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  1. With decades of experience in the online gambling industry, we have seen some incredible changes and innovations. Experiencing the evolution from simple table games to stunning video slots, the rise of live casino gaming and, eventually, the transition to blockchain gaming has been mindblowing. We even remember when the most significant decision you had to make was whether to make your first deposit when claiming a welcome bonus via a credit card or this crazy new development called a web wallet. One of the most impactful human creations since the internet is the blockchain. Without it, we would not have cryptocurrencies and the doors they have opened for new business opportunities and restriction-free international online gambling. Despite an increasing understanding and adoption of the blockchain and cryptocurrency, one sticking point for many ‘hodlers’ is the difference between decentralised cryptos and stablecoins. Join us as we explain the differences, discuss what separates them and lay out a guide for choosing the best option for your crypto-gambling needs. What is a Decentralised Token? When Satoshi Nakamoto first created the Bitcoin (BTC) concept, he aimed to give people back economic sovereignty. The idea was to create a new form of currency that existed solely on the blockchain. Any single government, corporation, or individual could not control this new cryptocurrency. Instead, those who chose crypto would determine its value, how it was used, and how it would be stored. It was the financial version of democracy where the idea of “for the people, by the people” would finally ring true. Holistically the concept he created is called Decentralised Finance (DeFi), of which decentralised tokens like Bitcoin are its units of measure. As anyone who has watched BTC's market fluctuations will know, the cornerstone of this type of coin is that its market value depends solely on the community's perception and its willingness to invest. This does, however, mean that Bitcoin prices are prone to wild spikes and drops as investors respond to scarcity scares, FOMO (fear of missing out – significantly when prices increase) and general market bias (interest rate hikes in the US cause BTC prices to rise as investors shift their cash from the dollar to crypto looking for a safe haven from rising costs). What is a Stablecoin? While a stablecoin also exists on the blockchain and is therefore defined as a cryptocurrency, it is the antithesis of Nakamoto’s plan for a self-governed economic system. Following fiat currencies’ footsteps, stablecoins have their market value linked to a real-world currency, precious minerals, or another tangible asset. One of the most well-known stablecoins is Tether (USDT) which has its value linked closely to the US dollar. When transacting online with USDT, you are guaranteed that 1 USDT will be worth $1, making it a far safer digital coin for day-to-day business than a decentralised token like BTC, which can change its value by hundreds of dollars in a few minutes. February 2023 also saw the first Euro-backed stablecoin hit the market. The European-facing stablecoin named Euro Coin (EUROC) aims to offer continental online businesses a functional digital currency that allows them to do business without concern for conversions between USD and EUR. Countries looking to create central bank digital currency (CBDC) versions of their fiat currency are using stablecoin technology. The plan is for many countries to introduce digital versions of their local currency to reduce the costs associated with minting, allow more opportunities for the unbanked, and improve overall transaction and processing speeds. How Do the Two Differ in Practical Terms? When determining which form of cryptocurrency is best suited for your needs, it is helpful to understand their polarising points. Here is how decentralised tokens and stablecoins differ from one another: Volatility: Bitcoin and other DeFi tokens are prone to significant swings in their values. This can make them challenging to use for gambling when looking to practice responsible, budget-driven gambling. Cost of Transacting: While DeFi and stablecoins are processed on the blockchain, current evaluations show stablecoin transactions are cheaper. According to a NASDAQ review: “Transactions using stablecoins can cost as little as a fraction of a penny, regardless of value, and are typically processed in a matter of seconds.” Transaction Speed: Given their limited scope, stablecoin transactions are faster than decentralised tokens. The faster speeds and lower costs make them an excellent starting point for new crypto gamblers. Token Liquidity: Decentralised tokens are traded far more frequently and, therefore, have higher liquidity. This makes them easier to convert into other cryptos or fiat currencies. Privacy and Anonymity: Nakamoto’s vision for a self-governed global crypto economy had user anonymity baked into its foundation, whereas stablecoins are run by corporations and banks and require full user identity disclosure when signing up. Financial Risk: Stablecoins are risk-averse due to their pegged values. It is the digital equivalent of putting money under your mattress. Freedom: At its core, Bitcoin is about freedom from government oversight and market manipulation. Decentralised currencies allow users to determine how they use their wealth. Market Adoption: Decentralised tokens have been available longer than stablecoins, so there is more opportunity to use them for entertainment and business. Secure Value: As the name suggests, Stablecoins provide users access to a digital currency with relatively stable market value, making it easy to manage and use for daily online transactions. Existing Ecosystems: Given the time invested in understanding, monetising, and protecting valuable coins like Bitcoin, the DeFi space offers an extensive suite of tools, wallets, services, and infrastructure aimed at making its use as easy and safe as possible. Once you have a clear picture of which coins offer you the tools and infrastructure you want, the next step is understanding your personal crypto needs. Choosing the Best Crypto for Your Needs To simplify everything we have covered so far, all digital financial tokens on the blockchain are cryptocurrencies. What separates decentralised tokens from stablecoins is whether a single entity owns them. When it comes to choosing the best crypto for online gambling, it comes to: Your appetite for risk – playing a decentralised coin like BTC comes with the risk of major market fluctuations. Cashing out crypto wins as the value per token increases is a bonus, but the opposite is also true. The size of your gambling budget – players with budget constraints might find stablecoins more appealing as the association with a fiat currency makes it easy to manage. How you want to use crypto – if gambling online is only one part of how you use crypto, you will be more likely to wager with DeFi. However, stablecoins might be best if you only buy tokens to play online. How tech-savvy you are – securing precious decentralised tokens means using multiple non-custodial wallets like Exodus or even investing in cold wallets (USB-type devices that store crypto offline). On the contrary, small amounts of stablecoin can be left in your casino account with little concern for their security. Your local regulations – many countries are still defining their online gambling and cryptocurrency laws. Choosing the right crypto-type and online gambling platform is essential when navigating these real-world regulations. We recommend reviewing these factors before choosing which type of token to invest in, as it will have a financial impact and require you to become familiar with new concepts and technologies. How to Choose the Best Crypto Casino! To help you get started in your crypto casino journey, we have handpicked three gambling sites that we recommend reading up on and joining if you like what you see. ✓Bitcoin Games Casino (5-star rated) Bitcoin Games is the official online casino of the marketing leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Signing up with this highly-rated crypto casino will give you access to over 2300 casino games, which you can enjoy on your desktop pc or mobile device. You will also be eligible for a welcome bonus of up to 1 BTC! DeFi Currencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, XRP Ripple, Litecoin, XLM Stellar Stablecoins: Tether, BNB Binance Coin Visit the Bitcoin Games Casino page to read the full review and learn more about the bonus offer. ✓1xBit Casino (5-star rated) This Curacao-licensed crypto casino is incredibly popular with the GamblersPick community, garnering it a five-star review. The site features more than 2000 high-quality casino games, a total of 30 DeFi and stablecoins, and an incredible bonus of up to 7 BTC! DeFi Currencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Dash and many more. Stablecoins: Tether, TrueUSD, USDCoin and more. Visit the 1xBit Casino page to read the full review and learn more about the bonus offer. ✓Kosmonaut Casino (5-star rated) Established in 2020, this beloved crypto gambling site offers players more than 2000 casino games, 6 crypto banking options and a lucrative bonus which comes with an additional 100 Free Spins. DeFi Currencies: Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin Stablecoins: Tether Visit the Kosmonaut Casino page to read the full review and learn more about the bonus offer. We take great pride in reviewing the best online casinos in the world and highlighting those that would make a great starting point for selecting where to join next. For more options, feel free to browse our full list of cryptocurrency casinos.
  2. When it comes to crypto gambling, there are many resources available to guide players on their journey. Here at GamblersPick, we have handy resources pertaining to the history of the crypto casino, how to gamble online with Bitcoin, and even one dedicated to Ethereum casinos and how they work. With the recent industry shakeup caused by the implosion of FTX, one of the most common questions we have been fielding from our community has been how to secure one’s portfolio best and protect it from being lost because of someone else’s bad decisions. To help our community begin their journey, we have highlighted some of the most common weaknesses in mass crypto hodling and outlined the steps you can take to secure your cryptocurrency for yourself. You Are Your Cryptos Best Security One of the challenges many first-time crypto buyers encounter is the false narrative that they need an exchange to secure their coinage. The essence of the crypto movement was that there is no need for intermediaries to secure your wealth for you – you control it so that you know how it is being used and by whom. As one crypto expert we interviewed noted: In this case, he was referring to the 12-word phrase (also known as a mnemonic) that acts as the master key to your crypto holding on the blockchain. Here is a quick self-assessment: If the answer to this simple question is "no", then your crypto is not as safe and secure as it needs to be. During the rest of this post, we will investigate why your holdings are not protected, how to secure them and which steps you can take next for total peace of mind. Why Custodial Wallets Are Risky We all understand that "custodial" relates to the "act of protecting or caring for". This is why when we say that a non-custodial wallet is the best option for securing your digital tokens, it sounds counter to what we are trying to achieve. What we are missing in this context is perspective. The perspective of the term “non-custodial” means that the duty protection does not sit with the company or platform you are using. Using a platform like Luno to store your crypto is not ideal because it is their platform, and you, therefore, abide by their rules. They are the custodians of your crypto. By making them the custodians, you relinquish control of your holding to them and need to abide by their rules. For example, activating the ability to send your Bitcoin to another wallet takes 24 hours with Luno. This means they can block you from managing your assets for one whole day if you need to do an urgent crypto transaction. Should a custodial wallet be shut down or go insolvent, there is a good chance you will lose your investment as they hold complete control over your wealth. How Do Non-Custodial Wallets Work? Even for non-tech savvy hodlers, the ideal solution is to store their Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and any altcoins they have invested in with a non-custodial wallet like Exodus. As the name infers, these platforms offer users an easy interface for buying, selling, and even trading cryptocurrencies without taking control or having any power to restrict them from being accessed. The most important aspect of a non-custodial wallet is that it stores your crypto directly on the blockchain (to take advantage of its enhanced security features) and then gives you the encrypted 12-word key to ensure that only you can access them. Engaging directly with the blockchain is the best way to ensure your coins are safe and secure. With the master key to your blockchain account safely stored away, there is no chance of being hacked. Given that the 12-word phrase is literally the key to your crypto kingdom, there are rules to securing it: Write it down by hand and store it in a safe place. Do not take a photo of it and store it on your phone, computer, or cloud storage device. Do not share it with someone else. The most important of all is not to lose it. The blockchain is so secure that it cannot be hacked, even by the non-custodial wallet platform you use. This is the only key to your treasure vault; protect it well but always know where it is. BIP39 Is Your Best Friend As a savvy investor, you have probably wondered, “What happens if the non-custodial wallet closes up shop?” After all, you are still using their platform to access your crypto. If their site is gone, how do you access your coins? The answer to this excellent question is a blockchain security protocol known as BIP39. The Bitcoin Improvement Proposal number 39, or BIP39 for short, is the process by which your random 12-word key is generated from a list of 2048 unique words that make up the BIP code list. If your chosen non-custodial wallet ever shuts down, thanks to the BIP39 process, you can open another account elsewhere and use the BIP39 phrase to access your blockchain-based account via that new platform. Remember, a non-custodial wallet is just a digital waiter bringing you what you need. When that waiter isn't available, use the services of a new one. It is still your account on the blockchain, with your funds. The wallet is just an access point. Double Down for Peace of Mind You know how to balance risk with reward as a crypto casino player. One of the most common advice regarding securing your digital currencies is to have a minimum of two non-custodial wallets. Even though you can always access your blockchain account, having two accounts from the start will make it quicker and easier to access your funds and move them into another active platform should the need arise. Some wallets also tend to focus on core lists of coins, meaning you will need more than one wallet to diversify your holdings. The adage of not keeping all your eggs in one basket seems as essential in today’s digital landscape as it did when they spoke of literal eggs. With your favourite digital currencies safe and secure, all that is left for you to do is find the best Bitcoin online casinos to join. Each of the sites we recommend has been thoroughly vetted, offers incredible Bitcoin and altcoin bonuses and has a strong reputation for fair play.
