Payment gateway is a web-based technology for the secure processing of electronic transactions. It authorises online payments and establishes contact between a customer, a merchant and the rest of the payment processing parties. The most important function of a payment gateway is to protect sensitive data through encryption, tokenisation, SSL and other security methods.
Payment gateways accompany each online transaction from start to finish, protecting card data and preventing possible leaks or fraud. If you want to accept and process payments in the online gaming industry, you need a secure gaming payment gateway solution.
Thus, the payment gateway’s functionality includes the following:
Authentication
Customer’s data encryption
Routing the payment information between processing players (processor, acquirer, issuer, card network)
Notification about approval/rejection of the transaction.
Most gaming companies operate globally and need to process different payment methods and currencies. This is where the gaming payment gateway comes into play, ensuring every transaction is protected at all times. Let’s find out how payment gateway participates in online payments:
A customer enters their card details on a merchant’s payment page.
A payment gateway encrypts the received information and securely sends an authorisation request to the merchant’s acquiring bank. It also sends another request to the card network serving the cardholder (Visa, Mastercard, or other).
The card network sends a confirmation to the acquiring bank via a payment gateway and informs it of the amount to be debited from the customer's account.
The issuer checks the customer’s account balance and sends the transaction confirmation back to the network.
The card network sends the approval both to the acquirer and to the payment gateway. Now the funds will be debited from the customer's account and credited to the merchant's account.
Thus, a gaming payment gateway communicates between all online transaction participants, making it indispensable for gaming merchants who want to accept and process online card payments globally.
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In 2020, the global online gaming market generated approximately $21.1 billion in revenues, translating to a record 21.9% increase compared to the previous year. This means only one thing: the demand for video games worldwide is snowballing. Those who have never been into video games before are now avid gamers. Online gaming platforms are currently in their prime, but at the same time, they suffer from heightened competition in the industry. Game business players’ battle for customers is getting tough, and whoever adapts the fastest to the gamers’ needs can gain a foothold and excel in the online gaming business.
Every prospective payer appreciates simple and secure payments, especially when it comes to online purchases in games. Gaming payment gateways allow gamers worldwide to buy subscriptions, expansion packs, or new game characters with a single click, providing an uninterrupted and secure checkout process. Merchants also benefit from the gaming payment gateway because it helps them process payments securely and accept multiple payment methods.
Let's discuss the specifics of online gaming payment processing and how a payment gateway can help.
The skyrocketing popularity of online video games naturally has its drawbacks. The game industry has become a tasty morsel for scammers, forcing game publishers to deal with a large volume of payment disputes that mostly result in chargebacks. The point is that online games are a favourable environment for carding, where fraudsters make small in-app purchases using stolen credit card details to check if the card can be used for larger purchases on other websites. Another common reason for chargebacks is that video games are addictive and encourage users to make multiple in-app purchases beyond what they can afford. After that, players often regret their purchase and initiate a chargeback. Plus, many games are subscription-based, and users may forget that they are paying on an ongoing basis. In addition, some games store card information, making it easy for children to use their parents' credit cards for future payments. Thus, game publishers have to bear the cost of handling chargebacks instead of spending resources to develop games.
Game platforms bring together thousands, if not millions of people around the world. Of course, game merchants need to adapt to the global audience and accept different currencies and payment methods, including credit cards, digital gift cards, and e-wallets, which are also extremely popular in games. Since gamers' payment preferences vary from country to country, managing such a large transaction flow can be a real challenge for publishers. That’s why most of them opt for comprehensive payment systems that allow them to accept and process payments, customise the payment page, and keep track of financial flows.
Cybersecurity is an acute issue for the video game industry, as it is where many hacker attacks are observed. Gaming’s skyrocketing popularity made it very attractive to fraudsters who use video games to test stolen cards and make account takeover attacks (ATO). The only solution to prevent fraud, data breaches, and carding attacks is to partner with a reliable payment gateway provider. Every transaction that goes through the gaming payment gateway must always be accompanied by security measures, including encryption, tokenisation, and TLS/SSL, which help identify suspicious activity, block ATOs and prevent card testing.
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Getting a merchant account for online gaming can be tricky as this industry falls into the high-risk business category due to a high chargeback rate. However, some payment service providers will happily provide payment processing services to you.
Here are the top points to consider when choosing a gaming payment gateway.
As the main purpose of a gaming payment gateway is to protect gamers’ sensitive information, it must comply with each of the 12 clauses of the PCI DSS standard. Partnering with an unreliable payment processor can entail negative consequences in the form of data breaches and fraud. Therefore, integrating a PCI-compliant gaming payment gateway is crucial for the online gaming business.
A gaming payment gateway’s operation also depends on the way you integrate it. Some payment service providers offer an API that can be embedded directly into your platform. In contrast, others redirect visitors to third-party services, while both are located on the payment service provider’s server. Think about what integration type will provide the best user experience for your customers.
Integrating and configuring a gaming payment gateway will come with a cost. Apart from this, the payment gateway provider will also charge various fees for their services, such as processing fees, chargeback fees, recurring monthly fees, currency conversion fees, etc. Check and estimate these expenses before you conclude a contract with a certain payment processor.
Unfortunately, no technical system is completely stable, and there is always the possibility of failures and malfunctions that can spoil the gamers’ experience. However, if your payment processor ensures timely and competent support, such issues are resolved promptly and will not affect your platform’s performance.
A secure and efficient payment processing system is necessary for a fast-growing and highly competitive gaming market. To find a payment gateway that best suits your needs, look for payment service providers who specialise in gaming payment processing and are familiar with the players' payment needs. And now the good news! With Corefy’s feature-rich platform, you can connect any payment processor or even several to choose the best conditions for cooperation with each and enter the global market fully armed. Find out more about our product by trying a free demo .
