Amid high competition in the UK’s rapidly maturing iGaming market, a seamless cashier experience rivals odds as a key driver of conversions and loyalty, helping to future-proof operations and outpaces UX, available markets and VIP programmes, contends Rory Howard, Paysafe’s General Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Looking back over the last 20-years since the 2005 UK Gambling Act came into effect, it’s fair to assert that iGaming has now become the cornerstone of the nation’s local and global gaming industry.
The online market’s maturity has seen fierce and growing competition among a welter of brands, as well as restrictions on payments. Greater curbs on marketing now also loom on the horizon.
Change, rapid and sometimes bewildering, is the only constant.
And as such–as operators plan for an ever-evolving present and futurescape, there’s never been a more important time to ensure their cashiers are future-proof, argues Howard in this exclusive briefing for iGamingFuture.
Maximising Conversions And Minimising Churn
To put the last 20-years in context, the first iPhone went on sale in the UK in November 2007. Today, iPhones are the country’s dominant device for online wagering, with 53 percent of players betting with one over the last 12-months, followed by Android phones (47 percent of bettors), according to our Paysafe 2025 All the Ways Players Pay research report.
In addition to emphasising the dominance of mobile, our research also indicates the key factors when it comes to converting UK players. Interestingly, with the Premier League banning gambling brands from front-of-shirt advertising deals with football clubs from the 2026 season, just 10 percent of bettors select a sportsbook based on its sports sponsorships.
Instead, players place a major emphasis on trusting a brand (prioritised by 36 percent), though payment factors are almost as important, especially cashing out.
Three out of 10 players (30 percent) prioritise streamlined payouts when choosing a sportsbook, on a par with good odds (also 30 percent). With 42 percent of bettors expecting payouts to be instant or near-instant, operators need to evaluate every payment method in their cashier to ensure expectations are not disappointed.
And other payment factors are almost as crucial in player acquisition. Around a quarter of bettors (24 percent) emphasise speedy deposits, while 26 percent prioritise the range of payment methods. With both trumping non-payment factors like available sports markets (16 percent), a brand’s UX (prioritised by 15 percent), and loyalty programs (12 percent) in player considerations, operators need to focus on broadening their cashier’s payment options and ensuring seamless deposits.
Optimising payment stacks will do more than just convert players: It will keep them onboard and reduce churn. Eight out of 10 (79 percent) bettors say a positive payment experience is crucial for why they stay with brands.
The Future Of UK Bettors’ Payment Preferences
As mentioned, payment choice at the cashier is essential when converting UK players. And their payment preferences are diverse. Following the Gambling Commission’s ban on credit cards for iGaming from April 2020, debit cards are the top choice in the UK, a preference of 48 percent compared to 42 percent globally.
Arguably, the credit card restriction has also stimulated the appetite for alternative payment methods (APMs). Over a third (35 percent) listed digital wallets like Skrill and NETELLER as a preference, while 27 percent favour direct bank transfers via open banking ‘pay by bank’ solutions and 22 percent online cash products like PaysafeCard (users need to first register for an account).
Operators’ main takeaway should be that there’s no standard player when it comes to payment preferences. Their cashiers must be tailored accordingly to meet all expectations – from older demographics, who may still be more cash-focused to VIPs whose go-to option is a digital wallet that facilitates betting across multiple brands.
The future looks even more diverse.
Half of UK players (51 percent) we surveyed said they expect to increase their usage of APMs like digital wallets and eCash by end-2026. For operators whose cashiers don’t currently run the gamut of the UK’s favourite APMs, now is the time for an upgrade.
‘Pay-by-bank’ solutions are already an expectation among players. Demand for these open banking-powered products is set to rise, with 61 percent of bettors expecting them to be ubiquitous by the end of next year.
Appetite for real-time payments (RTP) is even higher, with 67 percent of players feeling this will be the norm by the start of 2027.
As a result, operators not evaluating and integrating RTP options now will almost certainly get left behind in the years to come.
It’s a relatively safe bet to predict that the UK iGaming market’s future will be as different as its past.
Forward-thinking operators will implement a sophisticated payments strategy–from maximising transactional choice, with a strong emphasis on APMs, and payout and deposit speeds–to ensure the odds are in their brands’ favour.
Rory Howard Bio:
As General Manager for iGaming in the EMEA region at Paysafe, Rory Howard oversees the company’s online gambling business in the UK and continental Europe as well as neighbouring regional markets. He has close to 20 years’ experience in payments and fraud analysis, with a strong focus on the iGaming space.
Rory’s previous roles include payment leadership positions at The Rank Group, Racing Stars, Gamesys and Eyas Gaming.