  3. When something seems foreign or complicated, or even just different from the mainstream, people tend to start rumours as they try to understand the unusual subject. These rumours often grow because other parties spread them, leading to damaging myths. The cryptocurrency industry fell prey to many tales with questionable origins and sources that do not hold expert credentials. Because of various events in the decentralised finance market, it has been easy for bystanders to accept various reports as facts. However, upon closer investigation, we discover these are nothing but rumours spread by misinformation. Let's jump in and bust some myths about cryptocurrency. Tongues Wagging Although cryptocurrency has been around for more than a decade, it only recently caught the attention of the masses and a few unfortunate events fuelled false information. Crypto technology is complicated and takes some tech know-how to understand. Because uninformed consumers showed interest in the decentralised finance (DeFi) market, opportunists tried, and in some cases succeeded, to pull the wool over people's eyes. These scammers duped people and caused vicious rumours about the industry. Fortunately, the crypto industry is much bigger than these isolated events, and the truth about DeFi is much brighter than rumours will have us believe. ✓ Myth #1 Cryptocurrency Transactions are Completely Anonymous If cryptocurrency transactions were completely anonymous, it would raise tremendous concerns for anti-money laundering and other anti-crime regulations in the financial sector. Full anonymity is as much a security threat as a lack of proper security protocols is, if not more. The blockchain technology used for cryptocurrency creation leaves a trail of information on a digital ledger. Along with the ledger records, crypto accounts require certain identification information when users sign up for an account. These are like standard KYC requirements when signing up for other digital financial accounts and include identity documents, proof of address information, and more personal details. The anonymity everyone raves about comes in with transacting. Crypto transfers from one platform to another offer anonymity because the account holder does not have to give their name and bank account details. This feature makes it an attractive option for online gamblers who worry about exposing their sensitive information. ✓ Myth #2 Bitcoin and Blockchain are One and the Same Some use cryptocurrency and blockchain interchangeably, but this is an incorrect way to refer to Bitcoin and other crypto coins. Here are a few definitions to clarify the relationship between cryptocurrency and blockchain. Blockchain: Technology that works on a decentralised digital ledger of peer-to-peer networks allowing network participants to confirm transactions. Blockchain transactions cover more than cryptocurrencies and describe how data is processed and stored. Cryptocurrency: Today, there are thousands of cryptocurrencies, and these digital or virtual currencies are secured by cryptography built on blockchains. This means it is nearly impossible to make counterfeit coins and most argue that the decentralised nature of cryptocurrency renders it immune to government interference or manipulation. Bitcoin: This was the original cryptocurrency that started it all. Since its launch in 2009, thousands of other cryptocurrencies have joined the decentralised finance market. Today, many digital coins are used for purchasing goods, while others remain a means of storing wealth. As explained above, Bitcoin and blockchain are different because Bitcoin is merely one of the results of blockchain technology. Blockchain offers an array of applications, and iGaming providers use it to provide provably casino games and more. ✓ Myth #3 Cryptocurrency is a Bubble Bound to Pop Referring to DeFi as a bubble means exuberant market behaviour that is bound to crash drives the value of crypto. Economic bubbles include fast inflation followed by swift drops in value, all happening over a relatively short period. The major characteristic of a bubble is that it pops, and the critics who still believe cryptocurrency is a bubble have been waiting for this to happen for over a decade. In reality, cryptocurrencies have experienced countless ups and downs, with Bitcoin having the longest history on the market with the biggest spikes and drops. However, crypto market values are highly volatile, and many consider any investment in digital coins speculative. Other investment professionals ascribe the oscillations of Bitcoin and other DeFi coins to the natural circumstances of a young market. Crash games like Bustabit and Space XY came to be thanks to those who enjoy the exhilarating thrill of stock markets. These games portray the spike of a bullish market, and players need to cash out before the tides turn to a bear market drop. Stock markets have always experienced rising, and crashing curves and the crypto market is no different. ✓ Myth #4 There is No Real-World Use for Crypto Because cryptocurrency exists in the digital world, many find it hard to conceive where DeFi has a place in the physical world. This concept has many believing the myth that digital coins have no real-world uses. Digital coins have trade value in some areas of the real world, but the challenge lies with which coin you choose and what you want to get in return. One Bitcoin has an extremely high value, $20,005 at the time of writing, making it difficult to purchase everyday consumables. On the other hand, countless coins with much lower market values and those pegged to fiat currency, like Tether USD and Binance USD, carry similar values to the Dollar. This has allowed service providers to accept digital coins as payment for products and services rendered. Another key aspect of digital coins is their immunity to inflation which makes some coins akin to commodities like gold. Therefore, individuals and companies have funnelled millions of dollars into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to store assets. A recent addition to online gambling is crypto casinos, allowing players to deposit and withdraw cryptocurrency. ✓ Myth #5 Crypto Trading is Akin to Gambling Some critics refer to crypto trading as gambling because of the major fluctuations experienced in the market. As mentioned above, this is a natural occurrence with immature markets, and the influx of coins and stakeholders will settle at some point. Most gambling games are driven by chance, and smart gamblers play the odds. When people compare crypto trading to gambling, they might have a point that a bear market may be lurking, but it is not entirely true. Games of chance rely on random number generators to determine the outcome and trigger a win, and stock markets are far more complex and much less random. Adding cryptocurrency to your investment portfolio would mean taking a high-risk approach, but crypto trading would be more in-line with a game of skilled gambling than a slot machine. ✓ Myth #6 Some Coins have Carbon-Intensive Footprints Some members of society have massive influence, and by some, we mean Elon Musk. As the face and voice of Tesla and Space-X, the billionaire has the attention of the masses, and when he made a U-turn on his offer to accept Bitcoin for Tesla purchases, his followers paid attention. According to Musk, executives at Tesla, and environmentalists, mining Bitcoin and other digital currencies place too much stress on the electricity grid. Because digital currency is mined online and requires computer hardware for storage, the argument stands that cryptocurrency has a very high carbon footprint. The trouble with this argument is that traditional finance (TradFi) is the only current option to pay for goods and services. The electricity required in TradFi transactions requires far more carbon-intensive processes. Recent studies concluded that DeFi mining and storing is much more power efficient and environmentally friendly than gold mining and traditional banking, which includes physically printing currency. According to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index, Bitcoin mining relies greatly on alternative energy sources like solar, wind and hydro. ✓ Myth #7 Cryptocurrency is for Criminals and Anarchic Folk Another myth that keeps weary consumers away from cryptocurrency is that criminals use it for laundering money and funding crime. Others say that only conspiracy theorists who believe in coming anarchy invest in crypto. Both theories have holes, and when debated with logical facts, they crumble. The first assumption comes from the misconception that crypto traders and investors are 100% anonymous, which we addressed above. Unfortunately, there are opportunists in every part of the financial market, and invariably some criminals use whatever means they have access to for their schemes and plots. Fortunately, statistics support that many more prefer fiat currency for their dubious deeds, and even on the dark web, a fraction of the financial crimes are in cryptocurrency. As for the idea that digital currencies are only attractive to those who believe a future involving Mad Max vibes is imminent, current adoption rates crush this thought. Industry experts advise that the current rate at which consumers buy into crypto exceeds the adoption rate of the internet in its early years. The question we should rather ask is how quickly it will become mainstream. Focusing on Facts and the Future Perhaps these bring you closer to understanding what cryptocurrency is and what the future looks like with digital currency. With consumer adoption rates rising and more world leaders speaking about regulating crypto, it is clear that it is here to stay. Once we figure out how to use it to our everyday advantage, the rest will be history.
  4. Many compare investment trading with gambling, and for good reason. The stock markets can be treacherous, even on a good day, and this is truer with crypto investments. Since the first digital coin launched in 2009, decentralised currencies have exploded, and investors now have over 10,000 options in this market. So many jumped on the hyped-up bandwagon of Bitcoin that tech wizards Bill Markus and Jackson Palmer set out to create a spoof coin to poke fun at the wildly speculative investment. Much to their surprise, Dogecoin experienced massive success in its first three weeks, spawning countless other meme coins. Since Dogecoin's arrival in 2013, many altcoins joined the digital currency race, and many failed. On the other hand, Shiba Inu seems promising, and as a self-declared Doge-killer, we must inspect how the top two meme coins measure up. Meme Coins and Investment Those familiar with Decentralised Finance (DeFi) may know meme coins and understand what it is about, but to some, the concept remains foreign. If you are wondering, the name explains it all. These altcoins have images of popular memes as their logo. The creators of Dogecoin claimed the most meme-worthy dog as its symbol, hence the name. Doge memes include a quirky photo of the Japanese dog breed, Shiba Inu, with a collection of rainbow-coloured sayings like "such wow", "very concern", and more comical dog language. Following the success of Dogecoin, the crypto market now has a horde of dog-themed coins. Like other altcoins, meme coins bring scalable options to the cryptocurrency market, a feature lacking in Bitcoin. Meme coins also rely heavily on community activity and therefore need viral results to thrive. This makes it an extremely volatile investment space, and experts on either side of the fence agree investors should only buy crypto stock with money they can afford to lose. Dogecoin vs Shiba Inu As the most talked-about investment opportunities in the meme coin category are Shiba Inu and Dogecoin, we weigh the two against each other. Below, we explore key similarities and differences between the two dog meme coins and uncover the core traits of each. Then we compare them in the investment space to discover the best bet for those who want to gamble on meme coins. Similarities and Differences The most basic feature these two coins share is the animal on their logo. Both Dogecoin and Shiba Inu flaunt an image of the adorable breed behind the viral memes from the 2010s. The only difference is that the original meme coin has a cartoon version of the dog, and its rival has a modern pop-culture image of a Shiba Inu. With recognising the coins in the stock market, the logos are irrelevant. These coins trade as DOGE and SHIB, respectively. Another feature these coins share is the intention of being a peer-to-peer payment network. This means that, unlike Bitcoin, these coins have no central authority, corporate structure, or executives making crucial decisions that affect the entire network. Instead, these coins are entirely community-led. This may be where some want to take a step back and question the reliability of investments, but like all other reputable coins, the blockchain ledger is available to the public and bears the same immutable qualities. The peer-to-peer network impacts market value and causes major fluctuations, making meme coins a bad choice for novice investors. Dogecoin and Shiba Inu both fork from larger blockchain models. Although the former came into being as a satirical response to Bitcoin investments, DOGE ironically enough, forks from Litecoin which originally forked from Bitcoin. Shiba Inu runs on a different chain, namely Ethereum, which many see as an advantage. This technicality means the coins have reliable infrastructure, and both networks come with their pros and cons. ✓ Dogecoin Originally launched in 2013, Doge enjoyed huge success thanks to virality. As mentioned, the creators of Doge were making fun of the speculative nature of cryptocurrency investments, but thanks to the community in the Doge network, it reached exciting heights in the initial phase. Seems like the tech world has an appetite for humour, as the comedic meme coin reached 300% growth in its first couple of weeks of trading. Experts believe this happened because it was a very appealing way to enter the crypto market without breaking the bank. The consumer-focused approach of the new breed of altcoins attracted new investors, and soon, Doge was a genuine alternative to existing coins, like Bitcoin. Because Doge uses a similar Proof of Work (PoW) consensus mechanism as Litecoin called Scrypt (pronounced es-crypt), the currency is less energy-intensive and quicker than Bitcoin. Dogecoin has several celebrities backing it, and Elon Musk called it 'the peoples crypto' on Twitter, triggering