Source: Pexels

In the United States, cards remain the most widespread payment method in e-commerce, but the advance of account-to-account (A2A) payments via instant rails is changing the cost and speed equation in iGaming.

In 2025, RTP (The Clearing House) and FedNow (Federal Reserve) recorded significant jumps in volume and value, creating a real basis for near-real-time deposits and withdrawals. In the second quarter of 2025, RTP processed $481 billion (up 195% from the previous quarter), with 1.18 million payments per day.

FedNow reported 2.1 million payments in the quarter and an increase of more than 400% in the average daily transaction value. These figures show an adoption curve compatible with high-frequency use cases, such as iGaming.

Why A2A reduces the cost of payment methods in iGaming

The main driver of this migration is cost. In the US, card interchange fees are typically between 2% and 3% of the transaction value, which puts pressure on the operator's margin, especially for high average tickets and high deposit recurrence.

Even with the latest negotiations and proposed agreements between card networks and merchants, the regulatory and legal debate remains open, and changes have been incremental. In contrast, A2A integrations on instant rails operate with a much lower price structure per transaction and immediate settlement, reducing disputes, reconciliation, and indirect costs.

That is why, when mapping operators and methods that already offer fast deposits for table games, comparisons show who has made Pay by Bank a priority in the funnel. In a list of blackjack casino sites, such as the one compiled by Jovan Milenkovic, fees, limits, and withdrawal times are used to determine which platform is most competitive.

Aside from the long-running antitrust litigation, the networks themselves publish interchange tables that illustrate the heterogeneity by MCC, chip presence, ticket, and risk, noting that the merchant, in practice, bears the merchant discount, which includes the interchange.

This arrangement reinforces the structural advantage of A2A rails when the operator's goal is to reduce transaction costs and shorten time-to-play.

ACH, Open Banking, data, and the regulatory status of Section 1033

For instant deposits, RTP and FedNow allow almost immediate credit to the operator's account, with real-time confirmation and secure interbank settlement. The $481 billion figure in Q2/2025 for RTP and the expansion of FedNow, 2.1 million payments in the quarter, and a jump in the average daily value, support its use in scenarios beyond B2B.

Such as e-commerce and iGaming, especially when the experience requires speed and predictability. Traditional ACH remains useful for scheduled, very low-cost flows, but does not offer instant settlement, which limits its suitability for critical moments (pre-game, cash-out).

On the data side, Section 1033 of Dodd-Frank (CFPB's Personal Financial Data Rights rule) seeks to standardize access and portability of financial data with user consent. This provides a basis for initiating A2A payments with context and enabling identity and risk checks at the time of deposit.

In 2025, however, there was a temporary pause in the application of the rule due to a court decision while the Bureau reevaluates points of the standard. At the same time, the CFPB itself opened a new request for public comment (ANPR) for reconsideration.

In practice, the uncertainty extends deadlines, but does not halt the adoption of instant rails or the use of consent-based banking APIs, as banks and providers continue to expand integrations and functional scope.

Security and chargebacks: what changes with A2A and account data

A2A transactions reduce exposure to typical card chargebacks, shifting the focus to fraud prevention at the source and checks on ownership, balance, and behavior.

With Open Banking, operators and gateway providers get real-time risk signals for authorization and limit decisions, as well as proof of account ownership and privacy-aligned name check routines. This does not eliminate the risk of fraud, but it changes the type of risk and the costs associated with disputes, in addition to improving back-office reconciliation.

For the US audience, the main perception is less friction. Deposits that fall in seconds, without long redirects, and faster withdrawals. In industries where timing matters, reducing from minutes/hours to seconds impacts conversion rates.

At the same time, requirements such as European-style Strong Customer Authentication are not replicated identically in the US. This opens up space for leaner UX flows, as long as consent and consumer protections are respected from the perspective of the CFPB and the rules of each rail.

Important indicators for measuring Pay by Bank

None of this eliminates cards. They remain relevant due to rewards, universal acceptance, and habit of use. However, even initiatives to reduce or circumvent fees through out-of-court settlements have encountered legal obstacles and resistance from trade associations, which maintain pressure for alternatives in cost-sensitive verticals such as iGaming.

But adoption is not just about volume. US operators have been monitoring the percentage of A2A deposits, average cost per transaction, time to play, approval rate, dispute rate, and NPS by payment method.

The jump in RTP value and acceleration in FedNow suggest that targets such as a 20% A2A mix are feasible on an active basis with good user education, especially when instant withdrawals close the trust loop.