iGaming Payment Solutions
NOWPayments ReviewIs It the Right Payment Solution for Your iGaming Business?
Average
With 350+ cryptocurrencies at 0.5 to 1% per transaction, NOWPayments handles what fiat-only PSPs cannot: getting crypto deposits live in minutes, not weeks. API and plugin-based integration, NuxGame platform connector. Instant settlement, zero chargebacks. Betfinal, Chipstars and BazedBet process crypto through it. Pure crypto play, not a hybrid.
Quick Info
iGaming Score
Our iGaming Score: 6.6/10
Weighted scoring across six criteria
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| iGaming Fit NuxGame platform connector, Betfinal and Chipstars as clients, active iGaming focus with casino-specific features | 25% | 4.0 | Below Average |
| Geographic Coverage Global by default since crypto is borderless, but zero local fiat methods in any market | 20% | 5.0 | Below Average |
| Security & Compliance AML flagging via ChangeNOW algorithms, pursuing MiCA compliance, optional KYC with tiered verification | 15% | 7.0 | Good |
| Fees & Pricing 0.5-1% deposits, zero rolling reserve on crypto, 0.5-1% FX on fiat conversion | 15% | 9.5 | Excellent |
| Tech & Integration Single API plus plugins, integration in minutes not weeks, full sandbox, NuxGame connector | 15% | 8.5 | Excellent |
| User Trust 4.4/5 Trustpilot from 800+ reviews, same score as AstroPay but from a smaller sample | 10% | 8.8 | Excellent |
| Overall | 100% | 6.6 | Average |
We score each provider on six criteria using a 1 to 10 scale. iGaming Fit carries the most weight at 25% because that is what matters most for gambling operators. Geographic Coverage gets 20%. Security and Compliance, Fees and Pricing, and Tech and Integration each get 15%. User Trust rounds it out at 10%. The final score is a weighted average of all six.
Score Explanation
Fees and Tech pull the numbers up. At 0.5 to 1% with zero rolling reserve, NOWPayments is the cheapest processor we track. CoinsPaid charges 0.8%, CoinGate around 1%, BitPay 1-2%. Plugin-based integration and a minutes-to-live timeline push Tech scores up. User Trust matches AstroPay at 4.4/5, though from 800+ reviews versus 9,650. iGaming Fit sits lower because the platform serves crypto broadly, not gambling exclusively. Geographic Coverage lands at 6.0: crypto works globally but there are no local fiat methods in any market.
Who Is NOWPayments Best For?
Weighted scoring across six criteria
Recommended For
Crypto-native casinos. Crypto casinos where Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoin deposits make up the majority of player transactions. NOWPayments supports 350+ coins at 0.5 to 1%. CoinsPaid covers only 20+, CoinGate 70+. If your players want to deposit Dogecoin or Solana, not just Bitcoin, the coin coverage matters.
Quick MVP launch. Operators launching a crypto product fast. Integration takes minutes through the API or plugins, not the 1 to 2 weeks CoinsPaid requires. No minimum volume, no lock-in contract, no setup fee. You can test crypto deposits on staging today and go live tomorrow.
High-volume mass payouts. Platforms running regular crypto payouts to players or affiliates. Mass payout capabilities handle instant batch transactions with no stated daily limit. CoinPayments and CoinGate offer mass payouts too, but NOWPayments processes them instantly rather than in daily batches.
Multi-chain token coverage. Hybrid casinos adding crypto alongside existing fiat processing. The auto-conversion feature accepts crypto from players and settles in EUR or USD to your bank account. You get the deposit conversion benefit of crypto without holding volatile assets on your balance sheet.
Not Recommended For
Fiat-only operators. Operators where 90%+ of deposits come through cards and bank transfers. NOWPayments processes crypto only. For fiat, you still need Nuvei, Trustly or Paysafe. Adding NOWPayments to a fiat-heavy site typically captures 5 to 15% of deposits at best.