enormous growth for Doge and other meme coins. Thanks to the low price of the coin, in stark contrast to Bitcoin, anyone can invest in Doge. Industry experts warn potential investors should be cautious when doing so. Labelled as the 'fun and friendly internet currency', Doge experiences sporadic rate changes on the stock market. At the time of writing, 1 Doge was worth $0.063. This open-source, peer-to-peer digital currency offers users a couple of advantages, like the speed of transactions. Thanks to the Scrypt algorithm, Doge creates blocks much faster than other value storage cryptocurrencies, and it is a lot more scalable than Bitcoin. The estimated time for the creation of a block is 1 minute, while Bitcoin takes 10 minutes. ✓ Shiba Inu Compared to Doge, Shib is an infant in the trading market. Created to mimic the surprising success of the original meme coin, Shiba Inu arrived on the scene in 2020. There is no reason to speculate on the inspiration behind this meme coin as the coin's creator labelled it as 'the Dogecoin killer'. While both Doge and Shib rely on community engagement and major hype from it, Shib presents its users with interesting options. Shiba Inu operates on the Ethereum blockchain, giving it an edge that Doge lacks. Apart from the community platform known as Shiba Swap, where members can trade their coins for others, Shiba users can choose from three cryptos with different applications. SHIB is the basic currency used as a medium of exchange. LEASH is a limited token; only 107,647 are available, which are used as staking rewards for those validating the currency. Lastly, investors can purchase some of the 250 million BONE coins available, which allow its owners to vote on governance proposals. Shib experienced massive growth in 2021, much like Doge, but we must point out that 1 coin is worth $0.00001017 at the time of writing. Regardless, for an investor, percentages matter and considering the 3500% gain within the first couple of days of trading, Shib is an attractive choice for traders. The low price makes it an easy option for those who want to experiment in the crypto space without losing too much if they're out of luck. Unlike Doge, Shib has no celebrity endorsements as yet. If you believe that all publicity is good publicity, we could argue that the coin burning indaba, where Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin irrevocably destroyed approximately 40% of all issued Shib and shunned the coin, was a PR stunt. It is safe to say that Shib enjoys success thanks to Doge, and only time will tell which becomes the victor. Should You Gamble on Meme Coins? As mentioned, high-risk investment trades are a gamble, and the risk is so much more with cryptocurrency markets. The truth about meme coins is that you need to understand what can topple a good trading day and stay on top of community interactions. Like with gambling, you should only use the money on crypto and meme coin investments if you can afford to lose that money. Once you understand that, there are a few things to consider before deciding on where to lay your stake. How do Doge and Shiba compare on the stock market, and which is the best choice for investors right now? What does the future hold for these dog coins? DOGE vs SHIB? Basic economics comes down to supply and demand. The relationship between these two variables determines the value of an asset, and most altcoins come with a capped supply. Doge is an exception to this rule, as the creators stuck to an authentic peer-to-peer payment system by utilising an inflationary mechanism. This helps prevent investors from holding onto massive chunks of the token and keeps costs low in the long run. Doge has a supply rate of approximately 5 billion coins a year. With a 9-year history on the market, one would think Doge has more solid backing from investors, but despite impressive gains here and there, experts remind us that meme coins have no real precedent for how their value can change. Bursts of huge gains seem to be short-lived with Doge, and it is an extremely volatile space to play in. Shib gradually clawed its way up the market ladder in the two years of its existence. It launched at a value lower than $0.00000001 because the creators needed to leave room for significant growth. Following on the coattails of Doge's remarkable gains in 2021, Shib increased in value to $0.0000036, showing a 3500% gain on investors' books. The Doge-killer reached an all-time high in October 2021 of $0.0000826, but as we pointed out, it has dropped significantly since then. Choices, Choices Considering the hype around these altcoins and how it impacts the coin's values, it is best to approach with caution when investing in meme coins. Both show promise, as Doge has been around for nearly a decade, and Shiba offers innovative options for its community. However, investors need to keep their fingers on the pulse with these communities to beat the curves. Remember that meme coins are high-risk investments, and neither Doge nor Shiba bears a 'safe investment' label. Considering the stability and track record of Doge, it may be a less risky option for investors, but Shiba has a few tricks up its sleeve that makes it a potentially good choice for growth.
  5. Reflection is key to gratitude, and hindsight sometimes generates powerful realisations and inspires innovative change. Let’s take stock of what technology and the brilliant developers in the igaming industry have given us since remote gambling first became available. Modern punters probably take most of these innovations for granted, but the truth is the past two decades have brought about massive changes for online gambling. Gambling anywhere you find yourself is a very recent development and the level of entertainment available has improved unthinkably since the 90s. Basic features like 3D graphics, animated characters, streaming, and many others are the norm in 2022, so let’s look at 8 advancements developers brought to the table since the inception of online gambling. ✓ 1. Innovations for Slot Mechanics Video slots are by far the most popular choice for online gamblers and, thanks to the popularity of these games, software providers invest intensely in their innovations. The first feature is so common today that it is virtually unthinkable that it wasn’t always there. Free Spins, and other bonus features for that matter, were not always part of online slots. Original video slots were like one-arm-bandits where punters simply clicked spin and hoped for a line win. This feature shows how far technology has brought us. From slots that have 1 line for a winning combination to Megaways that offer over 117,000 ways to win. This slot mechanic broke the mould and Big Time Gaming’s innovation ensured that the industry will never be the same again. Countless brands have since signed agreements with BTG to incorporate this popular concept into their video slots. The Megaways structure opened developers’ minds to what might be possible and this gave rise to plenty more payline innovations. Thinking outside the paylines, developers soon introduced a Cluster Pay system, where lines no longer mattered. As long as matching symbols land next to each other in cluster formations, it awards a win. This feature led to other interesting developments, like uniquely shaped slot grids. Mega Clusters are the amped-up version of cluster pays presented by BTG and combine cluster pays with split symbols. InfiniReels mechanics only recently arrived on the scene when NetEnt did what most only dreamed of. The brilliant design team developed a mechanic with infinite payways and the rules are rather straightforward. Every win generates a new reel to the right of the grid and this continues for an unlimited win sequence. ReelPlay has the same mechanic, called Infinity Reels. Yggdrasil is another team of genius developers and they brought us massive icons to spice up the reels. Gigablox can drop in sizes of 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, and humongous 6x6, taking up most of the slot grid. These symbols make winning combinations more lucrative, and other developers have since unveiled their own versions. Yggdrasil also presented Splitz where one symbol splits in two for more winning potential. With providers feeding off each other’s innovative ideas, we can go on with this list for a while, but it’s clear that slots are better than ever and players can spin their hearts out. ✓ 2. Progressive Jackpots Something the internet does for us which we may take for granted is that it brings a level of connectedness that never existed. Linking the great big world like never before brought on the wonderful thing that gamblers love, called Progressive Jackpots. These eye-watering, life-changing prizes comprise the tally of wagers in a selected game throughout the provider’s network. The progressive nature of these pots means that the prize increases with each bet placed on that game. These are not just limited to online slots and some exciting card and table games incorporate it too. The favourites include Mega Moolah, the Microgaming hit slot, Roulette Royale, and Caribbean Stud Poker. ✓ 3. Live Dealer Games Another hint that we are indeed living in the golden age of online gambling is the fact that we no longer need to visit a land-based casino to experience the thrill of human interaction. Thanks to incredible internet speed and innovative providers, we can enjoy live dealer games streamed from casino studios. Evolution Gaming is a forerunner in the Live Dealer sphere of online gambling and their games are tremendously popular. Interact with the croupier as they spin the roulette wheel, deal your hopeful 21, or flip the cards to reveal your Hold’em fate. Presenters dressed in colourful and themed attire spin the wheel of fortune for you, and punters have online social spaces to interact with peers. Live dealer technology literally brings the casino to you and they fill casino libraries with interesting takes on traditional games as developers ensure their content is unique and exciting. ✓ 4. Tournaments and Multiplayer Games If you feel you are ready to take your igaming to the next level, tournaments and multiplayer games should be on your list. Play with and against gamblers from all over the world in the best kind of social experience you will find in remote gambling. As mentioned, with live dealer games, you have the option of interacting with other players by chatting with them, but tournaments bring a more competitive edge to the table. Casino Races is one form of a tournament where players opt-in to take part in free point-based competitions. These usually run for a set time and at the end of the race, the players with the most points win cash prizes. Games included in these tournaments are usually a collection of slots and table games. Most online casinos offer blackjack and poker tournaments to seasoned players and these winner-takes-all competitions can get really exciting. ✓ 5. Mobile Gambling and Omni-Channel Gradually mobile phones became an appendix we never knew we needed but now can’t be without. The onset of HTML5 technology combined with fast internet made it possible for developers to adapt website interfaces to work seamlessly on mobile devices. Software providers then introduced omnichannel technology that allows players to move between devices on a single user profile, which is partially the reason for the mobile gambling industry boom. Mobile gambling is now the most popular way to wager, and it is strange to think that a while ago, we needed individual profiles for each device we played on. Smartphone technology allows punters to enjoy the immersive experience of live casinos, as some devices have better processors than computers, and the development of mobile gambling has made games of chance accessible to everyone. One more advantage of mobile gambling is the security it offers with payment apps that link directly to the casino and cut out the need for you to link banking details. All around, mobile technology is a massive game-changer for gambling. ✓ 6. VR Technology One of the most exciting advances in gaming is Virtual Reality and, with the looks of it, we have seen nothing yet when it comes to virtual entertainment. VR games transport players to worlds beyond our imagination and certain games will allow you to recreate yourself as an avatar. Enjoy the company of other players who take part with their virtual version of themselves and forget all about the world around you for a while. Evolution gaming incorporated this technology into one of their live games, Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt. This live game allows players to switch to VR mode, using a headset and controller, and experience the most immersive treasure hunt with the Spanish conquistador everyone loves. ✓ 7. Cryptocurrency The unprecedented growth in the online gambling sector makes it an obvious target for chancers. Electronic transactions fill the money web while players and platforms need to find the most trustworthy manner of operating the process. Although many fiat currency processes exist that are highly secure and most punters use them, the undeniable security offered by blockchain has opened the industry’s mind to cryptocurrency. Online casinos like 7Bit Casino focus solely on Bitcoin and offer remote gambling in cryptocurrency, and many top platforms encourage and reward punters for using crypto as their wagering currency of choice. Advantages include guaranteed anonymity, ease of access, and super-fast processing. Cryptocurrency is not the easiest to come by and, for this reason, many avoid it. It is also a seriously volatile currency, and this is probably why many people still think it is too risky. ✓ 8. Provably Fair Blockchain Gambling Apart from the security blockchain technology provides with payments in cryptocurrency, the node-driven tech presents a list of other advantages for igaming. A concern that some punters have is that the casino may cheat them by rigging the game software. Although it is highly unlikely for random number generator games to be rigged, provably fair blockchain technology is a lot more secure. Some Bitcoin casinos now offer players the opportunity to verify the fairness of each round of the game if they want to. Because of the nature of blockchain technology, it is immutable, in other words unchangeable, and this grants unmatched transparency with the game’s randomness. If a casino has games built on blockchain, players will have the peace of mind that it is designed to be provably fair and they can check the data should they wish to.
