Prediction markets have shaken up the US gaming landscape in the last twelve months, forcing some of the country’s largest operators to reshape their innovation curve in response.
Speaking to iGaming Expert, Alex Ursa, Head of Gaming at Betr, shared his belief that the use of crypto payments across prediction market platforms will force many in the gaming industry to catch up, accelerating the adoption of crypto across the sector.
He also provided further insights into the direction of travel for some of the biggest talking points of payments in gaming, including open banking, digital wallets and the use of biometrics.
How can operators balance the desire for frictionless onboarding with increasing scrutiny around AML and responsible gambling?
Payments friction is one of the most complicated areas of compromise between commercial success and responsible play. There are so many payment methods, and bad actors are always looking to take advantage of that. There are some best practices that we deploy, and they help us stay on top of these challenges.
Here a few examples:
- Name validation on deposit
- Only allow withdrawal to methods that were used for deposit
- Closed loop, always pushing a withdrawal to the same methods that the amount was used to deposit
- Periodic AML and KYC reviews based on triggers, rules and suspicious activity
Checks like this reduce the friction for the player and also allow us to have confidence in our system integrity.
With US regulations varying state by state, how difficult is it to create a consistent payment experience for players across the country?
I’ve always made a rule to only work with vendors that have experience in the space, operate in multiple jurisdictions and deal with different gaming products. Payments is an area you don’t really want to experiment with.
What impact would a wider adoption of open banking have on the player experience?
More and more customers are using open banking as it makes the experience more seamless, with faster onboarding and faster withdrawals.
However, cards are still the preferred option, as players still prefer the security of a card transaction since they can always and easily dispute it and not log in to their bank account. It will take a few more years of innovation to bring bank transactions on par with cards in terms of volume.
What aspects of payments, such as biometrics, open banking and digital wallets, would have the greatest impact on improving the customer experience when it comes to gaming transactions in the US?
Digital wallets like Apple Pay are an area that is growing faster than other areas. The reason is that it offers a combination of factors loved by users: card, convenience/ease of use and security. Now Apple Pay has finally brought card withdrawals to the US space, and this will be another opportunity to level up.
I believe that in two to three years Apple Pay will be on par with other card transactions in terms of yearly volume.
How will the rise of prediction market platforms impact the regulated gaming industry’s attitude towards embracing crypto payments?
I think that prediction markets have accelerated the adoption of crypto payments in the gaming space. The most popular platforms have adopted crypto and stablecoins as a payment method since last year, and gaming companies are still trying to catch up.
More payment platforms are pitching crypto to their gaming companies, so I would assume that by mid 2027 most gaming companies will offer crypto as a payment method.
How important is it for regulators to be in communication with operators and payment providers to make sure they stay up to date with the latest industry innovations and customer demands?
Regulators have always been more conservative when it comes to new technologies. There are many examples of regulators taking time to understand and adopt new technologies and new payment rails. Most regulated states still don’t allow crypto as a payment method, and they were also slow to adopt credit card bans, as operators are self-regulated there.
How can operators prepare themselves to react to the ever-changing nature of the US gaming payments landscape?
Operators need to be open-minded, see and seek innovation while also being alert to fraud. AI will play a big role in offering a more streamlined backend/operational experience for in-house teams, and adding an automation layer will only help them.
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Ursa will be speaking at the SBC Summit Americas 2026 next week. To secure your place at the event, choose from five ticket options tailored to different event experiences: Expo Pass, Conference Pass, Networking Pass, Business Pass and VIP Pass.
Operators and affiliates may also be eligible for a complimentary pass.
Source: iGaming Expert
