Knowledge · Payments
Payment gateway integration for iGaming
iGaming has payment requirements traditional processors don't handle. This guide covers the deposit → play → withdrawal loop and the payment rails that work in each market.
Updated January 2025 · AS Tech iGaming editorial
Which rails matter
- USDT (TRC-20 / ERC-20) — global default for crypto casinos, near-zero fees, near-instant.
- UPI — India's dominant retail rail; instant, low-fee, needs a licensed PA/PG partner.
- PIX — Brazil's instant rail, mandatory for BRL casino deposits.
- M-Pesa — East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) mobile-money integration.
- Bank transfer — regulated markets (EU, UK) with Open Banking preferred.
- Cards — declining share due to iGaming MCC restrictions; retain as fallback.
Deposit flow
Player selects rail → operator returns rail-specific payment address / order → player pays → operator receives webhook confirmation → wallet is credited → game unlocks. USDT confirmation is 1–3 blocks (30s–2min); UPI/PIX are sub-second; bank transfer is minutes to hours.
KYC thresholds
Every jurisdiction sets KYC thresholds — Curaçao usually EUR 2,000 lifetime deposit before ID required. Configure thresholds per rail and per currency in the admin panel.
Withdrawal flow
Withdrawals are queued for anti-fraud + KYC review, approved, then processed through the rail. Default SLA: USDT under 1 hour; UPI/PIX same day; bank transfer 1–3 business days.
Chargebacks & disputes
Card chargebacks are the highest risk vector — mitigate with 3DS, KYC before first card deposit and geographic blocking. Crypto and instant-rail payments have zero chargeback risk.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a payment processor license?+
You need to partner with a licensed processor per market (RBI-authorised in India, BCB in Brazil). USDT does not require a processor but does require exchange partners for fiat off-ramp.
USDT vs USDC?+
USDT dominates Asian markets; USDC dominates Western regulated markets. Support both if your player base is global.
How to handle FX?+
Fix player wallet currency at signup. Convert deposits in other currencies to the player currency at spot on entry using an hourly-updated FX table.
Are chargebacks common?+
Card chargebacks run 0.5–2% of deposit volume in iGaming — very high. Crypto and instant-rail deposits have effectively zero chargeback risk.
Can I offer buy-now-pay-later?+
No — BNPL providers explicitly prohibit gambling under MCC 7995. Any operator using BNPL risks account termination.