---
title: Some purchases just won't go through — here's why... Restricted merchants
description: Some purchases just won't go through — here's why... Restricted merchants
---

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# Some purchases just won't go through — here's why... Restricted merchants

|  | swype |
| --- | --- |

 

| SPENDING & ACCEPTANCE  •  DECLINES ## Why was my purchase declined at this merchant? It might not be a balance issue — some merchant types are blocked on every Swype card, regardless of funds available. |  |
| --- | --- |

| READING TIME 2 minutes | LEVEL Basic | YOU'LL NEED Nothing |
| --- | --- | --- |

**Short answer:** every merchant is classified under a code — called an MCC — that identifies what type of business it is. Some categories, like gambling or cash-equivalent services, are blocked on every Swype card no matter how much balance you have.

| ① | ### What an MCC actually is |
| --- | --- |

 Every merchant that accepts Visa or Mastercard is tagged with a Merchant Category Code — a standardized number that says what kind of business it is (a restaurant, a gas station, a casino, and so on). That code travels with the transaction, and it's checked automatically before your purchase goes through.

| ② | ### Categories that are always blocked |
| --- | --- |

 Regardless of your balance, these kinds of merchants are declined on every Swype card:

| ●  Wire transfers & money orders ●  Gambling & online casinos ●  Lotteries & sports betting ●  Securities brokers & investment trading ●  Dating & matchmaking platforms ●  Adult-oriented services | ●  Foreign currency & traveler's checks ●  Loan payments & credit-related services ●  Stored-value card purchases/reloads ●  Manual cash disbursements ●  Video production & distribution |
| --- | --- |

| ③ | ### Your card issuer may also add restrictions |
| --- | --- |

 On top of the categories blocked for everyone, whoever set up your specific card program may restrict additional merchant categories or specific merchants. If a purchase keeps getting declined somewhere that doesn't look like any of the categories above, that's likely a program-specific restriction rather than a universal one.

**Good to know:** a decline at one of these merchant types isn't a mistake or a bug — it's the card working as designed. There's no way to override it from your side.

Still unsure why a purchase was declined?

Tell us the merchant and we can confirm what's going on.

[Contact Support →](https://dashboard.swype.cards/help/raise-ticket)

 

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