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List of high-risk products that require specialized payment processing

If you are in one of the “high-risk” or regulated industries highlighted on this page, you have likely struggled with even the most basic components of an e-commerce website – the ability to obtain a payment gateway and merchant account, accept payments, and market your products or service.

Website owners that offer legal products and services are often listed as “prohibited use,” “high-risk,” or “restricted” by the largest online payment gateways and merchant account providers – including Stripe and PayPal. Additionally, online businesses using payment processors that are “Powered by Stripe,” like Shopify Payments, WooCommerce Payments, and Wix Payments, generally are governed by Stripe’s prohibited use policy and are commonly forced to find alternative payments.

If this sounds like you, we can help. Learn more about Tasker Payment Gateways LLC on our About Us page or check out our 5-star reviews, A+ rating, and BBB accreditation on the Tasker Payment Gateways LLC Better Business Bureau page. 

Sources:
PayPal Acceptable Use Policy:
https://www.paypal.com/ga/webapps/mpp/ua/acceptableuse-full

Stripe Restricted Businesses:
https://stripe.com/restricted-businesses

Expert payment gateway advice and high-risk merchant account recommendations

Our dedicated, independent one-on-one consultants and agents provide easy-to-implement alternative payment gateway solutions and personal support to American and Canadian businesses. They will help you generate the gateway credentials required and assist you in integrating your payment gateway into the e-commerce platform of your choice.

They will assign you a real human as a dedicated contact, help you with any paperwork or information the processors may require, and continue to assist you long after approval and setup.

We provide payment gateway advice and merchant account recommendations at no cost to you, the website owner.  Read more about Tasker Payment Gateways LLC on our About Us page.

We have decades of experience in the high-risk business and have a firm grasp of which software providers, payment gateways, affiliate payout vendors, and, through our many vetted industry contacts, which merchant accounts and credit card processors are the best fit for you.

Give us details on your business via our contact us form, and let us provide some one-on-one information at no obligation. We are not attorneys and do not offer legal guidance, but we can help you accept credit cards for your lawful, high-risk business and provide friendly advice on a host of high-risk e-commerce topics.

High-risk payment processing recommendations for restricted products and services, including:

Affiliate, IBO, downline, MLM payouts – USA only

Auto-ship products, subscription programs, clubs

Auto bill programs: alarm companies, pest control, fitness clubs, online training programs

Automobile parts and accessories, new or used, online scrap yard, tires, and rims

Alcohol, online wine beer or liquor sales – beer, spirits, or wine of the month clubs bases in the USA

Adult websites: continuity and straight sale

Adult toys and dolls located in the USA

Botanicals – legal, non-mood altering plant-based supplements, tinctures, oils, lotions, and powders

CBD oil, CBD products (dropshipping is OK as long as ship times are reasonable)

CBD associations and directories

CBG (cannabigerol) and CBN (cannabinol)  Learn more about CBG and CBN payment processing on our CBD payment gateway page

Canadian marijuana dispensaries – provincial or First Nations Reserves, recreational retail shops, or medicinal MMJ clinics 

Canadian head shops – e-commerce or retail

Cigars, online cigar clubs

Credit monitoring subscription programs: continuity and straight-sale

Credit repair, credit coaching

Coaching: personal, business, internet marketing

Collection agencies, large agencies, or at-home offices

Dating sites (online dating, membership sites, coaching, or clubs)

Debt consolidation programs, student loan consolidation programs

Detox and cleanse products: continuity and straight sale

Dispensaries – Canada

Document preparation and application assistance for immigration visas, student loans, etc.

Dropshippers, including Dropified websites

Electronic cigarettes /e-juice with nicotine in the US and Canada

Fantasy sports leagues with cash payouts (limited options, must be established and well-funded)

FFL to FFL gun sales, USA-based online FFLs, drop shipped firearms, ammunition

Fortune telling, psychic readings, clairvoyance, astrology

Glassware, pipes, smoking accessories, online and retail head shops, and paraphernalia in the USA and Canada

Gentlemen’s clubs, lady’s clubs

Health clubs, automated recurring billing by ACH, and credit card

Headshop sites

Hemp oil (0.03% or less)

Homeopathic products

Internet marketing lead generation, traffic programs

Knives, swords – legal online sales to appropriate jurisdictions within the United States

Kratom – Kratom credit card processing is subject to restrictions. Prior, qualified legal advice is essential. The stable, US-based options that integrate with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, etc all require prior payment processing history.

Magazine Subscriptions, promotional marketing

Male enhancement supplements: straight sale, recurring

MLM / multi-level marketing companies

MMJ support and MMJ supply merchants. MMJ packaging, stash boxes, grinders

Marijuana trade associations and directories

Muscle enhancement testosterone support supplements: straight sale or recurring – no “research chemicals” or prescription drugs

No2 nitric oxide supplements: straight sale or recurring

Nootropics, brain supplements. Supplements must be legal; volume requirements and restrictions may apply: straight sale or recurring

Nutra / Nutraceuticals and dietary supplements, vitamins DR / direct response merchants (dropshipping is OK as long as ship times are reasonable)

Online loose tobacco and cigar sales, cigar of the month clubs

Pawnshops, online pawn e-commerce pawn, and second-hand sites

Pepper spray, legal online sales of pepper spray, capsaicin sprays, etc

Personal or business coaching seminars, online training, recurring billing

Prepaid phone cards, international calling cards, family-to-inmate calling programs

Prepaid debit card affiliate payout programs

Pseudo pharmaceuticals: If 100% legal and claims are appropriate- for example, a weightlifting supplement manufactured with a GMP certificate or similar. (dropshipping is OK as long as ship times are reasonable)

Self-defense items like pepper spray, stun guns, batons, pocket knives, etc

SEO consulting, recurring billing, web and software design, web marketing

Sex toys and adult dolls

Skincare creams and serums

Software, SaaS: reputable trials, straight sales, and continuity

Surveillance, electronics, PI, and “spy” gear

Tactical and survival websites based in the States

Tax negotiating and property-tax assessment dispute services

Teeth whitening: continuity or straight sale

Tobacco, loose tobacco, or cigars sold online

Trial offers- for reputable software and some physical products

Travel packages, tours, agencies

Vape accessories, e-juice, mods, pens, electronic cigarettes, nicotine products, vitamin vaporizers

Weapons, both non-lethal and FFL – USA sites only

Web hosting, annual payments, monthly recurring

Weight loss products and supplements: straight sale or recurring (dropshipping is OK as long as ship times are reasonable)

Workout Supplements, excluding SARMs and peptides. Supplements must be legal where sold and with GMP certificate- recurring OK. (dropshipping is OK as long as ship times are reasonable)

Contact us anytime for specific advice on your business

Contact us anytime, even with general questions; we are always happy to help a fellow e-commerce warrior, regardless of whether or not they are a current client or prospect. The list above is not necessarily in any particular order because many of these industries can go by many different names.

This list may not remain perfectly accurate and may change at any time without notice; it is intended as general information only. The regulatory status of the items above may change at any time. You should consult a qualified attorney before pursuing any business endeavor, especially one that markets regulated or restricted products or services.

Need a high-risk payment gateway? We can help

Note: Before you engage in commerce, especially a business that sells a restricted or regulated product or service, you should absolutely sit down with a qualified attorney. Laws, rules, and regulations change constantly and vary from place to place.