online betting and casino businesses through its merchant account services. They offer a comprehensive suite of payment options that includes both traditional fiat currencies and modern cryptocurrencies, enabling seamless global transactions for their clients.

Instabill

Instabill specializes in providing merchant accounts for high-risk industries. They work with multiple banking partners worldwide and can often accommodate businesses struggling to get approved elsewhere. They offer customized payment solutions based on the merchant’s specific needs and location.

Merchant Scout

Merchant Scout offers comprehensive payment processing solutions, supporting over 150 currencies and integrating with more than 30 payment methods and 30 merchant banks worldwide. With experience working with over 50 online sports betting and casino sites, Merchant Scout specializes in secure transaction processing across multiple regulatory environments.

At a glance: Top sports betting payment gateways

Why is choosing the right payment gateway so important?

Selecting the right sports betting payment platform is a critical decision for betting websites that affects both security and convenience. Think of the payment gateway as the foundation of the betting experience — much like how a house needs a solid foundation to remain stable, the ability to accept bets effectively depends on having reliable, secure, and efficient ways to move money in and out of betting accounts.

It’s important to note that your site isn’t limited to a single gateway. A betting site can use multiple payment gateways to process transactions. This is actually a common practice that offers several benefits. Working with multiple processors provides redundancy and reliability, ensuring that if one payment processor goes down, others can continue handling transactions without interruption. It also enables better geographic coverage, since different payment methods tend to be more popular in different regions. Multiple payment gateways also allow for cost optimization, since some processors may offer better rates for various transaction types or volumes. Finally, spreading transactions across processors can help with risk management by diversifying exposure.

Top considerations when choosing a payment gateway

So, what factors should you consider when choosing payment gateways?

Processing speed

First, consider the time-sensitive nature of betting. During a live sporting event, transactions-time becomes critical when a delay of even a second could mean the difference between placing or missing a bet.

Security

Security is another paramount concern, but more complex than regular e-commerce. Betting sites must handle deposits and withdrawals frequently, sometimes involving large sums of money. The payment gateway must be sophisticated enough to detect and prevent fraud while not creating unnecessary friction for legitimate users. For example, if someone wins a significant bet and wants to withdraw their money, the gateway needs to process this quickly while maintaining proper security protocols.

Regulatory issues

The regulatory aspect adds another layer of complexity. Different regions have varying laws about online betting, and payment gateways must comply with these regulations. Payment gateways must implement sophisticated geo-location systems and transaction monitoring protocols to ensure correct payments processing in accordance with each region’s specific requirements. They must be able to implement proper Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures and anti-money laundering (AML) checks while blocking transactions from restricted jurisdictions.

Quality of customer service

Quality customer support acts as a safety net for financial transactions. When issues arise, having responsive and knowledgeable support can mean the difference between quick resolution and prolonged financial uncertainty. This becomes especially crucial when dealing with time-sensitive transactions like sports betting.

Transaction volume and frequency

The volume and frequency of transactions also set betting sites apart. Unlike regular e-commerce, where a customer might purchase once in a while, betting site users often make multiple transactions in a single day. The payment gateway needs to handle this high-frequency trading environment without breaking down or triggering false security alerts.

Reputation and trust

Consider the reputation impact as well. In the betting industry, trust is everything. If users experience payment problems, they will likely switch to a competitor immediately. A single failed withdrawal can damage a betting site’s reputation irreparably. This is why many successful betting operations use multiple payment gateways as backup systems.

Understanding these elements helps create a comprehensive payment strategy that balances security, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Payment methods and their impact on gateway choice

The specific payment methods you plan to offer on your sports betting platform will heavily influence which payment gateway is the best fit. Not all gateways support all methods, and each one comes with its own considerations.

Here’s how different payment options can affect your gateway selection:

Credit/debit cards

If you want to accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express), you’ll need a gateway — and underlying acquiring bank — willing to process gambling transactions on those networks. Many mainstream gateways do support cards, but some payment processors classify gambling as high-risk and may not accept that business or may have stricter terms​. For that reason, you might be better off with a gateway known for high-risk merchant services or one explicitly advertising support for iGaming. Card processing also involves handling compliance issues like 3D Secure and higher chargeback management. If a large portion of your audience will use cards, choose a gateway with strong fraud tools (AVS, CVV checks, 3DS) to keep chargebacks down​.

Additionally, consider regional nuances: for example, in the UK, you must disable credit cards for gambling. A flexible gateway should allow you to accept debit cards while blocking credit cards for that market​. Some gateways automatically recognize BINs (card numbers) and can enforce such rules.

E-wallets (PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, etc.)

Not every gateway has integrations for third-party wallets. PayPal, for instance, can be integrated directly through PayPal’s own developer platform, but some broader payment providers also offer PayPal as an option via their systems (PayPal has partnerships with certain processors). If PayPal is a must-have, as it often is in Western markets, you’ll want to ensure that your gateway natively supports it — or you’ll need to integrate it separately.