  6. In the history of mankind, there are those groundbreaking new innovations that spur us on to bigger and better things. These major inventions include harnessing electricity, the telephone, the motorcar, the internet and now the blockchain. Love it or hate it the development of cryptocurrencies on the blockchain has revolutionised how we view digital assets, our thinking around finance and how the world will transact for the foreseeable future. The Types of Cryptocurrencies While we have all heard of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and other well know crypto coins there is often some confusion when it comes to terms like decentralised cryptos, stable coins and alt coins. Here are some easy introductions to these terms: ✓True/Decentralised Cryptocurrencies When Satoshi Nakamoto first conceptualised Bitcoin his intent was to create a digital currency that would not reside on a single server but was spread across the Blockchain. This would ensure that no single country, corporation, or person could ever own it or control it. Crypto coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and others which follow this decentralised tradition by residing on the Blockchain and do not have a single controlling owner are considered by industry pundits to be “true” cryptos. ✓Alt Coins As the name denotes Alt-Coins are “alternatives to” an existing cryptocurrency. Due to the fact that blockchain and cryptocurrency code is open source, it allows anyone with the appropriate skill level to develop their own coin. Generally, an altcoin improves on one or more aspects of its original code. An example of this is Ethereum which improved on the transactional aspect of Bitcoin, allowing it to process blocks of transactions in two and a half minutes compared to Bitcoin’s much slower ten minutes per block. ✓Stable Coins Stable Coins are the type of crypto token which is the farthest removed from Satoshi’s vision for his invention for three reasons: They reside on a single server or closed series of servers They are owned and operated by single entities Its value is dictated by a fiat currency or precious metal While stable coins exist on the blockchain and offer all of its speed, security and low cost benefits they are simply the digital-only equivalents of our existing country-based currencies. Most governments around the world are in the process of developing stable coin versions of their currencies with the hopes of one day doing away with costly and short-lived paper and metal money. Visit our full guide to stablecoins for more on this interesting spin off of cryptocurrency technology. Why Crypto Gambling Is Popular With the unique way in which the blockchain stores and shares data it is the most hacker-proof system on the planet. Rather than store information in a single central location, which once cracked, gives the would-be thief full access to the data the blockchain splits it into thousands of tiny data packets. These packets of data are then spread across all the connected nodes on the internet and are each individually secured. In addition to this mind-blowing level of security the fact that it is only moving tiny bits of data around means that it can pass large volumes of information at incredibly high speeds. When applied to lightweight products like a casino deposit this means near-instant banking. Finally, the blockchain does not require you to give confirmable information to access and use it other than a personalised username and an email. It is not perfectly anonymous as there is the issue of using your internet connection (which can be addressed by the information we supplied in our guide to using a VPN for cyber security) and that purchasing Bitcoin is done via a crypto exchange like Security, speedy transactions and high levels of anonymity are some of the reasons that more players are making the move to gambling at crypto casinos. The Top 10 Cryptocurrencies To ensure that we do not fall into the trap of thinking about cryptocurrencies in a limited way we looked to CoinMarketCap to see which digital tokens are the most popular outside of our industry. Much to our delight, the online casino industry has adopted cryptos with open arms. The proof of this is that ten of the fifteen highest rated crypto coins are already in wide use by the best crypto casinos. If you are interested in gambling with Bitcoin and other leading cryptos here is a brief overview of the top 10 casino cryptos and an idea of where you can play with them: 1. Bitcoin – First Decentralised Coin As the first truly decentralised cryptocurrency Bitcoin captured the imagination of the world with its mysterious creator and incredible value growth. It not only drew attention to the potential of digital currencies but also the potential of the blockchain which has seen many industries begin to develop new and exciting innovations, tools and products that have changed the world. The first decentralised crypto coin Incredibly valuable digital asset One of the most secure currencies in the world If you would like to try your hand at playing your favourite online slots and tables games with Bitcoin, we recommend visiting Bitcoin Games casino and 22Bet casino. 2. Ethereum – Decentralised/Altcoin Ethereum is only second in terms of industry awareness and usability to Bitcoin. As a Bitcoin altcoin, Ethereum offers users the same safety and security with vastly superior processing times. Ethereum has set itself up as the “everyday driver” of cryptocurrencies processing up to 1 million transactions each day while Bitcoin only processes up to 250,000. Same secure framework as Bitcoin Ability to process up to 1,000,000 transactions per day One of the cheapest cryptos to use Ethereum’s processing power makes it incredibly popular with online casinos that offer digital token gambling. We recommend visiting Green Spin casino and Bitstarz casino to try it out for yourself. 3. Bitcoin Cash – Decentralised/Altcoin Bitcoin Cash is another Bitcoin altcoin, in this case, it was developed in 2017 from a fork of the original crypto. The benefits of Bitcoin Cash lie in its larger block size which means it is faster than BTC while capping its supply which gives it a similar asset value proposition to its progenitor. Follows the same digital asset mentality as Bitcoin Offers superior processing times as the original coin Very low fee structure If you’re looking to gamble with a cryptocurrency that is incredibly like Bitcoin but offers faster transactions, lower costs and a lower price per coin then Bitcoin Cash could be for you. Try it out today at Kosmonaut casino and 1xBit casino. 4. Cardano – Decentralised/Altcoin Cardano is the ledger that supports the independent cryptocurrency ADA. The digital coin is considered one of the leading alt-coins on the market due to its reasonable cost, widespread adoption by online businesses and incredibly cheap processing fees. Still available at a low price Uses a bespoke low-cost fee structure Widespread use by online shops and gambling sites If you are new to cryptos and want to test the waters with a usable and fairly cheap option, then you should consider buying some Cardano. You can play with it online at Fairspin casino and TrueFlip casino. 5. Tether – Stablecoin Tether is a stable coin that has anchored its value to the US dollar while still offering users the stability, processing speed and security of the blockchain. For banks, businesses, and new crypto enthusiasts it offers the benefits of the blockchain without the fear of massive price fluctuations associated with decentralised coins. Steady and predictable pricing Offers the digital security of the blockchain A popular digital currency for e-commerce We recommend trying out the benefits of cryptocurrency gambling by starting with the market stability offered by Tether. It is available at MyStake casino and Rolletto casino. 6. XRP – Decentralised/Altcoin XRP is the cryptocurrency used by products developed by Ripple Labs on the blockchain. The intent of creating XRP was not to launch the next crypto-asset like Bitcoin but to offer the community a network specifically designed to handle high volumes of digital payments Specifically designed to process high transaction volumes XRP is not mined but rather acquired through trading Ranked as one of the top 10 cryptos worldwide Test out the efficiency and processing power of the XRP network for yourself by using it as your deposit and withdrawal mechanism at both Bet Sensation casino and 1xBit casino today. 7. Dogecoin – Decentralised/Altcoin Developed a commentary on the insane prices that crypto-assets were demanding Dogecoin has positioned itself to be the ‘everyman’ cryptocurrency. Built on the Litecoin framework Dogecoin offers fantastic processing and low costs but has openly stated its supply will be unlimited ensuring none of the price spikes associated with limited-supply coins like Bitcoin. A real-life underdog story Unlimited supply manages price volatility Offers all the benefits of Litecoin Take this playful Shiba-token for a walk today by signing up at either 22Bet casino or Green Spin casino today and playing their selection of online slots, table games and arcade games. 8. USD Coin If you are a fan of innovation and new technology but are sceptical of the crazy price fluctuations of some cryptos then USDCoin could be your perfect solution. This stable coin offers all the processing and security benefits of the blockchain while guaranteeing that each USDCoin will always only cost $1.00. Price per coin will always be the equivalent of US$ 1.00 Enjoy all the benefits of the blockchain Built on the trusted and highly trafficked Ethereum framework USDCoin’s stable pricing anchor makes it the perfect cryptocurrency for players looking to move from fiat currency banking to digital banking without risking their bankroll to currency volatility. Play with it at 1XBit casino and Fairspin casino today. 9. Chainlink Chainlink is considered an Ethereum alt-coin. While it offers users all the expected speed, low costs and security of the blockchain it has the added benefit of integrating transactions that are not based on the blockchain. This is allowing people to seamlessly do business using fiat currencies with blockchain companies. Ethereum-based altcoin Seamless off-blockchain transaction processing Offer tamper-proof cross-blockchain smart contracts Test the high speeds, hack-proof security, and low fee structure of this altcoin for yourself by playing at Casino-Z and 1xSlots casino today. 10. Litecoin – Decentralised/Altcoin Litecoin is one of the early Bitcoin altcoins having been launched in 2011. In addition to offering the same anonymity and security options as its source, the developers behind Litecoin have also engineered the Lightning Network for instant global payments for everything from casino deposits to purchasing a coffee. Hack proof peer-to-peer transaction network Lightning network for instant payments Developers of Atomic Swap for cross crypto trading Try your hand at playing video slots, video poker, blackjack and more using Litecoin to deposit and withdraw at Bet Sensation casino and Green Spin casino today. How To Gamble With Cryptocurrencies Now that you are comfortable with what the differences are between the various types of coins, know a little more about the top 10 cryptos for gambling and have some idea of where to play with each of them let's talk about how to deposit and withdraw with cryptos. Despite being a groundbreaking new technology using them in practice is incredibly simple. To begin gambling with digital currencies all you need to do once you’ve joined your preferred crypto casino is follow the simple steps below: ✓How To Deposit with Crypto To make your first deposit at an online casino with cryptocurrency, plus claim the amazing welcome bonuses on offer, follow these simple steps: Step 1: Click on deposit at the top right of the page. Step 2: Select bitcoin, copy the private depositing address, and enter a relevant promo code. Step 3: Send the bitcoin to the private depositing address from your Bitcoin wallet of choice. With the speed and power of the blockchain, your first crypto deposit will be ready and waiting for you in your account within moments. ✓How To Withdraw with Crypto When it comes to cashing out your winnings the process is even more simple than making your first deposit. Follow these easy steps to withdraw your money: Step 1: Click Profile at top right of page, then click withdrawal. Step 2: Find your Bitcoin wallet address. Step 3: Select Bitcoin, enter your wallet address, the amount to be withdrawn, click withdrawal. For players who are used to waiting up to five business days for a withdrawal crypto-cash out will be mindblowing. At most, you will have to wait 15 minutes before you see your withdrawal become available in your wallet.
