Prohibited businesses with GoDaddy Payments
GoDaddy Payments is partnered with different payment networks (like VISA or Mastercard) with their own rules and regulations to minimize risk. As a result of these regulations, the following categories of businesses and business practices are restricted from using GoDaddy Payments. Generally, applications for businesses within these categories are declined.
Finance and payments
| Business Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Investment & Bearer Shares | Merchants that buy sell and broker securities, stocks, bonds, commodities and mutual funds. Entities that have the ability to issue Bearer Shares as an ownership stake in a company. |
| Debt, legal services and credit cards | Business that serves as intermediaries between consumers and creditors to recover debts owed. Non-bank businesses that primarily provide payment processing services to debt resolution or Collections Companies. Cannot use credit card to pay existing debt considered in default. Lawyers or legal firms whose principal business is counseling debtors through consumer bankruptcy. |
| Lenders & Primary Money Service Businesses (MSBs) | Businesses whose primary purpose is to offer payday lending services or auto title lending services.
Entities with 40% or more of annual revenues from one or more of the following:
|
| Virtual currency or Shell banks | Businesses that serve as an exchanger for, or an administrator of, “virtual” currency. Virtual currencies generally have no legal tender in any jurisdiction. Banks that do not have a physical presence in any country. They are not subject to any regulation. |
Infraction, gambling and illegal activities
| Business Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Counterfeit or proprietary rights infringement | Merchants selling counterfeit merchandise or goods where merchants are infringing on intellectual property rights of trademark owners. |
| Gambling & Penny auctions | Operations of gaming or betting establishments that occur on the internet. Merchants conducting horse racing, dog racing or non-sports intrastate internet gambling. These businesses charge a minimal fee, generally pennies, for the option to place a bid (Pay to Play) on the sale of a product. |
| Regulated/illegal products or services | Any business which is illegal under applicable state or federal law including marijuana dispensaries that are legal under State law. This includes a prohibition on accounts titled or set up for the sole purpose of collecting taxes, fees or any proceeds from marijuana related activity. Merchants that sell electronic cigarettes in a non-face to face environment. Includes devices, equipment and e-liquids used for electronic cigarettes. |
| Adult content, Child pornography and services | Includes adult video stores, adult bookstores, exotic dancing establishments, “peep” shows, phone sex lines, strip bars, adult novelties, adult pornographic pay per call services, escort services, etc. Includes, massage parlors, etc., where business owners permit sexual encounters. Any merchant who provides products or services associated with actual or suggested child pornography. |
Deceptive acts and unregulated businesses
| Business Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Marketing | Merchants that typically offer their service via outbound telemarketing calls in which the merchant initiates direct contact with the consumer to generate a sale. |
| Telemedicine | Cardholder receives services from a doctor (issuance of a prescription where the patient only sees the doctor via web cam or Skype). Excludes online consultation by licensed practitioners. |
| Lottery | Merchants who are government-owned lotteries in the US Region that are registered with Visa to sell lottery tickets. |
| Schemes & clubs | Companies that charge a membership fee that in turn allows the cardholder to purchase future travel products or services at a discount. Includes fortune-tellers, tarot card readers, and mystics. |
| Adoption Agencies – For Profit | Agencies that take payment for the placement of babies with adoptive parents. |
| Drug paraphernalia | Any business whose products are primarily intended for aiding the consumption of illegal drugs. |
| Protection Services | Any company that sells protection, insurance, or registration service against things such as identity theft, internet fraud, credit card theft or fraud, etc. |
| Pseudo pharmaceuticals | Wholesale distributors of prescription and non-prescription medicine, proprietary drugs, vitamins non face to face that do not meet Association Registration requirements. |
| High-Risk Cyberlocker | Merchants who provide internet access including computer network, information services and internet service providers. |
| Substances designed to mimic illegal drugs | Sale of prescription or dietary supplements that promise untested and/or unrealistic results. |
| Games & Sellers | Merchants who operate arcades, amusement machines (such as video game machines, juke boxes, pinball machines, mechanical games, instant photograph booths, and similar types of amusement equipment). Merchants that sell modification chips for gaming consoles like Xbox. |
More info
- Find out more about why applications are declined and learn about alternative payment processing options.
- To review the guidelines for using GoDaddy products, please see our Terms of Service.
