Running a high-risk business comes with unique challenges – finding the right payment gateway is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make to ensure your operations run smoothly. Whether in industries like adult entertainment, online gaming, CBD, nutraceuticals, or more, you need a reliable and secure way to accept credit card payments – without the constant fear of account freezes, high fees, or rejected transactions.
At Centrobill, we specialize in high-risk payment solutions, and we know firsthand how important it is to choose a gateway that understands the complexities of high-risk industries. In this post, we’ll break down what to look for in a payment gateway and how to choose the best one for your high-risk business.
What is a Payment Gateway and Why Does it Matter?
A payment gateway is the technology that authorizes and processes credit card payments between your customer’s bank and your business. It’s the backbone of your online transactions, ensuring payments are handled securely and efficiently.
For high-risk businesses, choosing the right gateway is even more crucial. Unlike standard businesses, you face higher rates of chargebacks, fraud, and regulatory scrutiny, which means not every gateway will be willing, or able, to work with you.
Without the right partner, you may face:
- Declined transactions and lost revenue
- Account terminations without notice
- Excessive processing fees
- Poor customer experience due to failed payments
What Makes a Business “High-Risk”?
It’s important to understand why your business might be considered high-risk. Common reasons include:
- Higher-than-average chargeback rates
- Operating in industries with legal or regulatory challenges (e.g., CBD, adult, gaming)
- Recurring billing models (e.g., memberships, subscriptions)
- International transactions or working in multiple currencies
- Selling high-ticket or luxury items
- Past processing history issues
7 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a High-Risk Payment Gateway
1. Experience With High-Risk Businesses
Not all gateways are designed to handle the complexities of high-risk industries. Choose a payment gateway that specializes in high-risk businesses and has experience navigating the specific challenges you face, including fraud prevention, regulatory compliance, and chargeback management.
Centrobill has years of experience working with various high-risk businesses and has developed long-term relationships with acquiring banks, APM providers and partners; therefore, you can ensure you’ll get approved quickly and set up with a high-risk merchant account.
2. Chargeback Prevention and Management Tools
Chargebacks are one of the biggest issues for high-risk merchants. A good gateway should offer robust tools to prevent and manage chargebacks, such as:
- Real-time fraud detection and screening
- Chargeback alerts and notifications
- Dispute management support
Reducing chargebacks saves money and protects your business from losing your processing account.
3. Support for Recurring and Subscription Billing
If you operate on a subscription model, make sure your gateway supports recurring payments and flexible billing cycles. You’ll need features like rebill optimization, customizable intervals, and retry logic for declined payments to keep customer payments consistent and reliable.
4. Multi-Currency and Global Payment Support
High-risk businesses often serve customers internationally, so your gateway should accept multiple currencies and process cross-border transactions smoothly. Look for gateways that offer global reach without excessive international fees, ensuring your customers can pay easily from anywhere.
This is one of the services that sets Centrobill apart from competitors. We make going global easy and can integrate more than 100 currency and payment types – U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and more.
5. Security and PCI DSS Compliance
Security is non-negotiable. Your gateway should be PCI DSS compliant, ensuring all transactions are processed securely. Look for features like:
- End-to-end encryption
- Tokenization of sensitive data
This not only protects your customers but also helps you stay compliant with industry regulations.
6. High Approval Rates and Stability
Many traditional processors will reject high-risk merchants, but a specialized gateway should offer higher approval rates and a stable relationship that won’t suddenly terminate your account.
As mentioned above, Centrobill works with acquiring banks that accept high-risk industries, giving you a better chance of approval and longevity.
7. Transparent Pricing and Reasonable Fees
High-risk processing naturally comes with higher fees than standard businesses, but these should still be reasonable and clearly explained upfront. Beware of gateways with hidden fees, surprise charges, or unreasonably high transaction rates. Choose a partner that offers transparent, competitive pricing.
Centrobill is the Right Choice for Your High-Risk Business
At Centrobill, we provide a comprehensive payment gateway solution tailored for high-risk merchants. Here’s why businesses trust us:
- We understand industries like adult entertainment, gaming, CBD, dating, and more
- Advanced fraud prevention tools to minimize risk and protect revenue
- Support for recurring billing and subscriptions with flexible options
- Global payment capabilities with multi-currency support
- Fully PCI DSS-compliant systems to ensure secure transactions
- High approval rates through a network of acquiring banks that work with high-risk businesses
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
Ultimately, choosing the right high-risk payment gateway is one of the most important decisions you can make for your business. By partnering with a provider that understands your needs and offers reliable, secure, and flexible solutions, you can avoid common pitfalls like account freezes, excessive fees, and failed payments.
At Centrobill, we’re committed to helping high-risk businesses succeed and grow, providing a payment gateway solution that gives you peace of mind.