  7. On paper, the Asian market would appear to be one of the highest untapped online gambling markets currently in existence. It covers approximately 60% of the world’s population, boasts highly educated people with easy access to the latest technology and in many cases an impressive amount of disposable income. However, due to religious and political regions, many Asian countries hold a negative view of gambling in any form, only allowing it at land-based venues to make more money off their foreign visitors. To gain a better understanding of the specific views of major regions, what they currently allow and what developments are in the pipeline we discuss Asia under three headings: Asia’s Shining Stars: regions where gambling is thriving Diamonds in the Rough: regions most likely to allow online gambling Here Be Dragons: regions where all gambling is banned These heading refer to the region’s stance on gambling, whether they are open to online gambling or not will be discussed as part of its review. Asia’s Shining Stars While gambling faces opposition across most of Asia there are two regions where the pastime is welcome with open arms, Macau, and the Philippines. ✓Macau Macau (also correctly spelt Macao) is the hub of Asian gambling, often being referred to as the Las Vegas of East. Though while Las Vegas might have Macau beat when it comes to landmass the former Portuguese colony has been known to generate three times the revenue of Vegas, reaching nearly $30 billion in 2019. In addition to being a global tourist destination, Macau also serves as China’s gambling outlet. While gambling in China is strictly forbidden its citizens may travel to Macau to gamble without fear of reprisal. While gambling in Macau is open to all who land there the one area where there is still some resistance to online gambling. Much of this resistance is thought to be since so many Chinese business people gamble in Macau and the Chinese government concerns about controlling what its citizens do online. ✓Philippines When it comes to noteworthy eCommerce markets the Philippines is unlikely to make your top list however market research proves that this is an up and coming online sales hot spot. A recent market forecast report by Statista shows that online sales in the Philippines should surpass the $5 billion mark by the end of 2021. This sizeable investment in online retail is not purely from a small segment of big spenders. GlobalWebIndex reported that of the 110 million people living in the Philippines more than 69 million are regular internet users with 75% of those aged between 16 and 64 already active online shoppers. This bodes well for the potential of online gambling when one considers that not only does the Philippines have a well-regulated gambling economy, but it allows offshore casino operators to offer online slots and other casino games to Filipino players. There is some confusion regarding holding a Filipino license since two options are on offer. The country’s two gambling boards, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), each offer their own license. However, neither license allows the licensee to offer casino games within the border of the country. In an ideal world, PAGCOR and CEZA can create a joint license agreement that allows the operation of an online casino within the Philippines that can also target Filipino players. For now, offshore casinos are free to reap the benefits of the Filipino love of online shopping and entertainment. Diamonds In The Rough These Asian gambling jurisdictions may offer casino games but only under heavily restricted circumstances. While they are not free gambling markets with their proverbial “toe in the water” they are best positioned to pivot to an open-license system. ✓Hong Kong As with Macau, Hong Kong is seen as an administrative region of China. This means that while the region is afforded some level of autonomy China feels empowered to step in and change or amend laws as they see fit. This has led to Hong Kong having a thriving local gambling market where players over the age of 18 can gamble at any of the country’s approved venues. All land-based betting in Hong Kong falls under the monopoly of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. To enjoy a night playing blackjack, roulette or even the slots one will have to board a dedicated gambling cruise ship which then goes out beyond the island’s legal territory before any casino gambling can take place. Online gambling is once again heavily restricted due to China’s influence over Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong is currently undergoing a resurgence in the call for its independence from China. Should they succeed, this could see the online casino market become a key player in their financial growth. ✓India India is one of those territories that holds a lot of potential for offshore casino operators despite gambling being illegal in the country. The reason for this is their lack of clarity in formulating their laws. India’s Public Gambling Act (1867) and Prize Competition Act (1955) in no way address online gambling due to the era in which they were composed. Despite this, they are still the applicable gambling laws in the country. The government did write the Information Technology Act of 2000 into law however this fails to define either gambling or online gambling and does not specifically address whether games of chance or games of skill are legal or illegal. With a growing middle class, large scale internet penetration (specifically amongst mobile users) and a population of 1.3 billion adults (over 18 years of age) India is one of the hottest online gambling markets in the world. ✓Japan Historically gambling in Japan has been frowned upon as it was seen as a wasteful way to risk hard-earned money or property. However, in 2018 the government approved a change in the local laws which would allow for the development of three integrated casino resorts (IR). The recent plans to break ground on the first IR in Yokohama later this year came to a grinding halt when anti-casino mayoral candidate Takeharu Yamanaka won the election. However, there are still four other cities, Tokyo, Nagasaki, Osaka, and Wakayama, which are open to being the first casino resort in Japan. While it is early days for casino gambling in Japan the legalisation of a once-banned activity is a massive step in the right direction. And with casino operators such as Melco Resorts and Entertainment, Sega Sammy Holdings Inc, Shotoku Corp, and Genting, Singapore Ltd pushing the development ahead we are hopeful for the inclusion of an online casino app in their roadmap. ✓Vietnam Following Japan’s lead 2018 also saw Vietnam unexpectedly legalise betting on greyhound and horse races, begin accepting bets on soccer matches and open several land-based casinos to serve foreign visitors. The country is also currently testing the viability of allowing locals to gamble in these casinos given that they meet certain criteria such as a minimum income threshold. Given the country’s history of severely restricting gambling and punishing those who contravene its laws, this is a major breakthrough for the industry in Vietnam. While there is no specific intention to address online gambling in the immediate future, we are hopeful that the local gambling authority will view online and mobile casinos as a natural technological extension of its land-based casino development. Here Be Dragons There are several Asian territories where online gambling in any form is simply not looking to make any headway. These regions include: China Taiwan South Korea Malaysia These bastions of human rights and freedom are known to take punitive measures against citizens who gamble either online or offline, including prison time, heavy fines and even blacklisting at local financial institutions. Cryptocurrency and Gambling in Asia One of the game-changing new technologies for online gambling in restrictive Asian markets has the development and adoption of cryptocurrencies. When it comes to gambling with Bitcoin these casino fans finally have a way to get around the local government policies that block their ability to make deposits or request withdrawals when playing online. However, it is not only the those looking to circumvent local gambling regulation who are looking to Bitcoin and its peers. Asian markets that offer legal online gambling are considering the adoption of cryptocurrencies to reduce costs, offer safer and more secure gambling transactions and appeal to foreign gamblers once they leave the country and head home. It is expected that markets like the Philippines who have such an active eCommerce market could lead the way in gambling with crypto as local users begin to adopt altcoins and stable coins for daily online purchases. Where To From Here? While the road to a fully licensed and regulated Asian gambling market is a long and bumpy one there are some amazing developments with once hard locked regions opening their doors to casinos – even if only for foreign passport holders. Yet as these regions become comfortable with the idea of gambling, can prove that it does not undermine the fabric of their culture, and begins to add to the government’s coffers, there is hope for adoption to speed up. The more Asian countries become pro-gambling, the more opportunities it presents for online gambling to take hold and flourish.
  8. Exploring How Investors Are Managing Cryptocurrencies in Today's World [Survey] To save or to spend crypto? That is very much the question for many investors today. As they invest more, they are often forgoing other purchases – some of them essential. Many have even started to accumulate debt in order to buy more crypto or avoid selling it. In order to get to the bottom of what the cryptocurrency craze is really costing Americans, we spoke to 1,000 people on the topic. Crypto investors shared the amount they had, how they were financing the holding, and what they had given up in order to maintain the investment. Responses showed interesting differences across genders and generations. To see how different demographics and Americans as a whole are maintaining their crypto portfolios, keep reading. Trade-Offs for Holding On to Cryptocurrency The total cost of cryptocurrency is more than just a dollar amount. It also includes the cost of the things you can't afford to buy if you choose to keep your money invested. The first part of this study looks at how much cryptocurrency respondents are holding, on average, as well as the top things they're choosing to forgo paying for in order to hold on to that investment. Diamond hands are as expensive as they sound. On average, Americans reported currently holding $1,707 of cryptocurrency each but often admitted that they wouldn't touch that money even if a necessary bill or critical payment came up. More than 1 in 10 stopped saving for an emergency to buy crypto, while the same amount said they had skipped out on a purchase that would have genuinely improved their life. Millennials were the most likely to skip saving for their retirement or miss credit card payments to hold onto their existing crypto stashes. That said, the majority of credit card debt is currently held by Generation X, so perhaps millennials have slightly more wiggle room here. Baby boomers, though unlikely to take on debt for cryptocurrency, also had the highest average value already saved up. Affording More Cryptocurrency So how exactly did Americans come to own their roughly $1,700 worth of cryptocurrency? The next part of our study asked respondents how they purchased their crypto, how much they had to borrow, and what they plan on doing in the future to perhaps buy more. Cryptocurrency may well be one of the reasons that many Americans have credit card debt in the first place: 1 in 4 respondents said they purchased cryptocurrency with credit instead of cash. And, in spite of holding only $1,707 worth of crypto, respondents had borrowed nearly $500 more than that to afford it, whether from the bank or from friends and family. Twenty-one percent of respondents planned on accumulating consumer debt in the future to afford more cryptocurrency. The investment gender gap also appears to continue over from traditional investments into cryptocurrency. Men were planning to invest an average of $1,988 into cryptocurrency this upcoming year – $878 more than women. Men were also more likely to borrow in order to add more crypto to their personal rosters. However, while men were more likely to borrow in general, generational breakdowns show that Gen Xer and Baby boomer women had borrowed more on average than men of the same age. Reasons for Holding Respondents had clearly made some drastic financial decisions in order to stay involved with digital currencies. This part of our study asks about their reasons for doing so and the sources they were most commonly influenced by. People taking on debt or avoiding critical purchases may ultimately have the last laugh: Three-quarters of people holding on to cryptocurrency said they believed it has much more value to gain. About a third of respondents said they held on to their cryptocurrency simply to maintain a diverse portfolio. Decisions on how and when to invest were made mostly after consulting Reddit, with over a third of crypto holders getting their information there. While not all information on the site is verified, the world has recently seen the power that Reddit can have over the financial industry. The only source more influential was a single individual – Elon Musk –whose tweets have been known to impact Bitcoin greatly. In one instance, a tweet from Musk plummeted the price of Bitcoin to below $30,000 – a low for this fluctuating currency. Planning Ahead Looking forward, respondents had already laid out some cryptocurrency-related plans. Our study concludes with a look at their anticipated future actions and what they feel willing to sell in order to buy even more digital currency. On average, respondents planned on maintaining their crypto balances for another five years. That said, enormous increases in price would certainly sway a few to start selling. Overall, respondents agreed that a 61% price increase in bitcoin could cause them to sell. Baby boomers, however, had the highest threshold for selling: This generation wanted a 65% increase before they sold. Respondents were highly unwilling to sell all of their crypto, even in exchange for some pretty valuable things. Only a third said they would sell all of their crypto in exchange for a new home. Considering that the average house price in the U.S. is roughly $287,000, and the respondents we spoke to had fewer than $2,000 worth of crypto, this speaks to an incredibly high anticipated rate of return. Gen Z, however, had many respondents agreeing that they would get rid of all of their cryptocurrency if it would cover their student loan debt. Cryptocurrency Costs Respondents proved that there are more costs involved in investing in cryptocurrency than just the dollar amount. They were often investing in lieu of life-improving purchases, paying down credit card bills, or even covering medical expenses. Men and baby boomers were the most likely to borrow in order to continue financing crypto. In the future, most anticipated doubling down on aggressive decisions like these. Few would sell everything even for a new home or being able to quit their jobs. Of course, they felt their decisions were the right ones, as three-fourths said their primary motivation was an anticipation of a solid return on investment. For most, a 61% price increase would cause them to sell what they had. For others, diamond hands were the most valuable asset of all. Methodology and Limitations We surveyed 1,000 crypto investors on their behavior while investing. Among them, 60% were men, 39% were women, and 1% identified as nonbinary. For generational breakdowns, the sample sizes were: Baby boomers: 135 Generation X: 212 Millennials: 442 Generation Z: 206 Other: 5 For short, open-ended questions, outliers were removed. To help ensure that all respondents took our survey seriously, they were required to identify and correctly answer an attention-check question. These data rely on self-reporting by the respondents and are only exploratory. Issues with self-reported responses include, but aren't limited to, the following: exaggeration, selective memory, telescoping, attribution, and bias. All values are based on estimation. Fair Use Statement As the cryptocurrency conversation grows in pace and fervor, data-based information becomes more important than ever. If you or your followers would be interested in this type of information, you are welcome to share it. Just be sure your purposes are noncommercial and that you link back to this page.