UKGC-licensed businesses. UKGC-licensed operators with strict compliance requirements. NOWPayments is pursuing MiCA compliance and works with Curacao-licensed operators, but it does not appear on any UKGC-approved supplier lists. BitPay holds US MSB and has stronger regulated-market credentials if UK compliance is non-negotiable.
Operators needing smart routing. Projects requiring intelligent transaction routing across multiple providers. NOWPayments has basic routing only. For cascading, failover and provider-level routing logic, you need Corefy or Primer with NOWPayments plugged in as one method among many.
Full compliance stack requirements. Operators needing full KYC automation and AI-driven fraud prevention. NOWPayments runs semi-automatic AML flagging with optional KYC. CoinsPaid has a stronger compliance focus in the EU. Nuvei has full AI-driven fraud detection if that is a regulatory requirement for your license.
Geographic Coverage
Supported regions and market focus
Regions
Coverage Analysis
Crypto is borderless by design, so coverage maps to anywhere players can send a blockchain transaction. No country restrictions at the protocol level. In practice, NOWPayments blocks sanctioned jurisdictions and complies with EU AML rules. CoinGate covers similar territory but with 70 coins versus 350+. Where NOWPayments falls short: zero local fiat payment methods. A Brazilian player who wants to deposit via PIX still needs AstroPay or PayRetailers for that.
Licensed Jurisdictions
Key Features for iGaming Operators
Products, payment methods, and verticals
Key Products
Crypto Gateway, Fiat on-ramp, Mass Payouts, Auto-conversion
Four products. The Crypto Gateway is the core: accept 350+ coins through API or plugins, auto-convert to fiat or hold crypto. Fiat On-Ramp (via Guardarian partnership) lets players buy crypto with cards before depositing, removing the barrier for first-time crypto users. Mass Payouts send crypto to thousands of wallets in one batch with no stated daily limit. Auto-Conversion handles real-time exchange from volatile coins to stablecoins or fiat at 0.5 to 1% markup.
Payment Methods
350+ cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and Ethereum handle the bulk of volume, but the long tail matters for crypto casinos. Solana, Polygon, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, dozens of stablecoins including USDT and USDC on multiple chains. CoinsPaid supports 20+. CoinGate supports 70+. CoinPayments covers 40+. NOWPayments has the widest coin coverage of any crypto gateway we track. Auto-conversion settles everything in EUR or USD, so operators never touch volatile assets unless they choose to.
Verticals
Crypto and iGaming split the majority of the business. NOWPayments has a NuxGame platform connector and case studies with Betfinal, Chipstars and BazedBet. But it also serves Forex and general eCommerce. Not a pure gambling specialist like CoinsPaid. More of a crypto infrastructure provider that happens to serve iGaming operators well.
| Feature | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit Processing | 350+ payment methods, Instant | |
| Withdrawal / Payout | Instant crypto | |
| Instant Withdrawals | Instant crypto | |
| KYC / AML Built-in | Semi-auto (optional KYC) | |
| Chargeback Protection | 0% (crypto) | |
| Multi-Currency | 4 currencies supported | |
| API Integration | Single API + plugins | |
| Local Payment Methods | 350+ methods across multiple categories | |
| iGaming Specialization | 350+ crypto + auto-conversion + mass payouts | |
| Geographic Coverage | 170 countries across Global (crypto) |
Pre-Built iGaming Integrations
Pricing & Fee Structure
Fee structure and pricing model
Pricing & Fee Structure
% per transaction pricing model
0.5-1% (crypto)
1% conversion
Instant (crypto) / T+1-3
350+
0-2% for crypto
0.5-1% conversion
0 / none
$0
No
Pricing Details
0.5% for same-currency transactions, 1% for cross-currency conversions (0.5% service fee + 0.5% exchange fee). Volume discounts available: 0.45% above 50 BTC/month, 0.4% above 100 BTC/month. Zero setup fee, zero monthly fee, no minimum volume requirement. NOWPayments is non-custodial, so rolling reserve does not apply in the traditional sense. FX markup of 0.5 to 1% kicks in when you convert crypto to EUR or USD through auto-conversion. CoinsPaid charges 0.5-1.5% depending on volume. CoinGate charges 1% base. BitPay charges 1-2% plus $0.25 per transaction. CoinPayments takes 0.75 to 1.5%. Total cost for an operator running $200k monthly in Bitcoin deposits with fiat settlement: roughly $2,000 to $4,000 including conversion. Nuvei would cost $3,000 to $7,000 on the same volume for card processing. Current pricing, April 2026.
