Online casino, sportsbook, iGaming

A payment gateway for casino and sportsbook operators, built around the license.

OpenGate is a payment gateway for licensed online casinos and sportsbooks that need an iGaming merchant account for card deposits and player payouts. Operators do not need another processor that panics at the word gambling. They need acquiring built around the license, the geo-blocking and the two-way money flow, in the markets the license actually covers.

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At a glance

Casino & Sportsbook

Sector: Gambling & gaming
Payment methods: Cards (Visa/Mastercard) · Local payment methods · Crypto and stablecoins
Documents in the file: 5
First answer: Within 1 business day

Why processors refuse

Why mainstream PSPs refuse casinos and sportsbooks

Stripe and most mainstream acquirers treat iGaming as policy-out, not case-by-case, and PayPal takes only operators it has pre-approved. The card schemes run dedicated gambling categories, and only acquirers approved for those categories can board the file. These are the objections an underwriter actually raises.

Gambling is a scheme-restricted category
Visa and Mastercard code gambling under a dedicated merchant category, MCC 7995, and expect the acquirer to register each online gambling merchant with the scheme. A generic acquirer is not set up for that program, so the application dies before underwriting begins.
How OpenGate handles it
OpenGate works through acquirers that hold gambling category approvals. We check your license, your markets and your geo-blocking against the acquirer's program, then present the file to a bank that can actually board it.
Money flows in two directions
A casino takes deposits in small amounts and pays winnings back out, often within minutes. The acquirer carries payout and refund exposure in both directions, and mainstream risk models are not built for that shape of flow.
How OpenGate handles it
We structure the file around the flow: deposit caps, payout schedules and a reserve sized to dispute exposure. The payout rail is configured in the offer, not improvised after go-live.
Chargebacks from lost bets
Players dispute deposits after losing, or claim a charge was unauthorized when a family member used the card. iGaming files carry structurally higher dispute ratios, and that pushes generic acquirers away.
How OpenGate handles it
3DS2 routing on first deposits shifts fraud liability to the issuer in most markets (Visa's rules exclude US gambling codes), alert feeds let you refund before a dispute lands, and the representment toolkit files gameplay records and terms acceptance when a dispute is baseless.
A regulatory patchwork across markets
A Curacao license, an MGA license and a UKGC license each open different markets. An operator who drifts across them becomes a compliance risk for the acquirer, which checks the license against the market before boarding.
How OpenGate handles it
The first underwriting question is which license, which markets, and whether the geo-blocking enforces it. We list the licenses acquirers expect per market, and the placement matches the license. The license itself is yours to hold.

The file

How we underwrite a casino merchant account

The file has to prove three things: the license is real and current, the platform blocks the markets it should, and the money flow is understood. These are the documents an acquirer asks for before it boards an iGaming file.

Gaming license

A copy of the operator's license from Curacao, the MGA, the UKGC or another regulator the acquirer recognizes, with the licensed brand and the operating entity clearly linked. Required at onboarding, often with a legal opinion on the markets served.

Corporate structure and UBOs

Registration documents, the shareholder structure, identity documents for directors and ultimate beneficial owners, and the operator's AML policy. iGaming files are screened against sanctions and PEP lists during onboarding.

Processing history

Deposit volume, chargeback and refund reports from the last three to six months. History from a previous gaming acquirer carries more weight than a fresh file.

Geo-blocking and player terms

The live site, including the markets served, the geo-blocking controls and the player terms. The underwriter checks that the site matches the license before any bank sees the file.

Responsible gaming tools

Evidence of player protection controls: age and identity checks, deposit limits and self-exclusion. Regulated markets generally require them, and acquirers look for them.

Payment methods

Payment methods for casinos and sportsbooks

Players fund with cards, wallets, bank rails and crypto. The mix is a market decision, set per license and agreed in the offer.

See every capability

Cards (Visa/Mastercard)
Deposits through gambling-category acquiring with 3DS2 on first deposits, where authentication shifts fraud liability to the issuer in most markets without breaking the deposit flow.
Local payment methods
Pix in Brazil, iDEAL in the Netherlands, SEPA bank transfers across Europe. Where a market has a default rail, players expect it at the cashier.
Crypto and stablecoins
Deposits and payouts in crypto where the license and jurisdiction allow, settled to fiat or stablecoins per the operator's treasury policy.
Payouts
Withdrawal payouts to cards and bank accounts, and to wallets where they are supported, with KYC checks triggered before money moves and schedules written into the offer.

The process

Name the license, the markets and your processing history in the application at /apply. An underwriter reads it within 1 business day, checks the license against the acquirers that cover your markets and replies with an offer, a document list or an honest no. The full sequence is described on /how-it-works.

See the 4-step process

FAQ

Casino and sportsbook payment processing FAQ

Can I use Stripe or PayPal for my casino or sportsbook?

Not on Stripe, which lists gambling among its prohibited businesses. PayPal accepts gambling only with its pre-approval, and only where the operator and the players sit in jurisdictions that permit it. Most operators need acquiring built for the gambling category. Describe your license and markets in the application, and an underwriter will say whether an acquirer fits.

Which licenses do your acquirers accept?

Curacao, MGA and UKGC are the most common, alongside other recognized regulators. What matters is the match between the license and the target markets. We list the license the acquirer expects before you spend money.

Does a Curacao license work for European players?

Not in countries that require a local license. The UK, the Netherlands, Germany and other regulated markets expect their own authorization, and acquirers board the file only for markets the license can lawfully serve. An underwriter flags that mismatch early.

Do you process deposits and payouts through the same gateway?

Yes. Both directions run on one integration, with KYC checks on withdrawals and payout schedules defined in the offer. The two flows are configured before go-live.

What documents do I need for a casino merchant account?

The license copy, corporate registration and UBO identity, three to six months of processing history, the live site with geo-blocking and evidence of responsible gaming tools. The acquirer expects the full set at onboarding. Start with the application, and an underwriter lists what is missing within 1 business day.

How long does onboarding take for an iGaming operator?

A complete file can move from first review to go-live in as little as two weeks. Missing documents are the usual bottleneck, which is why the list is published up front.

Why do I need a rolling reserve?

Chargebacks on lost deposits are structural in iGaming. The acquirer holds a percentage of volume against future disputes and releases it on the schedule in your offer. The mechanics are in /guides/rolling-reserves-explained.

What happens when a player disputes a deposit?

You receive the dispute with its reason code and a deadline. The toolkit helps you refund early on alert, or file representment with gameplay records and terms acceptance when the dispute is baseless.

Can I mix crypto and card payments?

Yes, where the license and the jurisdiction allow it. Many operators run both rails: cards for the mainstream, crypto for speed and reach. The settlement choice, stablecoins or fiat, is agreed explicitly with the acquirer.

Related guides

All Casino & Sportsbook guides

Guide10 min read

iGaming Payment Processing Guide

What an acquirer checks before it boards a casino or sportsbook: the license-to-market match, player KYC, the deposit and payout rails, and the dispute ratio.

Casino & Sportsbook Comparison11 min read

Offshore Merchant Account vs EU Acquiring: How to Choose

Licensed European acquirers and offshore jurisdictions both accept high-risk files. The differences that matter are licensing, cost, stability, settlement rails and how each fits your customer base.

Acquiring & banking Explainer10 min read

3DS2 and SCA for High-Risk Merchants

What 3DS2 and Strong Customer Authentication actually do, how the liability shift works, which exemptions apply, and how high-risk merchants should route authentication.

Compliance & security

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Open your casino gate.

Send the license, the markets and your processing history. An underwriter reads the file within 1 business day and replies with a written offer, a document list, or an honest no.

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