In 2025, businesses in high-risk industries like CBD, kratom, adult entertainment, and online gambling continue to face obstacles when it comes to accepting payments. Most traditional banks and payment providers still hesitate to work with these sectors due to legal uncertainty, regulatory pressure, and reputational concerns.
However, this doesn’t mean that companies in these industries are left with no options. Several payment processors specialize in high-risk accounts and offer tailored services for these businesses, allowing them to process transactions reliably and remain compliant.
This article looks at which processors are active in 2025 for these four sectors, what criteria they use, and how your business can qualify.
Why these Industries are considered high-risk
Let’s briefly explore what puts these industries in the high-risk category:
- CBD and kratom: Although CBD derived from industrial hemp is legal in many jurisdictions, there are still regulatory restrictions from the FDA and similar bodies abroad. Kratom, a herbal supplement, is even more legally ambiguous, with bans in some countries and U.S. states.
- Adult Entertainment: This industry faces reputational concerns, content restrictions, and high chargeback rates.
- Gambling and Betting: Online gambling is tightly regulated, and cross-border transactions are heavily scrutinized due to money laundering concerns.
Banks and card networks classify these industries as high-risk mainly due to:
- High chargeback rates
- Legal grey areas
- Age restrictions
- Advertising limitations
- Pressure from card brands (Visa, Mastercard)
What to look for in a high-risk payment processor
Here are some key features to look for:
- Experience with High-Risk Merchants: Processors should already be working with similar businesses.
- Banking Relationships: They should partner with acquiring banks that accept high-risk categories.
- Chargeback Management Tools: High-risk processors often offer fraud filters, alerts, and chargeback prevention services.
- Transparent Pricing: Expect higher fees than normal processors, but they should be disclosed clearly.
- API or Platform Compatibility: Seamless integration with your ecommerce platform, CRM, or POS system.
Payment processors that accept CBD in 2025
1. Square (CBD only)
Square has supported CBD merchants in the U.S. since 2019. The onboarding process is straightforward and fully online. In 2025, Square continues to support low-volume CBD sellers, particularly in-person vendors and online shops operating within U.S. state lines.
- Easy to apply
- Transparent pricing
- No support for kratom or adult/gambling
2. Easy pay direct
A widely used name in high-risk processing, Easy Pay Direct works with CBD, kratom (in legal states), adult, and gambling merchants. Their EPD Gateway allows routing to different banks depending on your business type and region.
- Known for working with CBD and kratom businesses
- Supports the adult and gambling sectors via domestic and offshore banks
- Integrated fraud tools
3. PayKings
PayKings has a long track record with CBD, kratom, adult, and gambling merchants. They maintain relationships with over 20 high-risk-friendly banks and offer a custom onboarding team for sensitive categories.
- Custom onboarding per industry
- Experience with FDA-regulated industries
- Works with high-volume adult and betting sites
4. PaymentCloud
PaymentCloud is one of the most recommended processors for new CBD merchants and adult businesses. It provides support for vape shops, supplements, and nutraceuticals as well.
- Specializes in U.S.-based CBD and adult content merchants
- Offers chargeback management and POS integration
- Gambling support is limited to licensed platforms
5. Bankful
Bankful supports online CBD and hemp businesses, with integration into Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more. In 2025, they also expanded to adult subscription services with chargeback alerts and smart billing tools.
- Full ecommerce gateway suite
- PCI-compliant storage and billing
- Gambling support is limited
6. Merrco (Canada)
Merrco is one of the few Canadian processors actively working with cannabis, CBD, and kratom retailers in legal markets. They also support multi-channel setups for physical and online retail.
- Popular in Canada
- Multi-terminal support for dispensaries
- No support for the adult or gambling sectors
Payment processors that accept gambling in 2025
7. WorldPay Gaming (UK/EU)
WorldPay continues to be a go-to provider for licensed gambling operators in the UK and EU. They provide acquiring and risk analysis services for online casinos, sportsbooks, and lotteries.
- Licensed operators only
- Deep experience with card and alternative payments
- Not available in the U.S. for gambling businesses
8. Nuvei
Nuvei supports both traditional and high-risk merchants and has grown in 2025 by expanding its offerings to sports betting and iGaming platforms. It is active in Europe, the U.S., and LATAM.
- Covers betting, poker, and casinos
- Fast onboarding for licensed platforms
- Strong crypto integration (for hybrid models)
Payment processors that accept adult content in 2025
9. Segpay
Segpay remains one of the top names for adult content billing in 2025. Their billing systems handle subscription models, video-on-demand, and webcam payments.
- Age verification tools
- Recurring billing support
- Used by many major adult platforms
10. CCBill
A legacy provider in the adult industry, CCBill is well-known for compliance and payment processing for digital and physical adult products. Their fraud filters are well-tuned to prevent chargebacks.
- Tiered pricing and support
- Accepts multiple currencies and high-risk models
- Fees are higher than newer alternatives
What about Kratom?
Kratom sits in a grey zone in the U.S. and is banned in some states. This makes it harder to find a processor, but not impossible.
11. Soar payments
Soar Payments specializes in kratom, vape, and supplements businesses. As of 2025, it offers merchant accounts to kratom sellers in states where it’s legal, subject to additional underwriting.
- Kratom-specific onboarding team
- Domestic and offshore support
- Direct integrations with WooCommerce, Shopify
Additional considerations
Offshore accounts
Some businesses in the gambling or adult industry operate globally and use offshore accounts. While this opens more banking options, it also brings added scrutiny and must be set up correctly.
Well-known jurisdictions include:
- Curaçao (for iGaming)
- Malta (for EU-licensed operations)
- Cayman Islands (for flexible adult content projects)
Always ensure your licensing and customer base align with the processor’s risk rules
Cryptocurrency options
Many high-risk merchants now accept crypto to avoid traditional banking limits. Some processors like Nuvei, CoinsPaid, and BitPay integrate both fiat and crypto channels.
Be cautious. Crypto wallets must be tied to clear KYC processes if you’re handling regulated transactions.
Bottom line
In 2025, finding payment processors for CBD, kratom, adult, or gambling businesses requires research, compliance, and the right partners. While traditional providers may still say no, many high-risk processors are open to working with you—if you provide accurate documentation and stay compliant.
Choose a processor with a track record in your industry, transparent pricing, and proper risk controls. Always be honest during onboarding, and avoid hiding product categories or customer data. This reduces the chance of account termination and helps build long-term relationships.
High-risk doesn’t mean no access—it just means choosing the right path. With the right processor, even the most tightly regulated industries can run stable, scalable businesses.
If you’re unsure where to start, consult a high-risk payment specialist to help match you with a processor that fits your needs and legal obligations.
If you need support, book a free consultation with our experts today.
For more on the topic, read our related guide: VAMP 2025: Key Changes to Visa’s New Fraud & Dispute Rules for Merchants & PSPs
Disclaimer
Widelia and its affiliates do not provide tax, investment, legal, or accounting advice. Material on this page has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, investment, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. Please consult https://widelia.com/disclaimer/ for more information.