Negotiation Tips
Same-currency transactions (player pays in BTC, you receive BTC) cost 0.5% flat. That is already the floor rate. For cross-currency, the total is 1%. If you settle in crypto and skip fiat conversion entirely, you eliminate the 0.5 to 1% FX spread on every transaction. The math works if your operating costs are already in stablecoins. High-volume operators should push for the 0.4% tier (100+ BTC/month). NOWPayments is non-custodial, so funds go straight to your wallet without custody risk or rolling reserve holdbacks.
Speed & Settlement
Transaction processing and settlement timelines
Instant
Player-initiatedInstant crypto
Operator payoutInstant (crypto) / T+1-3
To operator accountCrypto + fiat (EUR, USD)
Settlement optionsDeposits confirm on-chain, typically under 10 minutes for Bitcoin, seconds for Solana and stablecoins on faster networks. Withdrawals to player wallets are instant. Settlement to your operator account: instant for crypto, T+1 to T+3 when converting to fiat. CoinsPaid and CoinPayments also settle crypto instantly. BitPay settles fiat at T+1, the fastest fiat conversion among crypto gateways. For context on fiat alternatives: Brite does T+0, Trustly T+1, Nuvei T+2 to T+7. Refunds process instantly for crypto since there is no bank intermediary. Updated Q1 2026.
Integration & Tech
Developer experience and technical capabilities
API Type
Single API + plugins
Onboarding
1-3 days
Sandbox
Yes - full sandbox
Mobile SDK
Yes (plugins + SDK)
White-Label
No
Docs Quality
Good
Minutes
Pre-Built iGaming Integrations
Integration Assessment
Single REST API with webhooks. E-commerce plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop and others. NuxGame iGaming platform connector. Full sandbox for testing. Documentation rated Good with clear endpoints and code samples. Integration time: minutes for plugin installs, hours for direct API. Fastest onboarding of any crypto gateway we cover. Mobile SDK available. Updated Q1 2026.
Risk & Compliance
Licensing, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance
Supported Gambling Licenses
Compliance Context
AML flagging monitors transactions through ChangeNOW algorithms. Pursuing MiCA compliance ahead of the EU regulatory wave through 2026. Works with operators licensed under Curacao and other crypto-friendly frameworks. KYC is optional and tiered: operators choose how strict to set verification. Chargeback liability is 0% because crypto transactions are irreversible by design. CoinsPaid offers the same zero chargeback but adds stronger EU compliance through Estonian licensing. BitPay is strongest on regulated-market compliance with US MSB status. NOWPayments sits in the middle: workable for Curacao, insufficient for UKGC.
About NOWPayments: Company Background
Company and product information
Company History
Launched in 2019 by the team behind ChangeNOW. Registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with operations in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The gap it filled: most crypto payment gateways at the time supported Bitcoin and maybe Ethereum, charged 1%+ and took days to integrate. NOWPayments went wide on coin support from day one, betting that the altcoin market would grow faster than anyone expected.
That bet paid off. By 2022 the platform hit 200+ supported coins and started building iGaming partnerships. NuxGame integrated NOWPayments as a payment option for its casino clients. Forbes Advisor (not the editorial arm) ranked it the #1 crypto payment gateway in 2025, largely on coin coverage and the 0.5% fee floor.
