Trustly payment provider

This fintech has found its niche in the digital payments space. It works with operators who need dependable transaction processing across various high-risk industries. While not exclusively an igaming payment provider, the solution demonstrates exceptional capability in online gambling, sports betting, and casino operations. The company processes over 4 billion transactions annually across 29 European markets.

Table of contents

• Introduction and specialization
• Core product architecture and technical implementation
• Geographic coverage, licensing framework and market positioning
• Operational benefits and strategic advantages for gambling operators
• Implementation challenges and operational considerations

What sets this solution apart is its direct bank integration model. Unlike traditional card processors or e-wallet aggregators, the platform connects directly to consumers’ online banking portals. This enables instant account-to-account transfers without requiring card details or third-party wallets. The approach has proven particularly valuable for iGaming operators facing increasing scrutiny over card-based gambling transactions.

The company operates as a licensed payment service provider under European financial regulations. It holds authorizations that permit cross-border payment services throughout the European Economic Area. The platform’s banking partnerships span more than 8,300 financial institutions.

Another defining characteristic involves the real-time nature of fund movement. Players can deposit instantly by authenticating through their existing online banking credentials. Withdrawals reach player accounts within minutes rather than the industry-standard 3-5 business days. For South African operators exploring European expansion, understanding this infrastructure becomes essential. While the platform doesn’t currently support South African banking systems directly, operators licensed in European jurisdictions can leverage this technology.

Core product architecture for Trustly as an igaming payment provider and crypto payment provider

The platform functions primarily as an account-to-account payment gateway. When a player initiates a transaction, they’re redirected to a secure banking interface. There they authenticate using their normal online banking credentials. The system then initiates a direct bank transfer, which settles in real-time through local clearing systems like SEPA Instant.

Supported payment methods

The solution concentrates heavily on direct banking transfers as its primary offering. All major European banks are accessible through the network. This covers approximately 95% of online banking users across supported markets.

Card processing is notably absent from the core offering. This represents both a strategic choice and a potential limitation. The company deliberately positions itself as an alternative to card networks. This means operators still need separate arrangements for players preferring Visa or Mastercard payments.

Cryptocurrency support is not native to the system. As a bank-centric iGaming payment solution, the infrastructure focuses exclusively on fiat currency movements through regulated banking channels. Operators requiring crypto payment provider capabilities would need to implement additional partnerships.

Local payment methods receive strong emphasis. The platform supports market-specific banking schemes including:

• Swish in Sweden for instant mobile payments
• iDEAL in the Netherlands covering 60% of all online transactions
• Sofort integration in Germany and Austria for immediate bank transfers
• Bancontact in Belgium serving the country’s dominant payment preference
• Trustly Express for recurring payments without repeated authentication
• Pay N Play for registration-free casino experiences

This localization proves essential for iGaming operators targeting specific European markets. South African operators entering European territories will find this regional specialization critical.

Integration process and technical requirements

Implementation typically requires 4-8 weeks depending on operator technical resources. The company offers RESTful APIs that come with detailed documentation. You can use either redirect flows or embed the checkout directly on your site.

Operators get white label options to keep their branding intact across the entire payment process. Everything from the initial selection screens to the final confirmation pages can match your brand. This keeps users confident and helps cut down on abandoned transactions.

The platform offers specific features tailored for gambling environments. Transaction tagging enables operators to categorize payments by game type, player segment, or bonus status. Velocity controls allow operators to set daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits per player.

Pay N Play functionality represents perhaps the most distinctive feature for casino operators. This innovation combines account verification, player registration, and deposit into a single banking authentication step. The entire onboarding process completes in under 30 seconds. This dramatically improves conversion rates compared to traditional registration flows.

Withdrawal processing demonstrates significant advantages over conventional methods. Players authenticate through their banking portal, and the system automatically retrieves their account information. Processing occurs within minutes rather than days.

Geographic coverage and market positioning for Trustly

The company’s strength concentrates overwhelmingly in Northern and Central Europe. Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway represent core markets with near-universal banking coverage. The platform enjoys similar penetration throughout Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Poland.

The United Kingdom presents an interesting case. While technically supported, adoption has been slower compared to continental markets. Recent regulatory changes around gambling blocks on credit cards have increased interest. Yet penetration remains below Scandinavian levels.

Latin America, Asia, Africa, and North America fall entirely outside the service footprint. For South African operators pursuing iGaming payment solution infrastructure domestically, this platform would not provide relevant coverage. The business model depends fundamentally on European banking systems. South African companies must seek alternative providers for local operations while potentially leveraging this solution for European expansion.

Regulatory compliance and licensing structure

The company holds a Payment Institution license from the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority. This permits passporting throughout the European Economic Area under PSD2 regulations. Individual market operations are conducted through local subsidiaries or registrations. The company maintains specific registrations with Malta Gaming Authority and UK Gambling Commission.

