Pay by Bank vs card payments for gambling deposits

For iGaming PSPs, the real question isn’t whether operators should accept card payments, it’s how to help them convert more players, lower costs, and reduce risk. On every measure that matters, Pay by Bank can offer advantages over card payments for some gambling deposit use cases, depending on operator setup and customer bank coverage. 

1. Speed

  • Card payments: Usually instant for deposits, but withdrawals can take 2–5 working days.

  • Pay by Bank through Yapily: Near-real-time deposits via Faster Payments (UK) and SEPA Instant (EU), subject to bank availability and processing.. Keeps players engaged and operators’ cash flow healthy.

2. Fees & limits

  • Card payments: Operators face interchange and scheme fees. In the UK, credit card gambling deposits are banned, leaving only debit.

  • Pay by Bank through Yapily: No scheme fees. Larger deposit limits are supported, and operators keep more of the transaction value. PSPs can offer a more competitive pricing model.

3. Security and privacy

  • Card payments: Card data is shared with operators and may be flagged by issuers. Chargebacks remain a persistent risk.

  • Pay by Bank through Yapily: Uses Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), which can help reduce certain fraud risks. 

5. Responsible gambling controls

  • Card payments: Some banks allow blocks on gambling charges — but these apply broadly to the card, not operator-specific activity.

  • Pay by Bank through Yapily: Enriched account data can support affordability and AML assessments when used alongside appropriate controls implemented by the operator or PSP. 

6. Acceptance & restrictions

  • Card payments: Ubiquitous, but increasingly restricted (e.g., UK credit card ban). Declines remain a major pain point.

  • Pay by Bank through Yapily: Over 2,000 bank connections across 19 European markets. High success rates, fewer declines, and broad acceptance through one API.

 What PSPs should recommend to iGaming operators

  • For quick and easy deposits: Cards still work, but they bring higher costs, slower withdrawals, and compliance risk.

  • For reliable deposits, faster withdrawals, and lower costs: Some PSPs choose to position Pay by Bank as a primary method alongside cards.

Why iGaming PSPs are choosing Yapily

Yapily provides the infrastructure to make Pay by Bank the strongest alternative to cards in iGaming:

  • Single API integration: Access payments and data across Europe.

  • Enterprise-grade reliability: Direct bank connections deliver consistently high success rates.

  • White-label flexibility: PSPs own the operator relationship.

  • Built-in compliance: Yapily Data and Validate enable affordability, KYC, and AML checks.

  • Future-ready infrastructure: Commercial VRP innovation coming to the UK.

In short: For PSPs, recommending Pay by Bank through Yapily gives operators a faster, cheaper, and safer alternative to cards,  improving deposit UX, reducing costs, and protecting conversion.

FAQs for PSPs on Pay by Bank vs cards

Is Pay by Bank faster than card payments for gambling deposits?
Yes. With Yapily, deposits and withdrawals settle instantly via Faster Payments and SEPA Instant, unlike cards which can take days for payouts.

Does Pay by Bank reduce operator costs compared to cards?
Absolutely. Pay by Bank through Yapily eliminates scheme fees, giving operators higher margins and letting PSPs offer more competitive pricing.

Is Pay by Bank more secure than cards?
Yes. Yapily enables Strong Customer Authentication with direct bank login, eliminating chargebacks and significantly reducing fraud.

Can Pay by Bank help operators meet compliance requirements?

Yes. With Yapily Data and Validate, PSPs can provide operators with affordability, KYC, and AML checks embedded into the payment flow.

Why should PSPs choose Yapily over card-first providers?
Yapily combines broad bank coverage, instant settlement, enriched compliance data, and white-label flexibility, making it the best alternative to cards for iGaming deposits.

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