Today: a ~20-person distributed team, still privately held. Over 350 cryptocurrencies supported. Betfinal, Chipstars and BazedBet process crypto deposits through the platform. The team runs 24/7 crypto-specific support, which matters when a player's Solana transaction gets stuck at 3 AM on a Saturday. Active pursuit of MiCA compliance positions them for the EU regulatory changes rolling out through 2026.
What Users Say: Trustpilot & Review Analysis
Our analysis of 806 reviews from Trustpilot and industry sources
Review Analysis
4.4/5 from 800+ Trustpilot reviews. 72% five-star, 16% one-star. Matches AstroPay's score exactly, though AstroPay's comes from 9,650 reviews. CoinGate sits at 3.6/5 from 1,664. CoinPayments at 3.7/5 from 1,068. BitPay is at 1.2/5 from 291, one of the worst scores of any payment provider. CoinsPaid has only 29 reviews, too small to draw conclusions. Positive NOWPayments reviews mention fast payouts, responsive support and easy integration. Complaints cluster around occasional conversion delays during high network congestion and the learning curve for operators new to crypto payment flows.
Context for Operators
Mostly merchant reviews, not player reviews. An operator rating NOWPayments 5 stars for easy integration signals that your dev team will have a smooth experience. The conversion delay complaints correlate with blockchain congestion events, not NOWPayments processing speed. When Ethereum gas spikes, everything on that chain slows down regardless of provider. The 16% one-star rate is notable but the company actively addresses complaints. BitPay's 1.2/5 rating should concern any operator considering that alternative.
Notable Clients
Betfinal, Chipstars, BazedBet
Betfinal is the most prominent case study: a global sportsbook and casino that switched to NOWPayments for stability and fast deposits. Chipstars and BazedBet are crypto-focused gambling platforms processing deposits through the gateway. TonPoker runs on the TON blockchain with NOWPayments handling crypto payments. NuxGame, an iGaming software provider, integrated NOWPayments as a payment option for its platform clients. The real operator count likely runs higher than the published names since any merchant can integrate via the standard API.
Operational Details
Business terms, contracts, and support
Crypto-first, very fast integration
Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions about NOWPayments
AML-compliant with transaction monitoring via ChangeNOW algorithms. Pursuing MiCA compliance for EU regulatory requirements. Works with Curacao-licensed operators. 4.4/5 Trustpilot from 800+ reviews. Forbes Advisor ranked it #1 crypto payment gateway in 2025. Betfinal and Chipstars process deposits through it. Zero chargebacks on all crypto transactions since blockchain payments are irreversible.
0.5 to 1% per crypto transaction. Same-currency transactions (e.g. ETH to ETH) cost 0.5%. Cross-currency conversions cost 1%. Zero setup fee, zero monthly fee. Add 0.5 to 1% if you convert to fiat through auto-conversion. Volume discounts available: 0.45% above 50 BTC/month, 0.4% above 100 BTC/month. Total cost on $200k monthly with fiat settlement: roughly $2,000 to $4,000. Cheapest among crypto gateways we track. Current rates as of April 2026.
Crypto withdrawals to player wallets are instant. No bank processing delay, no batch schedule. Players see funds in their wallet within minutes depending on the blockchain network. Bitcoin confirmations take up to 10 minutes. Solana and stablecoins on fast chains settle in seconds. Settlement to your operator account is also instant if you keep crypto. Fiat conversion adds T+1 to T+3.
Global coverage by nature of cryptocurrency. Players from any non-sanctioned country can deposit. No local fiat methods though. If you need PIX in Brazil, that requires AstroPay. Bank transfers in Europe need Trustly. NOWPayments covers the crypto layer only. Fiat On-Ramp via Guardarian supports 25+ fiat currencies across 175+ countries for players who need to buy crypto first. Pair it with fiat providers for full geographic coverage of your player base.
Minutes for e-commerce plugin installs (WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop). Hours for direct API integration. Full sandbox available for testing. CoinsPaid takes 1 to 2 weeks, CoinGate 1 to 2 days, BitPay about a week. NOWPayments is the fastest crypto gateway to go live with. No minimum volume requirement to start processing.
