Prohibited Businesses in Canada

Certain businesses and services are not eligible to use SHOPLINE Payments. To determine your eligibility, review the lists below of prohibited and restricted business types in Canada. 

Prohibited for All Transaction Types

The following businesses, services, or activities are strictly prohibited from using SHOPLINE Payments:

• Products or services that in any way breach, or are intended to breach, any applicable local, national, or international laws, regulations, or policies, or cause SHOPLINE to breach any relevant laws, regulations, or policies
• Products or services that are unlawful or fraudulent, or that have any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effect
• Products or services intended to harm or attempt to harm others, including minors (as defined by applicable local laws)
• Products or services that are abusive, incite hatred or violence, are seditious, or otherwise do not comply with our content standards
• Products or services related to unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, or any other form of spam
• Products or services related to harmful programs such as viruses, spyware, or other malicious software or code designed to disrupt or damage computer systems, software, or hardware
• Products or services that are designed for, or can be used to, circumvent system controls, engage in deceptive or inauthentic user behavior, or misrepresent one's identity
• Products or services intended to illegally evade applicable taxes, levies, or duties, or to facilitate any form of tax evasion
• Products or services conducted in a manner that is likely to result in complaints, disputes, reversals, chargebacks, or other liabilities (directly or indirectly) for SHOPLINE, other SHOPLINE merchants, third parties, or yourself
• Products or services used for an unapproved purpose (i.e., if you are approved to use our services for specific business purposes, you must not use them for personal purposes or any other unauthorized business purposes)
• Products or services related to foreign exchange speculation, investment, or arbitrage activities
• Adult entertainment and related services, including pornography, escort services, prostitution, and any form of advertising for sexual services
• Products or services related to activities or services that require a license, where the applicable licensing and regulatory requirements have not been met. Until such licensing is confirmed, these activities will be considered prohibited.
• Adult Content & Related Services, including pornography, escort services, prostitution, and any form of advertising for sexual services, as well as content involving acts that are illegal, exploitative, non-consensual, or otherwise deemed highly objectionable
• Gambling services where gambling is illegal, or the offering of gambling services without the required permits or licenses (including skilled game wagering)
• Illegal Drugs & Controlled Substances, including the sale, distribution, manufacture, or facilitation of such substances
• Counterfeit or unauthorized goods, including products or services that infringe upon the intellectual property or proprietary rights of third parties, including digital goods and brand misrepresentation
• Weapons Manufacturing, Sales, & Supplies, including business dealings related to military items, including firearms and their components, weapon blueprints, and "ghost guns"
• Payday & Predatory Lending, including high-interest, short-term loans that exploit consumers or violate responsible lending practices
• Hate Speech & Discrimination, including the sale and/or distribution of products or services that promote or encourage discrimination based on protected characteristics, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious affiliation, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and serious disease
• Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing (MLM), or telemarketing
• Sale, Distribution, & Trade of Restricted and/or Endangered Animal Species, including products derived from them
• The sale, distribution, and/or trade of archaeological and cultural relics
• The sale of access to cyberlockers or remote digital file-sharing services
• Human Remains and Body Parts, including the sale, distribution, or trade of organs, bones, and other human tissue, except in limited cases involving government-sponsored programs under strict regulatory oversight
• Transactions Made for No Genuine Commercial Purpose, including the pooling of funds between multiple parties or the cashing out of credit or stored-value cards
• The offering of regulated financial services (directly or indirectly) without a valid license and/or registration
• The sale and/or distribution of products or services without the requisite permits or licenses in their place of operation (governmental or otherwise)
• Any transactions made for no genuine commercial purpose, such as the pooling of funds between multiple parties or the cashing out of credit or stored-value cards
• Any other businesses, transactions, or categories that fall outside our risk appetite based on our internal policies, our banking partners' policies, or the policies of participants in our payment network
• Individuals, entities, countries/regions, or other persons subject to international sanctions, including those sanctioned by governments or international bodies
• Any entity with bearer shares or that has bearer share companies within its ownership structure, due to the associated risks of anonymity and lack of transparency
• Banks that do not have a physical presence in any country (i.e., "shell banks"), which are often used to facilitate illicit financial activities

Restricted Businesses

These businesses may require a license or are subject to approval by SHOPLINE Payments, local acquirers, or payment channels:

• Financial services, including but not limited to:
  • Acceptance of deposits and other repayable funds from the public, including crowdfunding
  • Lending and debt-related services
  • Buy now, pay later services
  • Financial leasing
  • Money or value transfer services
  • Money transfer and currency exchange
  • Issuing and managing means of payment (e.g., credit and debit cards, cheques, traveller's cheques, money orders, bankers' drafts, and electronic money)
  • Providing financial guarantees and commitments
  • Carrying out a business that provides trading services in:
    • Money market instruments (cheques, bills, certificates of deposit, derivatives, etc.)
    • Foreign exchange
    • Exchange, interest rate, index, and hybrid asset class instruments
    • Transferable securities
    • Commodity futures trading
    • Cryptocurrencies, crypto-assets, virtual currencies, virtual assets, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and initial coin offerings (ICOs)
    • Stablecoins and tokenized "real-world assets," including commodities, real estate, currencies, and financial instruments
• Participation in securities issuance and the provision of financial services related to such issuances
• Individual and/or collective portfolio management
• Safekeeping and administration of cash or liquid securities on behalf of other persons
• Investment and fund management, or otherwise investing, administering, or managing funds or money on behalf of other persons
• Underwriting and placement of life insurance and other investment-related insurance
• Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions ("DNFBPs") and companies collecting or handling funds on behalf of third parties, including but not limited to:
  • Casinos, lotteries, online gambling, or any activity involving the staking of assets with a view to winning a prize or reward, as well as any tool intended or marketed for calculating or assessing the likelihood of placing successful bets or gambles
  • Real estate agents
  • Dealers in luxury goods or high-value items, for example, precious metals and stones dealers; the sale of loose precious metals, jewels, and stones, including without limitation gold, silver, titanium, platinum, palladium, and diamonds
  • Lawyers, notaries, other independent legal professionals, and accountants
  • Trust and company service providers
  • Other entities that conduct payouts or collect funds on behalf of another person or entity other than yourself (except your affiliated entities)
• Sale of quasi-cash goods
• Charities (including unregistered charities), non-governmental organizations, or not-for-profit organizations
• Other activities, including:
  • Matchmaking or dating services
  • Live streaming platforms and chat services
  • Marketplaces
  • Facilitation, sale, or distribution of chemicals
  • Pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals (including but not limited to prescription medications, sexual enhancement drugs, and weight loss products)
  • Oil and gas companies, as well as related activities
  • Bidding fee auctions
  • Political organizations
  • Religious organizations
  • Surveillance equipment, for example, spy cameras
  • Alcohol
  • Tobacco, nicotine, and e-cigarette products and accessories
  • Marijuana, THC, and CBD products
  • Drug-related paraphernalia
  • Importing or exporting any "dual-use goods" as defined by any country with jurisdiction over the relevant export control classification lists applicable to SHOPLINE entities
  • Regulated medical devices and services, including fetal gender diagnosis
  • Account Funding Transactions
  • Generative AI & Artificial Intelligence
  • Dropshipping
  • Travel-related arrangement services
• Other high-risk activities in accordance with our internal policies, our banking partners’ policies, or the policies of participants in our payment network