Monday, June 25th, 2018
When you operate a business in a high-risk industry, such as adult entertainment, nutraceuticals, or travel, banks and traditional financial institutions don’t want to take a gamble on you and approve a merchant account.
The problem is that without one, you can’t accept and process credit card payments. That is something most businesses, especially those that rely heavily on mobile and online transactions, can’t go without. When you get turned down by banks, you need to seek out UK high-risk merchant account providers.
A Sampling of High-Risk Businesses
Any business that has the potential for numerous refunds or excessive chargebacks, when credit card companies demand a retailer make good on the loss of disputed or fraudulent transactions, are considered high risk. Industries that commonly fall into this category include:
- Adult entertainment, including escort services, live streaming, and online dating
- Affiliate marketing
- Alcohol
- Bail bonds services
- Charities and nonprofits
- Credit repair services
- Debt management and collection agencies
- Drug paraphernalia
- E-cigarette and tobacco products
- Gambling, gaming, and casinos
- Jewelry and high-ticket items
- Multi-level marketing
- Phone cards
- Penny auctions
- Prescription drugs and medical products
- Software
- Tech support
- Timeshares
- Ticket sales
- Travel, tourism, lodging, and private jets
- Vitamins and supplements
- VPN
- Web hosting
High-Risk Merchant Accounts vs. Standard Merchant Accounts
Not all accounts are created equally. As a high-risk business, you should expect higher fees and less favorable terms from a merchant services provider. Providers and processors need to protect themselves from the additional risk they take on when they give you an account, so expect rolling reserves, higher transaction fees, a minimum monthly number of transactions, and longer settlement periods. Also, it is not rare for high-risk merchants to be charged set-up fees and annual fees.
When you are ready to accept credit card payments, consider these merchant account providers that work with UK high-risk businesses:
Allied Wallet: It supports Visa, American Express, Chia UnionPay, Giropay, Sofort, and about 50 others. It offers accounts for high-risk businesses throughout Europe, except for merchants offering property rentals, tech support, and travel planning. Also, it does not work with businesses that sell furniture, formal wear, such as bridal gowns, pharmaceuticals, and cannabis products.
CCBill.com: It will not work with businesses that offer gambling, online tech support, prescription drugs, or cannabis seeds.
Paydoo: It supports merchants in cryptocurrency, travel and hospitality, forex, binary, gaming, ecommerce, and most other high-risk ventures.
Instabill: It supports many high-risk businesses except those that sell:
- Bath salts
- Chemicals
- Cigarettes
- Counterfeit goods
- Gold, diamonds, and other precious gems
- Discount medical programs
- Drug paraphernalia
- Illegal controlled substances
- Party pills
- Potpourri blends
- Weapons
Also, it doesn’t work with those that offer bail bond service, nonprofits, charities, or enterprises that seek donations, or engage in raffles.
GSPay (Global & Secure Pay): It offers high-risk merchant accounts for online dating, international call centers, voiceover IP, web hosting, outbound telemarketing, prepaid phone cards, and vitamins and nutraceuticals. Also, it supports merchant accounts for businesses that are on the Terminated Merchant File (TMF) list.
Verotel: It works with high-risk merchants in the online entertainment industry, specifically adult entertainment.
ccNetPay.com: It offer high-risk merchant accounts to businesses that offer escorts, online dating, adult content, gambling, gaming, casinos, pharmacies, and nutraceuticals.
Zombaio: It offers payment solutions for the online content and entertainment industry, especially merchants in the adult entertainment industry.
PayWorld: It supports merchants of all risk levels. It provides merchant accounts to businesses that provide adult services, online dating, online replica products, travel, international call centers, e-wallet/e-cash, voice over IP, web hosting, downloadable software, telemarketing, pre-paid phone cards, MOTO, nutraceuticals, and online tobacco. Also, it offers accounts to businesses that use recurring or subscription billing, as well as those that have the potential for excessive chargebacks or refunds.
Topics discussed in this article:
- UK high risk merchant account