High-risk vertical? Get specialist quotes.
Online gambling, crypto, subscription billing, dating, adult, supplements, CBD, vape, firearms, travel, pawnbroking. Mainstream UK acquirers (Stripe, Square, Dojo) decline these. Our card-payments broker partner looks for the specialist providers that do underwrite.
Free · 2 mins · Only our broker partner contacts you · Our broker partner pays our fee
- 40+ card-payment providers compared
- 2 to 3 matched quotes
- Companies House 16833937
Why UK merchants pick High-risk card payments through us
Specialist high-risk providers
UK and EU high-risk acquirers (Trust Payments, Acquired.com, emerchantpay, PXP Financial, Cardstream) plus international processors underwrite UK merchants in these verticals. Your enquiry goes to our broker partner, which looks for the one that fits your vertical and trading history.
Risk disclosed upfront
Your risk classification travels with the enquiry, so the broker can go to specialist providers first. No mainstream-acquirer rejection wasted, no time wasted re-applying.
Free chargeback guide
High-risk verticals see higher chargeback ratios, and a high dispute rate can get an account closed. Our free chargeback guide covers reason codes, evidence and deadlines.
Rolling reserves explained
High-risk specialists run 5-10% rolling reserves. Ask your provider for a reserve review once you have built clean trading history.
Best fit for
- UK Gambling Commission-licensed online gambling
- UK CBD retailers (Novel Food approved)
- UK vape and e-cigarette retail and online
- UK subscription billing for adult content, dating
- UK firearms and ammunition retailers
Not the right fit if
- Mainstream low-risk verticals (use Stripe, Square, Dojo, SumUp instead)
- UK businesses without proper regulatory licence (Gambling Commission, Trading Standards CBD compliance, etc)
In the UK market
Many mainstream card-payment routes refuse high-risk applications. Your MerchantHQ enquiry goes to a broker partner that looks for specialist providers.
UK merchants ask
Is online gambling legal to take card payments for in the UK?
Yes, if you hold a Gambling Commission licence. Mainstream UK acquirers (Stripe, Adyen, Worldpay) underwrite licensed UK gambling only on specific account tiers; many decline. Specialist acquirers (T1 Payments, SecurionPay, eMerchantBroker) underwrite gambling routinely.
What about CBD oil in the UK?
A finished CBD product sold in Great Britain must hold (or be progressing through) FSA Novel Food authorisation and meet the controlled-cannabinoid limits for consumer products. The often-quoted 0.2% THC figure is the licensing threshold for growing industrial hemp, not the legal standard for a finished CBD product, so do not rely on it as your compliance test. Mainstream UK acquirers decline most CBD; specialist acquirers (HighRisk-Pay, Easy Pay Direct, Durango) underwrite it with a rolling reserve.
How long does high-risk underwriting take?
Typically 5 to 15 business days. Specialist acquirers require more documentation than mainstream: business history, marketing material, fraud-prevention setup, chargeback policy. Have these ready before the broker partner contacts you.
Get matched in 2 minutes.
40+ card-payment providers compared. Free to apply. Our broker partner pays us a fee and works to return 2 to 3 matched quotes.
Get my quotesDirected by Oliver Mackman, Director · Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), which owns and operates MerchantHQ