  9. As lifelong fans of gambling and in particular online gambling it is fantastic to see how many countries are adopting a positive stance towards the hobby. Even if a region does not currently allow local licensing and advertising opportunities, they tend to adopt a ‘no harm, no foul’ approach which allows players to gamble at offshore casinos without any legislative requirements. In a 2021 review of the legal online gambling landscape Slotegrator reported that gambling regulation falls into one of four distinct categories: Those where gambling websites must be licensed by the local regulator (32 countries) Those where only local gaming sites need a license, not foreign sites (32 Countries) Those where online gambling is prohibited, but no legal action is taken against play at foreign sites (28 countries) Those where there are no gambling restrictions at all (93 countries) When looking at the European Union in the context of these categories is becomes clear that the majority of the member states have adopted or are investigating a multi-license regime. ✓EU Free Trade Supports Gambling Regulation For those who are unfamiliar with how the European Union works simply put it is an agreement between 27 member countries that make up most of continental Europe that aim to promote economic and political unity. As a response to the devastating impact of World War 2 on Europe, the European Economic Community (EEC) was created in 1958 to foster financial dependencies. The logic being that when countries are reliant on one another for trade the likelihood of aggression declines. According to a report by the EU Commission in 2021 “82% of products traded in the Single Market are subject to harmonised rules and some 18% of intra-EU trade in goods fall under mutual recognition”. Given that the EU free trade agreement is such a pivotal part of the makeup and longevity of the Union, online gambling became a hotly debated topic as the UK, who was still a member of the EU at the time, promoted full regulation and licensing and expected to be able to trade with its partners. Jurisdictional legislators such as Malta became highly respected markets who expected EU member states to recognise the validity of an MGA licensed casino to trade within the Union. Members that stood against regulated online gambling were seen to be contradicting the compact, and this early friction ultimately led to a burgeoning European online gambling industry. ✓EGBA Striving for Standardised Regulation As with any other multi-party endeavour one of the challenges members of the EU have had to face is how their differing definitions, requirements and even fee structures have become stumbling blocks for their peers. To assist in creating a unified logic to regulation and a set of standards the Brussels-based European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) was founded. “EGBA works together with national and EU regulatory authorities and other stakeholders towards a well-regulated and well-channelled online gambling market which provides a high level of consumer protection and takes into account the realities of the internet and online consumer demand.” To achieve a sustainable online gambling regime the EGBA strives to: Achieve a well-regulated and competitive market Define an ambitious set of European industry standards Build an integrity-based betting market Address betting-related match-fixing and corruption In addition to creating forums for discourse and staying on top of the day-to-day minutiae associated with tracking the gambling rulings and legislative decision making of 27 member countries the EGBA is also a founding partner of the EU Athletes program, a member of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and registered with the EU Transparency register since 2009. A July 2021 decision by the EU Commission to not reinstate the Expert Group on Online Gambling to assist regulators in coordinating their legal efforts could see the EGBA having an even more authoritative voice as it fills the role that the Commission renounced. ✓The French Gambling Legislation Interestingly enough when looking at online gambling regulation it is important not to interchange online gambling and online casino, especially if you are looking to play online slots in France. While many gambling sites will say that online casino is legal in France, they are in fact incorrect, however, it is correct to say that online gambling is legal in the country. This is because in 2010 France had a massive overhaul of its gambling law which both created the current body known as the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) and legalised all forms of land-based gambling including casino games, card games, and sports betting. However, in an unexpected turn of events when addressing online gambling the regulation only made allowance for the licensing of online poker and online sports betting, while online games of chance remained a restricted category. ✓An Avid Gambling Community Despite the exclusion of online slots and other casino games, online gambling has flourished in France with La Française des Jeux (FDJ) being responsible for betting and lottery games, while Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) is specifically responsible for horse racing. The Q2 2021 report by BusinessWire on the financial results of the FDJ reported that the “digitalised and online stakes” showed an impressive 70% growth over its Q1 results reaching €1.1 billion in revenue from stakes of €9.2 billion. Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO of FDJ, said: “Our stakes are increasing, both online and in our point-of-sale network. Over the half-year, we accordingly recorded an increase of nearly 9% in revenue compared with the same period in 2019. Barring new restrictions in response to developments in the health situation, the Group expects to maintain good momentum in the second half and is confident in its business and results prospects in accordance with its responsible gaming model.” These reports show that the FDJ’s online performance is tracking perfectly for the body to achieve its target of €2.2 billion for the year. Market analysts expect this to come from just over €19 billion in stakes. However, the growth in both player stakes and overall revenue for France’s online gambling market has raised the question of whether their reasoning for excluding online gambling was genuine. When the regulations were announced in 2010 ARJEL argued that games of chance held too high a risk of gambling addiction. That games like slot machines encouraged high engagement and participation, something they then claimed to be looking to actively discourage. However, with the €9.2 billion in stakes over six months it proves French gamblers are an engaged and active community. Despite numerous calls in recent years for other EU member states to open their borders to regulated online gambling, to protect locals and actively participate in the free trade compact France has silently refused to budge on the issue, deflecting the conversation around casino games to a discussion of regulated online gambling instead. In a decision that further confuses the matter, France declared that its citizens may gamble at international offshore casinos. Yet this puts them at risk of playing with casinos who do not adhere to EU safer gambling standards, reduces channelisation by not offering a casino game option for slots players, and driving revenues offshore which could be funnelled into programs that would uplift the French community such education programs and compulsive disorder treatment centres. ✓The Bitcoin Casino Stumbling Block France is one of the most progressive nations in the world and as such has been at the forefront of cryptocurrency adoption. The French are proud HODLERs with nearly 4% of the population owning Bitcoin, Ethereum and other digital tokens. Unsurprisingly the lion’s share of this ownership sits with wealthy, tech-savvy men and women in their late mid-twenties to mid-thirties. It should come as no surprise then that in the absence of regulation making online casino gambling illegal a large portion of the French casino market is turning to Bitcoin casinos. Not only do they get to engage in leading online slots and tables games, but they stand the chance to withdraw even more of the valuable cryptocurrency in the process. However, July 13th saw a Parisian court rule that French ISPs had to block local users from accessing two cryptocurrency gambling sites. The ruling came of the back of a decision to hand over cryptocurrency regulations to Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), a securities watchdog with a specific brief to manage digital currency exchanges in the region. In this case while the casino games themselves were not the issue the ability to buy and sell cryptocurrencies in an unregulated marketplace saw the AMF flex its muscle and once again limit French players access to online casino entertainment. Once again, sane minds argue that if France would extend its current online gambling legislation to include online casino games, they could offer local players access to a secure crypto-exchange and secure a valuable revenue resource in the process.
  10. A few short years ago no one in the world understood what digital currency was let alone how it would one day change the world. Yet today discussions around Bitcoin price hikes, Dogecoin as a meme token, the impact of cryptocurrency mining on both graphic card prices and the environment are dinner table chatter around the world. As an industry where speed of processing, data security and the potential for large financial transactions are central to its day to day running the online gambling market has been heavily invested in the development of blockchain technology and the adoption of cryptocurrencies. In this article, we will delve into what separates an online casino from a cryptocurrency casino. Are there tangible benefits? What are the challenges? Can you legally gamble using cryptocurrency and what games can you enjoy? Online Casino vs Crypto Casino – The Provably Fair Difference In recent years, the line between a blockchain casino and a casino that accepts cryptocurrency payments such as Bitcoin has blurred the definition of what a “crypto casino” is. There is an increasing number of online casinos that have begun accepting deposits and will honour withdrawals via your cryptocurrency wallet. Allowing you to gamble at their casino with credits purchased via Bitcoin, Ethereum or whichever token they accept. However, a true crypto casino does far more than just trade Bitcoin for casino credits. These casinos operate on the blockchain themselves. Their websites, their games, your personal information and ultimately your wagers are placed directly on the blockchain meaning it is all protected by the most advanced encryption platform known today. With the unique hash records available when processing transactions on the blockchain, the same technology used to verify Bitcoin transactions, you can track the validity of the outcome of each game you play at a crypto casino. This system of Provably Fair gaming puts the power to review every hand of blackjack, every spin of the reels and every roll of the dice in Craps and verify that the outcome you were shown is true and unaltered by any third party interference. A great example of this Bitcoin.com which now offers casino games on its platform, that is as close the source as one can hope to get when gambling with BTC. Advantages of Crypto Gambling – Count the Cost In any scenario where you are investing your time and money, both precious commodities, we always recommend looking at the facts and making a reasoned decision from there. The advantages of crypto casinos are: Unparalleled security – Given the virtually impenetrable nature of the blockchain it offers gamblers unprecedented levels of privacy and data protection. Less intrusive experience – When transacting via the blockchain the code behind your wallet is what is needed to complete a transaction. In this case gambling at a true crypto casino will require very little personal information from you to sign up and no additional KYC documentation when you cash out. Transactional transparency – The peer to peer nature of the blockchain ensures that you have a full view of who you send money to and receive it from, as well as giving you access to Provably Fair reviews of the individual games you play. Growing selection of licensed casinos – As Bitcoin continues to pave the way for mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies so more regulated markets are beginning to accept cryptocurrencies. This ensures you all the benefits of virtual currency gambling with the support of player-centric gambling authorities. Superior banking options – The low costs, advanced security and unmatched processing speeds of cryptocurrencies make them the superior option when transacting online. However, as more casinos accept Bitcoin and other virtual currencies you still have access to web wallets and credit card transactions if you want them. Better payout percentages – With the low cost of operating an online casino on the blockchain and other revenue generation models for operators that include using the power of gambling transactions to mine for tokens blockchain casinos can offer overall payout percentages of up to 99%. This is far better than 93% to 97% offered by traditional online casinos. Casino game selection – Gambling on the blockchain no longer limits you to playing special blockchain games with poor graphics and limited animations. The world’s leading developers like Big Time Gaming now develop for the blockchain offering great casino games for true crypto casinos. Accessing traditional online casinos which transact in Bitcoin means you have access to award-winning slots and live dealer games from providers like Evolution and Netent. When it comes to shifting your online gambling from a known and trusted online casino to a new crypto casino it is worth digging into the pros and cons of the move and making a decision based on a balanced review of the facts and your personal needs. Choosing a Crypto Casino – Hot Button Items When discussing crypto-based casinos with our community and finding out from them what their most important selection criteria were for choosing a new online casino the following points were the most common across the board: Can I trust the casino to pay me? Will they find excuses to delay my payment? How safe is my information? Do they offer good bonuses? When it comes to finding a trustworthy online casino to play at the addition of cryptocurrencies to a casino is in fact an extraordinarily strong trust cue. With the total transparency and Provable Fair nature of the blockchain, these casinos are more exposed to their players than any traditional online casino. When you consider that you can also play at a regulated casino in Bitcoin you have added another layer of security as now have a safe technology platform and a stringent gaming authority both protecting you. The speed with which you can withdraw your winnings has always been a hot topic for online gamblers. Looking at the FAQs of leading cryptocurrency casinos like Bitstarz, BitCasino and Bitcoin Games Casino they all offer instant withdrawals. The protection of your personal and financial information is of paramount importance to all reputable online casinos. In this case, it becomes a matter of degrees; online casinos are as secure as banks when they utilise 128-bit SSL encryption but the blockchain is objectively the superior encryption method and so blockchain-based casinos will always be the safer option. At their core, the types of bonuses you receive at online casinos and cryptocurrency casinos will be the same either deposit match offers, free bonus credits or free spins. However, you may find the wagering requirements less stringent at crypto sites and their overall payout percentages higher which could mean you stand to withdraw more at a crypto casino on paper, but only Lady Luck knows where those chips will fall. Licensing and Regulation – Does it Matter for Crypto? No matter what your preferred gambling platform is, even when playing offline, there is no substitute for the peace of mind that gambling under a globally recognised regulator brings. They are far more than just a marketing watchdog that rakes in licensing fees. These gaming authorities ensure that operators have sufficient funds to pay your withdrawals, manage national safe gambling programs, require license holders to have their business practices reviewed by third-party auditors and work with law enforcement to shut down illegal operations. Adding the technology-based protections inherent to the blockchain to this substantial jurisdictional protection ensures that you have the safest and potentially profitable online gambling experience possible. In Conclusion With the advancements made in the online gambling services available on the blockchain, it is a good time to see if at the very least your current online casino accounts offer the option to transact in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. If you live in a regulated gambling market that has approved Bitcoin gambling it is worth adding the added protection provided by the blockchain to the security you already experience under your current legislation. Cryptocurrencies are growing in mainstream adoption so getting to grips with this technical and financial phenomenon through a medium you already enjoy, online gambling, is an easy way to luddite to crypto-pro!
