The biggest business trends from Gamescom 2026

Gamescom, one of the most anticipated annual gaming events, has come to an end. For the Payop team, it was a great opportunity to meet with our partners and network with other industry professionals.

We had many exciting conversations about trends shaping gaming payments. Main topics included the risks of card payments, the growing importance of alternative payment methods (APMs), and merchants’ expectations for providers.

Read on to discover key takeaways on gaming business trends in 2026.

The growing fraud threat

One of the biggest issues for gaming merchants is the security vulnerabilities of traditional card payments. Fraudsters сonstantly find new ways to steal sensitive data, and many payment service providers (PSPs) can't keep up. Their anti-fraud capabilities are too weak for the challenges the gaming industry faces today. As a result, merchants deal with frequent chargebacks and often must manage disputes entirely on their own.

As digital fraud scales, PSPs play a more important role in securing gaming payments than ever. At Payop, we continuously track and study new fraud patterns and adapt our risk approach accordingly.

“We support merchants not only with powerful built-in anti-fraud tools, but also help them manage chargebacks. With Payop, they will never be left to deal with complex dispute resolution processes alone”, commented Vladyslava Zadorozhna, Payop’s Business Development Manager.

Alternative payment methods are the new industry standard

Alternative payment methods are becoming an increasingly important part of the gaming industry. When fraud is common and sophisticated, the ability to pay without sharing card details is key to security.

Payop’s Pay by Bank solution makes this possible. For players, it offers a safer, more convenient way to pay without interrupting gameplay. For merchants, our Pay by Bank becomes an effective tool against friendly fraud: transactions authorised with biometrics or a PIN are virtually guaranteed to be made by the legitimate account holder.

What do merchants expect from a gaming PSP?

One of the main things everybody mentions is that integrating multiple payment methods separately and managing diverse points of contact is too time-consuming. Instead, merchants prefer one long-term partner that covers all desired methods through a single integration.

The second important point is support. Businesses need reliable human support, not just standard guides and chatbots. Even the most detailed instructions may not be enough when an unexpected issue arises. Having direct access to people who understand the merchant’s payment setup can make a real difference. That’s why ongoing communication with a provider remains important long after onboarding.

At Payop, we support our customers from the initial consultation through the entire partnership. Our team stays directly connected with merchants, including via dedicated group chats, so they can address questions and operational issues in real time. This helps avoid operational delays and gives merchants confidence they can get effective help when needed.

Final thoughts

The main takeaway is clear: gaming merchants want more than just integrating new payment methods. They want a partner that knows industry risks and can minimise them.

Payop is a gaming service provider that not only understands merchant needs, but brings them to life. With broad coverage, a wide range of payment methods, tailored anti-fraud tools, and a player-friendly checkout, we help you boost conversion and scale worry-free.

Contact us at sales@payop.com to learn more.