Launched in 1997 in London, Worldpay is a payment and expense processing platform for businesses of all sizes. Operating internationally in 146 countries, Worldpay supports 135 foreign currencies.
The platform offers secure, cost-effective, and efficient payment processing for both online and in-store transactions, with features like credit and debit card payments, expense management tools, mobile payments, and contactless money transactions.
After subscribing, businesses receive access to merchant accounts that allow them to accept customer payments and track expenses from the mobile app or the cloud-based platform available via the company’s website.
Although the company offers subscription plans to businesses that provide services and sell items in various industry niches, some businesses are prohibited from using Worldpay.
Let’s learn more about high-risk business activities and what you can do if Worldpay decides to permanently or temporarily ban your account.
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What Businesses Are Not Allowed To Use WorldPay & Why
According to Worldpay’s Terms and Conditions, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics regulations, and the Gaming and Gambling Merchants regulations, you can be temporarily or permanently banned from using the platform if your business conducts any of the following activities:
Casinos and gambling: Businesses that operate casinos or provide any kind of gambling services or equipment, including gambling event organisers. Gambling is forbidden due to the possibility of conducting fraudulent or illegal gambling operations that could negatively impact Worldpay’s reputation.
The company’s prohibition extends to all forms of gambling activities, including both online and in-person. And even businesses associated with third-party companies that offer gambling-related services.
Online gaming: Any type of illegal online gaming. The company may allow specific types of gaming and related money transactions, but only in some cases. Contact customer support to find out if your activities comply with Worldpay’s gaming policies.
Betting on any form of racing: Betting on races, such as car racing, horse racing, dog racing, or any other form of animal racing. These activities are forbidden because they can pose significant financial, ethical, and moral risks to the company.
Firearms, ammunition, and military-related weapons: Businesses engaged in the sale, reproduction, reselling, distribution, or manufacturing of any type of military-grade arms, firearms, ammunition, or additional accessories. Additionally, the company prohibits the sale of any other type of weapons or harmful substances, including knives, pepper spray, etc.
Pornography or any adult-related services: The adult industry is placed in the high-risk category and is heavily regulated.
Therefore, businesses that engage in any of the following activities are strictly prohibited from using Worldpay: selling, creating, or distributing any type of pornographic content, adult goods (toys and accessories), or services, such as escort and companion, dating and matchmaking services or online dating apps, online adult memberships, adult bookstores, and adult phone conversations.
Lotteries and other winning games: Payment processing for gambling activities, such as lotteries, raffles, or any other type of game that offers prizes for winners.
Credit repair companies: Offering credit repairs, loans, lending money, or helping receive money from third parties via Wolrdpay’s merchant account.
Political parties’ fundraising campaigns: Political parties seeking to raise funds are prohibited from using Worldpay to process donations or other financial transactions. Third parties that illegally use the names of political parties or associate themselves with any political party or individual to set up fundraising events are also prohibited from using Worldpay’s services.
Non-compliance to intellectual property laws and regulations: Misuse or reproduction of any copyrighted materials that Worldpay displays on their website that are fully protected by intellectual property law, including graphics, logos, names, marks, trademarks, etc. Using these materials for any business activity without consent can lead to permanent termination of your contract.
Illegal merchandise resembling existing brands: Businesses selling replicas or counterfeit merchandise, including retail-oriented companies selling imitation/fake branded goods. The sale of such items is forbidden in many countries, including the UK, since it violates multiple international intellectual property laws.
Tobacco and cigars: Selling or producing tobacco, cigars, e-cigarettes, vapes, or any additional accessories connected to smoking. Worldpay does not process payments for businesses in the tobacco industry due to the strict international regulations on the sale of these products both locally and worldwide.
Travel resorts and bookings: Selling airline or travelling tickets and managing travel resorts or tourist-related bookings and reservations.
Money laundering: Any activities related to money laundering.
Remote desktop merchants: Activities allowing subscribers to access a third party’s computer or network remotely and any other technical support scams and frauds that can lead to a lot of chargebacks.
File-sharing and copyright breach: Companies that provide file-sharing services that can lead to intellectual property breaches (e.g., copyright breaches).
Pharmacies and medicine: Сelling or producing pharmaceuticals, drugs that require a doctor’s prescription, and additional medical equipment.
Plantation distribution and services: Offering services such as plantation management or large-scale agriculture and forestry.