AML and KYC compliance leverage banking data rather than requiring separate verification processes. When players authenticate through online banking, the financial institution has already performed customer due diligence. The platform can access verified identity data directly from banking records. Enhanced due diligence is applied automatically for higher-value transactions.

For South African operators, understanding these European compliance frameworks becomes critical when expanding into regulated markets. The licensing requirements in jurisdictions like Malta or Sweden demand payment partners with established regulatory track records.

Target segments within iGaming sector

Sports betting operators have adopted the platform extensively. In Scandinavian markets it has become effectively the default deposit method. The instant nature of funding appeals to bettors wanting to place wagers on live events without delay.

Online casino operators benefit significantly from Pay N Play functionality. The reduced friction at registration converts substantially higher percentages of first-time visitors into depositing players. Internal studies suggest conversion improvements of 30-40% compared to traditional registration processes. This has made the iGaming payment solution particularly popular among casino aggregators.

Lottery and bingo operators have found the solution effective for their typically older audiences. The familiarity of banking interfaces and absence of new registration processes reduces abandonment.

Operational benefits and strategic advantages

The conversion impact of streamlined payment flows represents perhaps the most compelling commercial argument. Traditional casino registration requires multiple steps across several minutes. Abandonment rates often exceed 60% of initiated registrations. The compressed Pay N Play alternative reduces this to a single banking authentication. Conversion rates push above 70% in optimal implementations.

Mobile optimization deserves particular attention. Mobile gambling now exceeds 65% of overall iGaming traffic in most European markets. The platform’s redirect-based flow works seamlessly within mobile browsers.

Financial efficiency and cost structure Trustly

Transaction fees vary by market and volume but generally fall below card processing rates. The absence of card scheme fees creates structural cost advantages. Operators processing high volumes can negotiate rates below 1% of transaction value. Card processing costs often exceed 2.5% when all fees are included.

Chargeback exposure essentially disappears. Transactions represent authenticated bank transfers rather than card payments. Chargeback rates typically drop from 0.5-1.2% of transactions to near zero.

Settlement timing provides liquidity advantages. Unlike card processing where settlement can take 2-3 days, bank transfers settle instantly or within hours. This improves working capital and reduces financing costs.

Risk management and security infrastructure

Fraud prevention begins at the banking authentication layer. Players must log into their actual banking accounts using credentials. This makes stolen card details or synthetic identities ineffective. The financial institution performs the authentication.

PCI DSS compliance requirements are eliminated entirely. No card data touches the operator’s systems. This simplifies compliance audits and reduces security infrastructure costs.

Data protection under GDPR receives careful attention. The company processes personal data as a payment service provider. Banking information accessed during authentication is used exclusively for payment purposes.

Implementation challenges and operational considerations

Technical integration demands competent development resources. The API docs cover everything you need, but operators will need backend developers who know their way around RESTful services. Testing is also trickier compared to straightforward card gateway setups.

Market limitations constrain geographic expansion strategies. Operators targeting global audiences need alternative payment methods for regions outside European coverage. South African operators pursuing multi-jurisdictional strategies will need to maintain separate payment stacks for European versus domestic operations.

Cost considerations beyond transaction fees

Monthly minimum fees may apply depending on volume commitments and contract terms. The platform typically targets medium-to-large operators processing substantial monthly volume.

Implementation costs include development time, testing resources, and potential consultant fees. Budget-conscious operators should factor 40-80 hours of qualified development time for integration and testing.

Specific geographic limitations

Payment provider coverage remains tightly focused on developed European banking markets. Operators serving Southern European markets like Greece or Cyprus will find limited banking penetration.

The complete absence of cryptocurrency processing eliminates the platform from consideration for operators serving crypto-preferring audiences. South African operators seeking to serve cryptocurrency users must implement separate blockchain payment infrastructure.

Currency support covers all major European currencies but doesn’t extend to exotic currencies. The South African Rand receives no direct support. Operators must work through currency conversion intermediaries or maintain European bank accounts.

Banking relationship dependencies

The platform’s effectiveness depends entirely on maintaining banking partnerships. Regulatory changes affecting payment institutions can impact service availability. During 2020-2022, some European banks implemented restrictions on gambling-related transfers. This created temporary disruptions that affected transaction success rates.

Technical issues at partner banks can disrupt transactions. Card networks have backup routes built in, but direct banking integration doesn’t work that way – if a particular bank’s online system goes down, players with accounts there are stuck.

There’s also the question of where regulations are headed. South African operators looking to expand into European markets need to stay flexible with their payment approach. Putting all your eggs in one basket with a single provider is risky when the rules keep changing.