350+ and growing. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, USDT, USDC across multiple chains, and hundreds more. CoinsPaid supports 20+, CoinGate 70+, BitPay 100+, CoinPayments 40+. If a player wants to deposit in a specific token, NOWPayments is the most likely to support it.
Different strengths. NOWPayments: 350+ coins, 0.5% fee floor, minutes to integrate via API or plugins. CoinsPaid: 20+ coins, 0.5-1.5% fees, 1 to 2 weeks integration. CoinsPaid has stronger EU compliance through Estonian licensing and positions itself as iGaming-first. NOWPayments has wider coin coverage and lower base cost. If coin breadth and speed matter most, NOWPayments. If EU compliance is the priority, CoinsPaid.
Yes. Auto-conversion exchanges crypto to EUR or USD in real-time at 0.5 to 1% markup. Settlement in fiat takes T+1 to T+3. You never have to hold volatile assets. Players pay in Bitcoin, you receive euros. If you prefer to hold crypto, that option is available too with instant settlement and no conversion fee.
NOWPayments can be integrated into any casino platform through its REST API. NuxGame has a direct platform connector. For SoftSwiss casinos specifically, CoinsPaid is the primary crypto partner listed on SoftSwiss's payment partners page. NOWPayments offers a broader coin selection at 350+ versus CoinsPaid's 20+, but would require API integration rather than a plug-and-play SoftSwiss module.
Our Verdict: Should You Use NOWPayments?
Final assessment for iGaming operators
Overall iGaming Score
Summary
350+ coins, 0.5% fees, instant settlement and zero chargebacks. NOWPayments is the widest and cheapest crypto gateway we track. The overall score reflects a structural gap: no fiat processing at all. For crypto-specific deposits it outperforms every competitor on coverage and price. Small team (~20 people) but responsive support. Build your fiat stack separately.
Strongest Point
Coin coverage. 350+ cryptocurrencies under one integration is not something competitors come close to. CoinsPaid has 20+, CoinGate 70+, BitPay 100+. For crypto casinos where players deposit in dozens of different tokens, this breadth means fewer bounced deposits and zero situations where a player's preferred coin is unsupported.
Key Limitation
No fiat processing. Cards, bank transfers, open banking, e-wallets: everything traditional requires a separate provider. Nuvei handles fiat and some crypto under one roof. If more than half your deposits are fiat, NOWPayments becomes a supplement, not a foundation. Budget for dual provider management and separate reconciliation workflows.
Recommendation
Add NOWPayments if crypto deposits account for 20% or more of your payment mix, or if you are launching a crypto-first casino. The 0.5% fee floor and simple API make it a fast path to live crypto deposits. Skip it if your player base is 90%+ fiat. For regulated UK operators, evaluate BitPay instead. For pure iGaming compliance focus in the EU, look at CoinsPaid. Updated April 2026.
Pros
- Widest cryptocurrency coverage of any payment gateway we track. 350+ coins versus CoinsPaid at 20+, CoinGate at 70+, BitPay at 100+, CoinPayments at 40+. Players depositing in Solana, Polygon, Dogecoin or niche tokens do not bounce off your deposit page looking for an exchange.
- Cheapest processing fees in the crypto gateway category. 0.5% floor on same-currency transactions, versus 0.5-1.5% at CoinsPaid and 1% at CoinGate. Volume discounts drop it to 0.4% above 100 BTC/month. On $200k monthly volume, the savings add up to $600 to $1,000 every month versus alternatives.
- NuxGame iGaming platform connector plus e-commerce plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento and PrestaShop. Direct API integration for any custom platform. For iGaming operators on NuxGame, adding NOWPayments is a configuration step. For others, the REST API makes custom integration straightforward.
- Zero chargeback liability on all crypto transactions. Blockchain payments are irreversible. No disputes, no reserve holdbacks, no fraud-related clawbacks. Fiat processors like Nuvei still expose operators to merchant chargebacks even with protection tools running.