Oil drilling, refining or mining: Businesses that engage in activities such as oil drilling, mining, and refining. Companies offering such high-risk services are often subject to environmental regulations that differ from country to country. This can further complicate payment processing via Wolrdpay’s platform.
Non-banking financial companies: High-risk activities such as foreign money exchange, remittance services, money transmitters, cheque-cashing businesses, currency exchange, and activities related to financing or investment firms.
Wholesalers: Activities conducted by wholesalers, such as wholesale money transactions, orders in bulk, and similar money processing operations.
Stockists: Selling stock or holding extensive inventories of goods for sale to retailers or other businesses.
Farms: Most farming operations, including those related to crop cultivation or livestock raising and selling.
Fireworks and additional accessories: Selling or producing flammable or toxic items such as fireworks or similar items.
Illicit production or selling of goods and services: Selling, reselling, or producing specific types of items and services that are illicit, i.e. prohibited from being on the market in the country in which the Worldpay subscriber or its customers are registered in.
Alcohol online shops: Retailers that sell alcohol and own eCommerce alcohol shops cannot use Worldpay to process money transactions since alcoholic beverage consumption and selling are heavily regulated in different countries.
Payments in the name of political bodies or individuals: Worldpay does not process incoming or outgoing money transactions in the name of political candidates or institutions/organisations.
This restriction helps the company maintain complete political neutrality. It can also help prevent third parties from unlawfully using their subscribers’ merchant accounts to process political fundraising or campaign financing. These payment processes could lead to potential conflicts of interest or violations of campaign finance laws in the countries where the political bodies or individuals are located.
Additional Restrictions by Worldpay
In addition to the prohibited businesses and activities mentioned above, Worldpay imposes additional restrictions on transactions involving Equated Monthly Installments (EMI).
Given the involvement of multiple banks and varying transaction values, the company does not permit activities involving money transactions or foreign currency exchange due to the potential for fraudulent activities and misuse of Worldpay’s tools.
What Happens After Worldpay Bans Your Merchant Account
If Worldpay believes you are conducting high-risk business activities or are not compliant with their terms and conditions and additional rules, they can permanently or temporarily terminate your account.
Here’s what you can expect to happen after Worldpay decided to ban your account:
- Instant temporary or permanent ban of access to your merchant account. You won’t be able to use Worldpay’s services or have access to your incoming and outgoing money transfers.
- In case of a permanent ban, the company will delete any type of content that you’ve uploaded to your merchant account. Also, you won’t be able to open a new account under the same name, i.e. business in the future.
What to Do If Worldpay Terminates Your Merchant Account
If Worldpay terminates your merchant account, consider taking some of the following steps:
Evaluate and understand the reason: Begin by examining the issue to identify the underlying cause that led Worldpay to terminate your account. Find all the relevant guidelines, legal regulations, and policies available online or via your merchant account. Carefully review the rules regarding high-risk business activities to pinpoint any specific reasons that may have led the company to shut down your account.
Contact customer support: If you believe the company terminated your account without a legitimate reason, contact customer support to learn more about their decision and whether it’s reversible.
Consult with a legal expert: If you want to start a legal proceeding, you’ll need a deeper understanding of Worldpay’s rules, guidelines, and policies before taking any legal action. Therefore, the most effective thing you can do is consult with a legal professional specialising in this area rather than trying to handle it alone.
Explore alternatives to Worldpay: Finally, if your merchant account is terminated permanently and you’re not allowed to use Worldpay’s services again, the best option is to research other companies that offer similar services. You can always reach out to them and open a new account as soon as possible to minimise losing profit and customers.
What to Do If Worldpay Incorrectly Terminates Your Account
In some specific cases, Worldpay might mistakenly ban one of its subscribers from using its services or reject a business from becoming a new subscriber because it labels them as high-risk.
If you believe Worldpay has wrongly terminated your account or have any further questions about the ban and wish to clarify the situation, contact Worldpay’s customer support.
You can reach the company via their website and submit your questions via this link or call Worldpay at 08000963997.
If Worldpay’s response does not satisfy your concerns, you can file a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office, also known as ICO. However, if you want to file a complaint, we suggest that you consult a legal expert beforehand.
Finally, keep in mind that if you’d like to continue using Worldpay’s services, you must continuously comply with its Terms and Conditions and the rest of the company’s rules and guidelines.