Kava is federally legal but sits in an underwriting middle ground. Louisiana and Rhode Island have consumption bans. Stripe added kava to its restricted-business list in September 2026, grouping it with substances designed to mimic illegal drugs. Direct acquirer placement at banks that openly serve kava, POS options for bar and lounge operations, dual pricing setup where legal, and age-verification workflow for the CBD-adjacent product mix common at kava bars.