  11. When Satoshi Nakamoto penned his now revered whitepaper “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” in 2008 it was taken as nothing more than the ravings of an anti-establishment nut by those who bothered to take note. For the most part, the idea of an electronic financial system, run by the people and for the people, free from government oversight and unshackled from the established banking infrastructure was pure fantasy. However, as with most bleeding-edge technologies that hold any real value one of three sectors will drive its progress: the war machine, the adult industry, or the criminal underground. Even in the world of gambling, this trinity of progress holds true. The history of land-based gambling is rife with stories of mobsters and gangsters; however, the business has matured into a legitimate gambling entertainment industry. The internet was developed and nurtured by governments intent of its data transmission potential, something vital to national security measures and in gaining an advantage in times of war. This new technology received funding and was driven into the mainstream by the adult industry as its need to store and transmit high-resolution images and video files became central to how it operated online. Whether you support or appreciate any of these individual building blocks is irrelevant. The reality is that we all benefit from the advancement and adoption of high-speed internet, data storage technology and high-resolution streaming available to us today – be it watching content on YouTube or playing Live Dealer casino games at your favourite mobile casino. Silk Road’s Rough Edges One of the early adopters of the then fledgling decentralised cryptocurrency Bitcoin was a 26 year old Penn State graduate, Ross Ulbricht. During his studies Ulbricht became enamoured with the economic musings of the libertarian economist Ludwig von Mises. Investopedia describes von Mises as: “… an economist of the Austrian school who argued for free markets and against socialism, interventionism, and government manipulation of money.” Confronted with the potential of Bitcoin, full of passion and head knowledge, swayed by the outlandish teachings of an expert, and confronted with a once in a lifetime opportunity to make difference in the world of finance and market economies Ulbricht leapt without thinking… and in 2011 he landed on the idea of Silk Road. In a recorded call with Bitcoin Magazine Ulbricht said: “I thought with Bitcoin, I could try and do something that actually makes a difference— Back then, I was impatient. I rushed ahead with my first idea, which was Silk Road… That’s a 26-year-old who thinks he has to save the world before someone beats him to it. I had no idea Silk Road would work, but now we all know it caught on.” In concept it a great idea, the perfect digital resistance to world full of government dominance and financial strangulation. A truly free and unfettered marketplace where buyers and sellers can transact using Bitcoin without Big Brother tracking their every move. The sad reality is free from restraint and needing specialised skills to enter this new decentralised world it was the criminal element that attached itself to his new venture, not the everyman that he believed would be best served by it. And it would be this element that would be his downfall. Duality of Decentralisation Conceptually the free market economy of Silk Road was a great idea and a practical way to prove the potential of decentralised currencies. You can sell your property, skills, and goods free of excessive fees and taxes. Restraints of goods and materials that exist only because of the squabbles of politicians can be sidestepped in the name of the greater good. The flip side to this altruistic coin is that profit is the real driving force in any economic environment and there is no denying the amount of money behind organised crime. Where Silk Road had the potential to do good, the charges brought against Ulbricht tell a quite different story. Ulbricht, who operated under the moniker “Dread Pirate Roberts”, was arrested in 2013 for creating and maintaining a darknet marketplace which facilitated: The sale of illegal narcotics The sale of stolen weapons Murder-for-hire contracts While Ulbricht never personally traded in drugs or firearms and was never connected to any provable assassination contracts, he ran the empire that brokered the relationships and financial transactions that made these possible. Not only did he facilitate these illicit transactions, but Silk Road took a percentage of the cost of the transaction meaning he benefited directly from each contract. Silk Road is recorded as having generated $213.9 million in sales during its two-year run which meant $13.2 million in commissions for Ulbricht. While many of his supporters cry foul, lumping Ulbricht in with the likes of infamous whistleblower Edward Snowden, Ulbricht’s laptop was shown to hold millions of words in conversations between Ulbricht and his team discussing the types of sales available on the site. Proving he knowingly profited from illegal and even life-threatening activities. What may have begun as an altruistic movement sadly ended up being nothing more than a highly profitable criminal platform. One that has seen Ulbricht sentenced to two-life terms plus forty years without the possibility of parole. The Power of a Maturate Market The world we are in today seems incredibly far removed from the wild times that saw the meteoric rise and fall of Silk Road. Discussions around cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and many others are part of daily life. The need for specialised access to tools like Tor browsers and access to the dark web is virtually non-existent as exchanges have simplified the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies, and mainstream financial institutions begin to offer crypto investment options as part of the portfolios. Even the adoption of stablecoin methodologies by world governments in the pursuit of the creation and institutionalisation of digital currencies such as the digital Yuan and digital Dollar is proof that blockchain technology is changing the world. For the online gambling community, this means even faster and more secure banking options, instant withdrawals of winnings and the highest possible levels of data security for your personal information. While Nakamoto’s vision of a global financial system free from restraint and control by external parties may one day come into being, where we are right now is a good place to be. We have a groundbreaking technology that is changing the world by allowing unbanked and poor countries to transact internationally in order to feed families and save lives, it is creating the potential for a new trade paradigm not dominated by the US dollar and it is doing so in the public domain, where the global community is learning and growing together.
  12. The world of finance, investment and technology was irrevocably transformed with the invention of blockchain technology and the subsequent development of cryptocurrencies. For the first time, the world was offered a new way of storing data, securing information, and transacting that did not rely on the existing system that put the power and most of the profits in the hands of middlemen. As blockchain adoption grows and the general populace begin to understand the pros and cons of cryptocurrencies it is becoming apparent that a daily digital currency is needed, and stablecoin could very well be the answer. Clarifying What Stablecoin Is Stablecoin is the future of global monetary systems are they represent the best use of blockchain and crypto-technology while offering countries a stable digital currency devoid of the fluctuations prevalent in decentralised investment currencies. YouHolder clearly defines this new variant of cryptocurrency as: “A stablecoin is a currency pegged to another asset and acts as a practical way of using cryptocurrencies while being stable, secure, and convenient for transactions avoiding the highly volatile nature of traditional cryptocurrencies.” By building a daily use token on the same security, provability, and smart contracts as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin a country can seamlessly convert its paper money into a digital version that retains its local commercial value but offers far more benefits and security to the user. What Collateral Secures Stablecoin? The stability of stablecoin tokens is ensured by basing the value of the coin on one of the following asset types: An existing fiat currency – Simply put these are virtual currencies that base their value on a one-to-one exchange with an existing fiat currency. An example of this would be the Digital Dollar where one Digital Dollar is worth one US dollar. Precious metals – These stablecoin tokens base their value on the store of precious metals like gold and fluctuate their token value based on the price of a predetermined mineral. Other cryptocurrencies – While this is less common there are some tokens that base their value on the value of the cryptocurrency platform they are built on. This is seen with stablecoin’s using the Ethereum platform. Collateral free coins – Coins that become official government tender would fall into this category. These tokens are not valued based on a fiat currency or asset but draw their value from being the Central Banks monetary offering for that country. Why Bitcoin is Not a Stablecoin The reality of this new technology is that decentralised investment products such as Bitcoin, while they hold the allure of a modern-day gold rush, are not able to effectively function as a day-to-day transaction method. This is due primarily to the extreme volatility of Bitcoin and its peers, volatility which is driven by limited supply and the impact of public opinion on its perceived value. It is this low volume and reliance of market opinion that allows Tweets by Elon Musk to crash Bitcoin’s value by 30% in a single day. Stablecoin, however, combines the technological benefits of crypto-technology with the inherent stability associated with a centralised currency backed by a tangible asset such as gold, art, or even a fiat currency like the US dollar or Euro. Stablecoin is the Future of Global Economies At present there are several countries that are invested in launching a digital version of their local currency to advance the adoption of this new technology: Dubai – While Dubai does not consider Bitcoin legal tender it has launched its own cryptocurrency, DubaiCoin (DBIX). DubaiCoin is expected to become the regional method of transacting both locally and globally, with Dubai intending to become the “first blockchain-powered government”. America – The non-profit Digital Dollar Project is testing several programs over the coming year to help the country launch its Central Bank Digital Currency. It will become the official form in which the Centra Bank issues money to citizens and for trade. China – The Chinese government is rolling out the Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DC/EP) system, which is essentially a digital Yuan. The project is Beijing’s attempt to protect their “currency sovereignty and legal currency status” while creating a trade environment not dominated by the US dollar. Russia – The Digital Ruble prototype is set to launch late in 2021 and based on user and central bank feedback is being eyed to become Russia’s primary currency within three years. India – While India is aggressively anti-Bitcoin, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that it is currently developing an official digital currency for the country which will be regulated by the central bank. The pressing need for many countries is to facilitate buying and selling on a micro and macro scale without the need for paper money. There are several reasons for this need including secure trading in a world where hacking and digital theft are commonplace, instant international financial transactions, massive reduction in the cost of local and international banking, tracking, and reporting on all transactions on the network, being able to move away from maintaining a physical cash ecosystem and finally the health benefits of contactless transactions in a post-Covid world. How Can You Use Stablecoin in Daily Life While country-level currencies are a high-end use case for stablecoin technology here are some of the day-to-day uses of this unique token: Paying your rent and buying groceries Sending money overseas to family Easily paying for goods when travelling abroad Legal gambling in regulated markets Investing locally and internationally Paying for medical costs Given how the blockchain works it would also be possible for transacting with an approved central currency to mine the blockchain for cryptocurrencies. Rather than the current interest system using the network would reward you with more crypto. Cryptocurrencies and the Environment The surge in value and subsequent interest in cryptocurrency led to concerns over the environmental impact of the technology. Primarily concerns have centred around: Increased drain on electrical grids Burning through large quantities of fossil fuels Massive volumes of carbon emissions To put some of these concerns in perspective, Bitcoin mining alone uses more electricity in a year than the whole of the Netherlands for the same time period. While this negative attention did cause a dramatic decline in cryptocurrency values it has also been the driving force behind the mobilisation of crypto miners in pursuit of sustainable and renewable crypto mining. This initiative is being spearheaded by Elon Musk (Tesla) and Michael Saylor (MicroStrategy) who formed the Bitcoin Mining Council with the intention of addressing “climate issues and decentralisation”.