Skrill/Neteller are more niche, and typically you integrate with them directly or via a specialized aggregator that focuses on gambling. The choice may be between using multiple providers (one for cards, one for e-wallets) versus a single all-in-one gateway with modules for each. Gateways like Paysafe (which owns Skrill/Neteller) support those, while others like Worldpay might support a broader range, including PayPal and local wallets.

Your gateway choice should align with the wallets you need. If it doesn’t support one, you might have to do an additional integration or pick a different gateway.

Bank transfers and instant banking

If you aim to support direct bank payments or newer fintech methods like Trustly, open banking payments, or ACH in the US, for example, you’ll need a gateway that has connections with banks or ACH networks. Some traditional gateways focus heavily on card processing and might not offer streamlined bank transfer options. On the other hand, some specialized payment providers (like those in Europe focusing on PSD2 Open Banking) might need separate integration.

If your user base is in a country where bank transfer is popular (say, Germany with SOFORT or the Netherlands with iDEAL), ensure the gateway supports those methods or consider local payment method plugins. Each additional method could mean extra work unless the gateway aggregates it. So, choosing a gateway that already covers the local payment methods you need will simplify implementation.

Cryptocurrency

Crypto payments are a special case. Most standard payment gateways do not handle cryptocurrency processing directly. If you want to accept crypto, you typically integrate a dedicated cryptocurrency payment processor or gateway like BitPay, CoinPayments, CoinGate, or NOWPayments. These services will accept the crypto from the user, often instantly convert it to fiat, and then credit your merchant account with dollars/euros, etc.​ When choosing one, you have to consider things like whether they support the coins you want (Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.), their fees (often around 1% or less​), and how they handle volatility (most lock the exchange rate at the time of transaction for a few minutes). Regulatory concerns are big here. Even if you accept crypto, in regulated markets, you must KYC those users just like any other and possibly be able to trace the source of funds.

In many cases, operators end up using multiple gateways/providers to cover all bases. This can work for organizations intent on using the best-in-class solution for each component. If you prefer simplicity, you might choose a gateway aggregator that offers a “one-stop” integration for many methods — companies like Nuvei or Worldpay support a laundry list of payment options, including cards, some e-wallets, bank transfers, and even some alternative methods.

Ultimately, the payment methods you wish to support should be mapped out first as part of your business strategy, considering user preferences in your target market and regulatory allowances. You’ll do fine if you focus on providing players with convenient and trustworthy transaction options and align your gateway choice with your payment options menu.

Intellias’ experience with iGaming

Intellias has years of experience developing software solutions for online betting. For example, Intellias helped EveryMatrix develop OddsMatrix. EveryMatrix delivers cutting-edge B2B iGaming solutions through its comprehensive SaaS platform, serving operators across Europe and Asia. Their award-winning product suite includes a complete sportsbook platform, gaming management tools, a casino content aggregator, payment processing capabilities, and a sophisticated multi-brand affiliate and agent management system.

EveryMatrix’s sports betting platform had served numerous operators successfully for years. However, as cloud-based operations expanded and data volumes surged, the platform’s monolithic architecture became a significant bottleneck. This outdated structure made the application increasingly difficult to maintain and evolve, leading to declining performance, reliability, and scalability. The complexity of the monolith not only slowed down the implementation of new features but also drove up operational costs. Facing challenges with continuous deployment, round-the-clock availability, and technology modernization, EveryMatrix turned to Intellias to help address these architectural challenges.

Intellias collaborated with EveryMatrix to create OddsMatrix, an entirely new system. Intellias created its backend infrastructure, which handles all core betting operations, including processing odds, determining match outcomes, managing sports data feeds, executing bet placements, and conducting risk assessments. Intellias also developed its comprehensive reporting system, which extracts and transforms sports data from the backend, populates the data warehouse, and generates multi-criteria analytical reports.

Thanks to its collaboration with Intellias, EveryMatrix now provides

• Comprehensive coverage with 25,000+ monthly events across 50+ sports and 2,000+ betting markets
• Market expansion through integrated sports data, pre-live/live odds, and sure-bet feeds from multiple suppliers
• Flexible integration via REST API (S2S) and web client API for custom frontends
• Efficient architecture enabling rapid feature deployment and cost optimization
• Robust scalability and fault tolerance to support business growth
• Superior market positioning versus legacy platforms, driving operator acquisition
• Round-the-clock technical and development support

Final thoughts

As we’ve explored payment methods and gateways for sports betting apps, we’ve seen that online betting sites have more requirements than regular e-commerce sites. Gateways like Skrill, Worldpay, Latpay, and others are particularly well-suited to the gambling industry thanks to a variety of special features like extensive compliance measures and beefed-up security. Your site can use multiple gateways to ensure reliability, cut costs, and provide broader geographic coverage.

With years of experience in iGaming, Intellias understands what makes betting sites different and knows how to take your site to the next level. Contact our experts today to learn more.