New research highlights the critical importance of frictionless transactions in the iGaming and online sports betting industry, revealing that speed, flexibility, and trust in payment systems heavily influence player engagement and retention.
A recent U.S. consumer study titled “Understanding the iGaming Payment Experience: What U.S. Bettors Want in the Deposit and Withdrawal Process” surveyed over 2,000 adult bettors and uncovered that payment processes are often a major barrier to user satisfaction. As competition in iGaming intensifies, operators are under increasing pressure to deliver fast, secure, and user-friendly deposit and withdrawal experiences.
For iGaming operators, payments aren’t just back-end logistics—they’re a vital part of the user experience. Frustrations like declined deposits, delays in withdrawals, or lack of familiar payment options can drive users to abandon platforms entirely. The study shows that frequent players, who are among the most valuable customers, are the most likely to leave due to payment friction.
With the cost of player acquisition rising, improving the payments process is one of the most effective ways to increase retention and lifetime value.
The data reveals that bettors desire a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal methods. Popular options include:
Despite this, many of these methods are still not widely supported across platforms, resulting in missed opportunities for player engagement and revenue growth.
25% of players, especially casual ones, express discomfort sharing banking or personal information when making deposits. Offering familiar, secure, and privacy-friendly methods—like PayPal or digital wallets—helps ease these concerns and improves conversion during onboarding.
To meet evolving player expectations, operators are turning to modern payment providers like Nuvei, a global PSP that specializes in high-performance transaction solutions for regulated industries including iGaming.
Nuvei supports over 600 payment methods globally—including cards, digital wallets, real-time banking, and crypto—enabling platforms to offer localized, flexible, and seamless payment experiences. With deep experience in regulated gaming markets, Nuvei helps operators improve acceptance rates, accelerate withdrawals, and reduce drop-off caused by payment friction.
By offering fast deposits, instant payouts, and trusted payment methods through a single, streamlined integration, Nuvei enables iGaming operators to increase player satisfaction, engagement, and lifetime value—while remaining fully compliant with regulatory requirements.
