List Of Payment Gateways In India-Real-Money Gaming Apps Using Indian Payment Gateways
Real-money gaming (RMG) apps in India, including fantasy sports, rummy, poker, and other skill-based games, rely on Indian payment gateways to facilitate deposits and withdrawals. However, due to regulatory challenges and banking restrictions (especially after the RBI’s stance on credit card usage for online gambling), these apps must use compliant payment solutions.
Popular Indian Payment Gateways Used by RMG Apps
-
Razorpay
- Supports UPI, cards (debit only), net banking.
- Some RMG platforms use Razorpay for deposits but face occasional scrutiny.
-
PayU
- Works with multiple banks for net banking & UPI payments.
- Often used by fantasy sports platforms like Dream11.
-
Cashfree Payments
- Provides UPI/IMPS/NEFT-based payouts to players’ bank accounts.
-
Airpay
- Offers a white-label solution for gaming companies needing custom payment processing.
-
Juspay / Paytm Payment Gateway
- Used by some gaming firms despite Paytm’s cautious approach towards high-risk industries.
-
CC Avenue / BillDesk (now part of PayU)
– Older gateways that still support some RMG transactions via net banking or wallets.
7.UPI Autopay & Mandates
– Many apps encourage recurring deposits via UPI AutoPay since direct credit card transactions are restricted.
Challenges Faced by RMG Apps
- Banks and some PGs block transactions labeled as "gaming" or "betting."
- RBI discourages credit lines being used for speculative activities.
- State-specific bans (e.g., Tamil Nadu’s prohibition on online gambling).
Workarounds Adopted:
1️⃣ Using disguised merchant descriptors ("entertainment services").
2️⃣ Partnering with NBFCs/Payment Aggregators specializing in high-risk businesses (e.g., Zaakpay earlier before restrictions tightened)
3️⃣ Direct bank transfers/NEFT/IMPS instead of real-time gateways to avoid blocks
Key Considerations:
✔️ Only skill-based games like fantasy cricket or rummy can legally accept real money; outright betting is banned except in select states like Sikkim/Goa).
✔️ GST at 28% applies on full deposit value since October 2023—impacting profitability).
Would you need recommendations based on transaction volume or specific game types?
Certainly! Let’s dive deeper into the operational nuances, compliance strategies, and emerging trends for real-money gaming (RMG) apps using Indian payment gateways.
4 Key Compliance Strategies for RMG Apps
-
Merchant Category Code (MCC) Masking
- Many PGs assign generic MCCs like "e-commerce" or "digital services" to avoid triggering bank blocks.
- Example: A fantasy sports app may label transactions as "Fantasy League Subscription" instead of "gaming."
-
White-Label Payment Solutions
- Custom-built gateways (via partners like Airpay or NTT Data) help bypass scrutiny by avoiding direct ties to gaming brands.
-
Payouts via Escrow Accounts & Virtual Wallets
- Player winnings are often routed through intermediary wallets (e.g., Paytm Wallet, Mobikwik) before bank transfers to reduce direct banking risks.
-
State-Level Licensing
- States like Nagaland and Sikkim require licenses for skill-based games—apps with these licenses gain better PG cooperation (e.g., PokerBaazi holds a Nagaland license).
Emerging Alternatives to Traditional PGs (Due to Banking Restrictions)
- Crypto Payments: Some offshore platforms use USDT/other stablecoins via P2P exchanges (though legally risky in India).
- Prepaid Cards/Vouchers: Apps accept Amazon Pay/Flipkart Gift Cards as deposit methods (converted later to gameplay credit).
- Direct UPI Handles: Smaller apps share merchant UPI IDs (@oksbi/@ybl) for deposits, avoiding PG intermediaries entirely.
🔥 Hot Trends in 2024 🔥
1️⃣ Tokenization: Storing card details via RBI-compliant tokens reduces transaction declines for repeat deposits (used by MPL, WinZO).
2️⃣ Embedded Finance: Gaming apps integrate neo-banking features (like Jupiter/Open) for instant withdrawals without PG dependency.
3️⃣ AI-Based Fraud Checks: Gateways like Razorpay now use AI to flag suspicious gambling transactions while allowing legitimate skill-gaming payments.
🚨 Red Flags That Get Accounts Blocked
- Sudden spikes in transaction volume (~₹10L+/day per user triggers AML alerts).
- Chargeback rates >2%—banks blacklist merchants quickly if users dispute deposits as "unauthorized."
- Operating in banned states (Telangana, Andhra Pradesh) without geo-blocking IPs/Payment methods.
Need specifics on any of these? For example:
▸ How fantasy sports apps bypass RBI’s credit card block?
▸ Case studies of successful PG integrations (Dream11 vs RummyCircle)?
▸ Offshore payment routing options?
Let me know where you’d like me to zoom in!