The crucial role of payments in the modern igaming landscape cannot be underestimated. So much has been said and written about payments, and how a smooth journey can make or break an operator’s fortunes, but actually developing and implementing these solutions is no simple feat.
With technology developing at a rapid rate, operators need to make sure they keep up with the trends to ensure that they can offer safe and reliable payments for their players as quickly as possible.
Trustly understands these requirements. The payments firm, founded in 2008, has developed solutions for the igaming market in the knowledge that any undue friction between the player and the operator can end up in a dead lead.
The company has released the latest version of its Pay N Play user onboarding platform which aims to speed up the process even further.
Speaking to Payment Expert at ICE 2025, Jussi Lindberg, Trustly’s Chief Revenue Officer, outlines the upgrades found in Pay N Play NextGen.
“With the Pay N Play that we had before, we could onboard in roughly between 30-40 seconds. We’ve identified a couple of ways on how to do this in less than 10 seconds, and that’s a game changer for the whole industry,” Lindberg says.
“Everything is about speed, so speed of first the transaction and deposit in funds and validating you as a customer. Secondly, combining that then later with our Instant Payment Capabilities across Europe is a game changer, and that’s what we’re releasing in multiple markets in Europe this year.”
Lindberg notes that while the original Pay N Play is a fantastic tool for the industry, “everything can be improved”- hammering home the point that in a rapidly changing sector like payments, and igaming for that matter, standing still is falling behind.
He outlines that with the launch of Pay N Play Next Gen, Trustly can improve its offering to existing clients but also reach out to those operators that it does not currently have in its roster.
“This is going to be something where they (our clients) can compete even more on getting the most relevant customers, to actually have an improved flow but also to enjoy playing more instead of having barriers of entry.
“Secondly, obviously, we do this as well to attract the operators that we still don’t have. We started 2008 and we were the first ones to do this, but there’s still some great operators we want to work with, and that’s why we’re doing this as well.”
But while speed of payments and reducing friction is of paramount importance, so too is ensuring that those payments are secure and safe for the end user. Trust is essential in this sector, and Lindberg says that Trustly has put in place the mechanisms to show off its reliability in the market.
“Besides obviously having the relevant licenses and certifications, ISO certification, and having a local regulatory oversight committee that’s looking at what we do, we also have to take into account all the various ways you can actually identify yourself as a user,” Lindberg explains.
“We’re skipping the bank selection page because we will know which bank you have, depending on the verification method we can use in that market. We can improve that flow and still make it as secure and validated as the banks want it to be, as well as not giving you the minimal amount of friction in the deposit flow.”
Trustly says it can offer these instant payments and quick onboarding processes due to its utilisation of data. The firm notes that “data is the key in modern gaming payments” and that its use of data helps it to process things much faster than others.
This is in large part, it says, due to its Azura Data Engine. Azura is the engine powering much of Trustly’s output and is built on proprietary technology.
Lindberg explains why it is so important to Trustly: “Trustly Azura is a triangulation of everything we’ve done historically when it comes to data. We can package this and make a real-time decision with all the data we have and with all the data points that we collect in a transaction flow. We combine this to know exactly who the user is, which bank accounts they have, and which bank accounts they would most likely to be used again.
“Again, we’re doing something that we already have, but combining that with something that the customer has and providing instant, recognisable features. It directly improves the flow and gives the consumer a much easier way to complete their transaction with just one click payment.”
Lindberg also notes that Azura increases the number of use cases that Trustly’s data can have, which further sets it apart from the crowd.
“I’m not going to be too overconfident to say this is going to revolutionise everything, but what we can tap into now is anything from affordability, instant customer recognition and one-click payments.
“But the interesting journey is how we’re going to take this to market in the next phase, and that’s what people are really excited about right now.”
2025 strategy and market coverage
The conversation quickly moves towards Trustly’s operational and commercial strategy for 2025, as Lindberg sets out the plans for the company to continue serving its existing partners as well as capturing new business.
He says that market expansion is certainly on the cards, as one of his key fundamentals is market coverage. Despite this, he warns that Trustly won’t be entering any jurisdictions that he doesn’t feel the firm could provide the best possible coverage of.
This, he says, sets it apart from others in the market.
“We’ve talked to providers that claim to do 30 markets, but when you scratch under the surface, they really can’t do them well. Our core philosophy is we’re present in the markets; we have roughly 12 markets and we do them really well.
“We deliver the best in class, and we optimise for conversion, but also for speed and reliability. A lot of work happens in the background, such as selecting multiple bank partners, optimising user flow, and, thirdly, making sure that we can triangulate this across Europe and the US, so we can get the best data. That’s how we get the best conversion.”
Pressed on which new markets Trustly could enter in the coming months or throughout 2025, Lindberg highlights France as one that there is plenty of conversation around.
France is just one jurisdiction in which there are regulatory changes, as the legislature mulls over icasino laws. But there are other markets in Europe where regulations are changing or are being reviewed, such as the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy.
Trustly is also happy to consult with its partners about regulatory concerns such as affordability and identity verification, and was encouraging those conversations at ICE.
This is because, as Lindberg states, Trustly has the capability to help on both of these issues which can cause headaches for operators.
“We have the data capabilities, not only in Europe, but also the US, to actually pull the account information history, as well as account transactions, and supply that back to the operators, with the users’ consent. That’s something critically valuable if you have a low friction touch, and cost effective because it is towards the operators.”
Trustly is committed to delivering its solutions to the gaming industry and highlights that commitment via conferences such as ICE.
The first stop on a whistle-stop tour of gaming conferences in 2025, the firm notes that it will be at most big conferences on the circuit this year, and Lindberg also hints towards some bespoke events of its own throughout the year.
As he concludes: “You’re going to see us at any relevant gaming events this year, and also be on the lookout for some bespoke things that we’re gonna do on an invite-only basis.
“Please get in touch with us when you want to. I’m not going to give away too many details, but we did something very spectacular with Oktoberfest last year. For those who missed that one, that was a shame, but don’t wait, and don’t be a stranger.”
