What are prohibited industries for merchant account holders?

The prohibited business industries below are based on Genome's prohibited business activities and the prohibited and restricted industries defined by its acquiring partners.

Every merchant application is assessed individually. A business not appearing on this list is not automatically guaranteed approval. Eligibility for a merchant account also does not guarantee access to every payment method.

Prohibited business industries

1. Multi-level marketing (MLM), Ponzi or pyramid schemes
2. Weapons and armaments trade, including the trade, production or mediation of weapons, explosives, nuclear materials and related technologies
3. Forex and trading services, including trading in currencies, commodities, ETFs and indices
4. Crypto and virtual asset service providers (VASPs), including exchanges, wallets, ICOs and crypto ATMs
5. Unlicensed gambling, betting and lottery operators
6. Adult content and services, including pornographic websites, escort and companion services, adult paraphernalia and online or in-person sexual services
7. Sale of alcohol and tobacco products, including online sales, e-cigarettes and vapes
8. Pharmaceuticals, drug paraphernalia and psychoactive substances
9. Trade in counterfeit or fake goods
10. Sale or trade of cultural, historical, archaeological or rare scientific artifacts
11. Charities, non-profit and relief organizations
12. Political, religious and ideological organizations
13. Shell companies and entities without a physical presence, including shell banks
14. Businesses with complex, opaque or non-transparent ownership structures
15. Pawnbrokers
16. Petroleum and petrochemical industry
17. Luxury goods trade
18. Trade in precious metals, stones and jewelry, whether licensed or unlicensed
19. Trade in antiques, art and numismatic goods
20. Sale or trade of used car parts and vehicles
21. Activities requiring or involving carbon credits
22. Mini-bond issuances and similar unregulated investment instruments
23. Payment service providers (PSPs), money remittance firms and gateways or facilitators
24. Embassies, diplomatic offices and consulates
25. Sale of live animals, insects, animal parts or fluids
26. Travel agencies and timeshare sellers
27. Electronic surveillance and monitoring equipment or software
28. Sellers of THC or CBD products or cannabis seeds
29. In-game item and software key resellers
30. Sanctioned individuals or entities
31. Businesses prohibited by law in the Republic of Lithuania or the EU

iGaming customer acceptability

Clients appearing on the Lithuanian Gaming Control Authority's list of illegal operators are prohibited. The list should be cross-referenced with the client list, including Curaçao iGaming operators assisted by Cypriot payment agents.

An iGaming operator without a Lithuanian GCA Remote Gambling License or a UKGC Remote Casino Operating License cannot accept Lithuanian or British players, respectively. Its website must therefore block the relevant Lithuanian or British IP addresses and/or explicitly prohibit such players in its terms and conditions. Such sub-clients also cannot access Lithuanian or British banks.

iGaming operators holding one of the following licenses may be considered acceptable. Other licenses are generally not accepted, although individual cases may be discussed and remain subject to Genome's review and approval.

1. Remote gambling or casino license from an EEA country
2. Remote Casino Operating License from the UKGC
3. Online Gaming License from Curaçao
4. Category 1 or 2 eGambling License from Alderney
5. Online Gambling License from the Isle of Man
6. Remote Gambling License from Gibraltar

iGaming operators must have effective policies and processes covering anti-money laundering, fair treatment of players and the protection of vulnerable individuals.

Card payment processing — coming soon

Visa and Mastercard card processing is coming soon, initially for approved low-risk businesses. Availability will depend on the country of registration, industry and merchant category code, processing currencies, due diligence, risk approval and technical setup.

Find out more about Genome's available and upcoming merchant services or learn how to apply for a Genome merchant account.