8am Prohibited Businesses List
Updated: August 19, 2025
Introduction
8am ("8am", "our", "us", or "we") prohibits or restricts certain types of businesses and activities, as outlined below. This list reflects categories identified by our payment processor partners as prohibited and may also include other business types that we determine pose legal, compliance, or risk concerns. Some activities may be restricted—rather than fully prohibited—at 8am's sole discretion based on factors such as licensing requirements or other risk considerations.
If you would like to confirm whether your business falls within a prohibited or restricted category, please contact us at risk@8am.com.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive and may be updated from time to time without notice.
Prohibited Businesses
Adult content and services
- Adult streaming, downloads, DVDs, and escort services
- Sexually-oriented entertainment (e.g., strip clubs, massage parlors, escort agencies)
- Casual or paid dating services
- Fetish products
- Phone sex operators
- Adult publications and media
Financial services
- Bearer share entities
- Binary options, high-risk securities, CFDs, ICOs, forex trading
- Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and installment schemes
- Payday loans, check cashing, predatory lending
- Debt collection, credit repair, counseling, restoration, or settlement
- Currency exchange, FOREX, cryptocurrency trading/exchanges
- Life insurance sales/services
- Money transfer, remittance, wire services (non-bank)
- Payroll, invoicing, and business service providers
- Unlicensed or independent financial advisors
- Financial aid, grants, and scholarships solicitation services
- Merchant aggregators and payment facilitators
Illegal, high-risk, or regulated substances
- Marijuana (medical/recreational) and related businesses
- Drug paraphernalia or MOTO/e-commerce drug products
- Human body parts/fluids (excluding hair/teeth)
- Prohibited or synthetic drugs: THC, HGH, HCG, Ephedra, Kratom, Kava Kava, Salvia, synthetic cannabinoids (e.g., K2/Spice), synthetic cathinones ("bath salts")
- Any consumable hemp product or psychoactive substance
- Peptides, hormone pills, intravenous therapy businesses
- Any substance illegal under federal/state law
Marketing practices
- Deceptive marketing tactics, misrepresentation, pre-checked opt-ins
- Negative option/continuity billing models
- Get-rich-quick or coaching/business opportunity schemes
- Pyramid schemes or multilevel marketing
- Buying clubs, subscription traps
- Fake references or fabricated reviews
- Sweepstakes, lotteries, betting, or any chance-based marketing
Tobacco and vaping products
- E-cigarettes, vaporizers, vape juice, hookah products
- Online or MOTO sale of tobacco or nicotine products
Technology and security violations
- Decryption/descrambler devices or jammers
- Grey market satellite dealers/cable descramblers
- Use of IP or logos without authorization
- Failure to meet PCI-DSS security standards or use of vulnerable payment applications
- Internet or online technical support businesses
Gambling, gaming, and investments
- Online/offline casinos, poker, sports betting, lotteries, fantasy sports
- Sweepstakes or contests offering material prizes
- Game of skill for cash equivalents
- Cryptocurrency exchanges
Direct/telemarketing sales
- Inbound or outbound telemarketing
- Direct marketing of regulated products
- Mail order or catalog merchants
- Door-to-door sales
- Lead generation services
- Timeshare sales/marketing/recovery/maintenance
- Business investment opportunities operating as get-rich-quick schemes
High-risk or controversial products/services
- Weapons, ammunition, explosives, firearm parts
- Fireworks or radioactive materials
- Hazardous chemicals sold B2C (e.g., nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid)
- Endangered wildlife products
- Nutraceuticals and food products (including Acai berry, green tea extract, diet pills, etc.)
- Extended warranties or contracts over 1 year
- Advanced ticket sales (where fulfillment is uncertain)
- Cruise lines and vacation clubs with memberships
- Social media follower generation services
- Cyber lockers and high-risk file sharing services
- Content or services promoting hate, discrimination, or terrorism
- Bail bonds, bankruptcy lawyers
- Mail-order spouses and international matchmaking
- Psychic services (MO/TO or online)
- Counterfeit products, replicas, or designed infringements
Miscellaneous
- Airlines
- Governmental services (e.g., consulates, embassies)
- Non-U.S. residents or offshore/international merchants
- Aggregator platforms or staged digital wallet operators
- Magazines/subscription clearinghouses
- Any merchant under fraud or compliance investigation