- Fastest integration timeline of any crypto gateway. Plugin installs take minutes. Direct API integration is measured in hours. CoinsPaid takes 1 to 2 weeks, BitPay takes a week, CoinGate 1 to 2 days. Full sandbox available, no minimum volume to start. Non-custodial model means funds go straight to your wallet.
- Mass payouts in instant batches with no stated daily limit. Affiliate payments, player withdrawals, operational transfers all go out in one call. CoinPayments and CoinGate offer mass payouts too, but NOWPayments processes them instantly rather than queuing them into daily batches. Auto-conversion available for payouts too.
Cons
- Crypto only. No card processing, no bank transfers, no e-wallets, no open banking. Every fiat deposit on your site still needs a separate provider. Nuvei handles 700+ methods including some crypto. Paysafe covers cards plus Skrill and Neteller wallets. NOWPayments covers one payment category, even if it covers it more deeply than anyone else.
- iGaming Fit scores lower than CoinsPaid despite having confirmed casino clients. NOWPayments serves Crypto, iGaming and Forex rather than positioning iGaming as its primary market. CoinsPaid brands itself as built specifically for gambling operators and has a SoftSwiss integration that NOWPayments lacks.
- Optional KYC is flexible but risky in strict jurisdictions. Curacao operators can use the tiered verification. UKGC-licensed operators cannot. If your regulatory framework tightens, you may need third-party KYC tools that NOWPayments does not provide natively. CoinsPaid has stronger built-in compliance for EU markets through Estonian licensing.
- Reporting is basic. Daily CSV exports and a simple dashboard. No real-time analytics, no advanced reconciliation automation. Nuvei and Worldpay offer full reporting suites with customizable dashboards. High-volume operators processing across dozens of coins will find reconciliation becomes manual work.
- Small company risk. Around 20 employees versus 200+ at CoinsPaid or 2,700+ at Nuvei. If the team hits capacity constraints or key people leave, support and development could slow down. The 800+ Trustpilot reviews at 4.4/5 are solid, but the 16% one-star rate and small team size are worth factoring into long-term provider decisions.
Ready to evaluate NOWPayments for your business?
NOWPayments vs. Alternatives: How It Compares
Similar payment processing solutions
CoinsPaid targets iGaming specifically with stronger EU compliance through Estonian licensing and operator-focused tools, a better fit if European regulation is the primary concern. CoinGate holds a MiCA license and focuses on European regulatory alignment. BitPay has the strongest compliance credentials including US MSB, ideal for regulated markets despite a 1.2/5 Trustpilot score. CoinPayments is one of the oldest crypto gateways with insured funds, though support is ticket-based only. Triple-A focuses on stablecoin processing with zero volatility risk, licensed in Singapore.
When to Choose an Alternative
CoinsPaidChoose CoinsPaid if EU compliance through Estonian licensing and iGaming-specific operator tools matter more than coin coverage. 20+ coins is enough if your players mainly use Bitcoin and Ethereum.
CoinGateChoose CoinGate if you need a MiCA-licensed gateway for EU operations. 70+ coins, similar pricing, stronger regulatory positioning in Europe.
BitPayChoose BitPay if operating under US regulation. MSB license and compliance stack that NOWPayments lacks. Accept the 1.2/5 Trustpilot score and the 1-2% + $0.25 fee as the trade-off.
CoinPaymentsChoose CoinPayments if insured crypto funds matter for your risk framework. Older platform with wide coin support, no dedicated account manager but zero setup costs.
Triple-AChoose Triple-A if stablecoin-only processing with zero price volatility is the priority. Fewer coins but a Singapore license and flat 0.5% with no FX surprises.
Nuvei
Trustly
Paysafe
AstroPay
CoinsPaid
Crypto Processor
CoinGate
Crypto Gateway
CoinPayments
Crypto Gateway
Triple-A
Crypto-to-FiatEnd of Report. NOWPayments Provider Assessment Report 2026
Prepared by Alex Richardson | Reviewed by Maria Chen | April 3, 2026