  13. While the news cycle is filled with talk of cryptocurrencies such a Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano and even meme-tokens like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, truly little of the media hype focuses on the real star of the show, blockchain technology. In many people's minds cryptocurrency and the blockchain are the same thing, which is not the case. The innovative way in which the blockchain stores, transmits and ultimately secures data is the foundational element upon which crypto-technology is built. In practical terms, while the mainstream media has been focusing on the cryptocurrencies and their incredible immediate financial value, development firms have been quietly working on using this amazing new technology to create new industries and improve existing ones. 7 Ways Blockchain Technology Will Improve Your Life There are hundreds if not thousands of ways in which blockchain tech can be used to refine and redefine the world around us. We have chosen to focus on seven industries that will benefit from blockchain integration based on recent developments or news stories. ✓Value-Driven Arts and Entertainment Piracy has never been easier thanks to the ability to scan, print and share just about any type of media online easily. This has led to ‘one of a kind’ artworks ending up as cheap prints on everything from mousepads to children’s toys. Artists are unable to protect their intellectual property rights and it has a measurable impact on their bottom line. Whether you are self-publishing a novel, realising a new album or creating your perfect painting once you release it into the world someone will make an illegal copy and try to profit from your skill and hard work. Thanks to the incredible security, peer-to-peer sharing and provable nature of blockchain interactions artists are now able to securely display, share and sell their creations safely, and when dealing with a third-party agent, transparently to ensure they receive full value. This new level of trust and transparency has been the catalyst behind the boom in NFT (non-fungible token) art sales. Where, for the first time in history, it is possible to provably own an original digital creation. This ensures that the artist receives fair value, agents must deal fairly with buyers and sellers and collectors are ensured that their purchase will retain value given the ability to legally prove theirs is the original artwork and not a fake. ✓Beating Scalpers with Digital Ticketing and Sales One of the most recent uproars online has been the rise of the digital scalper. Using blockchain technology to ensure patrons received tickets to highly sought after events, rather than scalpers, has proven to be highly effective for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Florida. Assistant Vice President, Business Intelligence, Nicole Keating said: “While our work with True Tickets began as an initiative to keep tickets in the hands of our community and out of the hands of brokers, their mobile ticketing solution is, now more than ever, a critical component of our safety protocols.” An unexpected but positive spin-off has been their ability to offer contactless ticketing in a world recovering from the pandemic. Sadly, the reach of the scalping community has not been limited to ticket sales for events, as new age scalpers apply sophisticated algorithms to tracking the online releases of everything from the latest Nike trainers to NVidia’s 3000 series graphics cards. Using automated bots, these scalpers buy up all the available stock within seconds which then creates an artificial shortage. As has been the case with the release of Nvidia’s highly anticipated 3000 series GPU’s this has resulted in ‘resellers’ asking as much as $3000 for a graphics card that retails for $699. With a simple tweak of the blockchain code used by event hubs such as the Arsht Center, online retailers would be able to trigger individual smart contracts that ensured that each individual unit of a product sold online was going to an actual customer and not a platform looking to defraud the public. ✓Advancing the Potential of Ridesharing Despite being raised to never get in cars with stranger the cost-effectiveness of ridesharing combined with the ease of hailing a ride on short notice has seen the industry boom with start-ups like Uber and Lyft becoming multi-billion dollar companies while consisting of little more than some fairly basic technology, an app, and a control office. Yet the industry could be far more than what it is, and Arcade City is out to prove it. The innovative new rideshare hub is turning the industry on its head and using blockchain technology to do so. Inspired by the decentralised nature of the blockchain Arcade City CEO Christopher David began working on a model that better served the drivers and the people ordering their services. Rather than pre-setting rates and doling out contracts Arcade City allows the drivers to set their own rates, build recurring smart contract agreements with customers and even offer non-traditional rideshare services like deliveries, roadside assistance and more. This means that everyone from a student looking to work between classes and a small delivery business owner who needs additional income to pay his staff can all benefit from this decentralised blockchain-enabled opportunity. ✓Streamlined Banking Systems To decentralised currency evangelists the mainstream banking may be anathema, however, the reality is that the entire world runs on fiat currency systems and is underpinned by these traditional institutions. Three immediate areas that the blockchain could address are: Online identity verification systems – With the institution of protocols like Zero Knowledge Proof, an online user would only need to prove their identity at a single point. From there on that proof of identity is accepted by all other service providers on the blockchain. This reduces how far one’s personal data is shared enhancing your privacy, while still offering service providers and sellers the security of doing business with a trusted party. Financial clearing and payment settlements – With provable accounts, smart contracts, and the speed of transacting across the blockchain banks could begin to clear transactions and facilitate near instant global transfers while reducing costs by eliminating the multi-step processes that currently exist. Providing accounts for the unbanked – In poorer countries around the world there are estimated to be more than 2 billion people without access to any form of banking. Decentralised blockchain banking would allow secure, low cost, access for these people and allow them to receive international income to support their families and fight poverty. At its core banking is the simply the control, measurement, and facilitation of asset transfers between various private and public entities it can benefit greatly from the inherently secure and provable nature of blockchain transactions. The three items listed above are considered standard in any blockchain transaction, yet they would be revolutionary if applied to the traditional banking world. ✓New Era of Blockchain-Driven Advertising The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) postulates that by 2025 click fraud and other underhand tactics will have cost the digital advertising industry as much as $50 billion in lost revenues. Like every other industry the online advertising world is rife with fraudsters. The reality is that as soon as you hand over funds to a third party for access to a framework that obfuscates its mechanics you open yourself up to being taken advantage of. This becomes more likely the more you spend as it becomes less tenable to track each individual advertiser and their click data the more providers you must engage to meet your ad spend requirements. However, this is all null and void when the programmatic advertising platform is built on the blockchain. As all agreements are facilitated by smart contracts and each transaction is visible in its entirety to the person paying for the traffic it is simple to determine where your money is being allocated and to review the clicks that you have purchased. This will make click fraud incredibly difficult to facilitate, and should some genius work out how to do it, you have the visibility and the tools to shut it down immediately. ✓Voting in The People’s Choice The right to vote is the backbone of every democratic society around the globe. Yet, as the allegations of Russian tampering that clouded Donald Trump’s presidential term proved there is a level of distrust around traditional voting mechanics, their controls, and their final outcomes. As we discussed earlier with banking and online advertising the blockchain’s very construction ensures the secure transmission of data, offers the ability to prove the identity of each individual participating in the transaction, and finally offers provably fair data based on the information it has gathered. In practical terms this would allow for voters to be registered in an uncrackable blockchain database, using smart contracts allow them to vote privately and securely for their chosen politician, and finally allow the electoral body to report on who received what number of votes. The blockchain is the ideal platform for facilitating free, fair and unhackable democratically sound elections. ✓Safe and Secure Online Gambling As passionate fans of the online gambling community we cannot overlook to the benefits and advantages of blockchain gaming. Beyond the ability to stake wagers via Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies the blockchain is the ideal platform for hosting online casinos, online poker rooms, online bingo halls and sports books. Any blockchain-based gambling providers ensures: Your privacy – With the ability to store your data in an uncrackable decentralised environment your personal details and gambling history are guaranteed to be safe and secure. Provably fair gambling – The transparent nature of blockchain coding means that you can pull the server side results of each spin of the reels or deal of the cards. All blockchain-based casinos offer provably fair reports, so you have an obstructed view of your wagers and their outcomes. Secure money in and money out – Using blockchain based digital wallets to transact ensure that not only are your deposits processed instantly but they are untraceable. The same is true of your withdrawals as there is no delay in receiving your winnings once you cash out, and with the funds returning to the same secure wallet you deposited from they are also private. We can only hope that larger developers like Microgaming, Playtech and NetEnt begin to invest in transitioning their casino games from traditional gambling environments to blockchain based servers. While there is obviously a financial implication to this type of new technology shift there is no disputing that as blockchain adoption increases traditional server and hosting platforms will begin to diminish in favour of one that offers security, privacy, lower costs, and much higher speeds.
  14. Online gambling has been around for close to three decades now and has evolved and grown immensely over that time. Enhancements in technology have been one of the biggest motivating factors for these changes, coupled together with the demands from the player-base for increased innovation in keeping with these modern conveniences. The perfect example of this trend playing out can be found in the call for a mobile gambling market. Did you know? The first mobile gambling venture in the UK (the biggest iGaming market in Europe) was a mobile lottery, which launched in 2003. One of the most significant evolutions happening at the moment is the increased growth and influence of the cryptocurrency market. The popularity of crypto casinos is on the rise, thanks to the increasing technology in the blockchain world – a world dominated by a millennial generation that is comfortable adapting to fresh technology and ideas. In fact, they demand it! Because the future is in the hands of the current generation, tomorrow’s gambling market must evolve to meet their needs and desires, or it will die out. Current data suggests that sub-40-year-olds are not as drawn to mainstream casino games as older generations are and are more prone to enjoy the latest social gaming innovations from the crypto space. What is the Winning Recipe for the Future? To understand the future for crypto and general online casino gaming, we need to understand the subtle changes that are happening in the market right now. These are indicating factors of where the gambling market is going. Currently, all the communicating factors point towards the position that strong ‘’digital community’’ values are at the heart of this current and up-and-coming generation of players. Interaction online is becoming a major trend across various markets. Just look at a few of the obvious examples around us. Social Media Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are bigger than ever before and newcomer, TikTok, is making big waves. Billions of people use these applications daily to reach out to their friends and the greater world. Quick Fact: Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world. It boasts a massive 2.8 billion active users in the first quarter of 2021. These platforms provide the perfect setting for a digital communal environment. People can find their voice and link themselves to special interest groups and communicate with friends across the span of the globe in a matter of seconds. The social media craze is a real indicator that the current generation is a fan of digital community qualities. The Latest Video Gaming Crazes While single-player games were a lot of fun for those over 35 years of age when they were growing up, this is no longer the case. Today the most popular games in the world are all multi-player options. Games such as Roblox, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends draw millions of players around the world daily. All the pre-mentioned gaming brands have one thing in common – they are multi-player based. In fact, Fortnite, Warzone, and Apex Legends are all Battle Royale type games, meaning that players can team up with others to compete against other player-based teams. Technology like Discord and other team chat software applications even allow the gamers to talk to each other while playing. Why are these multi-player titles the most popular games right now? Because they all offer a social environment where people can interact with others. It seems like common sense that players exposed to such gaming environments would seek similar or better-quality gaming interactions when they graduate to the gambling sphere. ✓ The E-sports Boom One of the fastest-growing digital industries at the moment is e-gaming. This immerging market not only harnesses the qualities of one-on-one competition but affords fans the option to bet on the outcomes of the games. While e-sport is in its infancy, educated estimates predict that this fresh and fast-paced gaming market should reach a capitalisation of around $13 billion by 2025. Once again, the driving influence for this popular digital sport form is the fact that players compete against each other for a shot at the prize. In many games (like FIFA), each side can comprise of multiple gamers. It is no longer as thrilling to compete against a machine as it is to take on your peers head-to-head. It seems that even in the world of machines and high-end tech that basic human qualities will endure, albeit that the social trends are a little different from the norms of generations gone by. ✓ Live Casino and Poker Trends Closer to home, two of the quickest growing game options at online casinos are online poker rooms and live dealer games. Evolution Gaming has taken the world by storm and is a heavyweight in international gambling circles. They just recently acquired gaming giant, NetEnt, for a massive sum. The recipe behind the company’s success has been its ability to join real people together in a casino environment for a common cause. The social interaction involved makes live table games and gameshow titles very popular. Virtual table game libraries are shrinking on casino sites while live game portfolios are growing. Did you know? Trends amongst younger gamblers show that live casino games such as Live Monopoly, and other such gameshow titles are firm favourites in the live dealer marketplace. Online poker similarly offers a social aspect to the game. While the dealers are not visible via stream, multiple players can take seats at the virtual tables and interact via a live chat tool. Online poker has exploded thanks to fabulous social poker sites like PokerStars. ✓ The Outcome The simple fact is that the current generation loves technology and can spend hours lost in the digital realms. However, they remain human and therefore crave interaction as social beings. A platform that can combine this form of entertainment with the necessary interaction qualities is onto the winning solution for the future. Up until now, the crypto casino world has done a sterling job in identifying this need and working towards placating its punters. Why Does Crypto = Community? There are few good reasons why cryptocurrency and crypto casinos are on the cutting edge of the social gambling trend and why they are community-friendly. These include: Multi-Player Games: There are a number of casino games coming from the decentralised market that focus on multi-player playability. They are extremely popular. As a relatively new tech in casino realms, blockchain-based casinos are usually frequented by younger players. Power to the People: Decentralised blockchain technology removes the need for a trusted middleman. This ideology directly empowers the people and encourages person-to-person interaction and trade. It implements a return to a more basic and personal way of life. Us against the world: The crypto world is very misunderstood and often shunned by mainstream finance, much like the current millennial generation is misunderstood by the ‘boomers’ who have gone before it. Both the platform and the people have an ‘’us versus the world’’ outlook on life. A common cause is usually a great unifier and brings communities closer together. One thing we can learn from crypto is that the next generation is eager for change. A change that sees a move away from isolated gaming experiences and embraces a more social and inclusive environment. What We Hope to See Soon The crypto realms are already on the right path and are quite likely to lead the way ahead. This is what we hope to see happening soon. ✓ More Innovative Multi-Player Games Now that we know what the industry needs to attract the next generation, we hope to see more and more mainstream and blockchain-based game providers introduce such games into the marketplace. Spearhead Gaming’s debut arcade/gambling game, Astroboomers: To the Moon, is a classic example of the type of entertainment we need to attract the up-and-coming player base. We also hope to see advanced mechanisms for players to share their accolades and wins within groups and special social media platforms. This alone provides great incentives for more competitive player types. ✓ Increased Usability at Crypto Casinos The practical issues involving high costs for microtransactions need solving to bring the crypto casino market to its full potential. Quick Fact: Ethereum launched a second blockchain platform called ‘’Ethereum 2.0’’ to try and solve the high transaction fee dilemma facing the usability of Ether for smaller transactions. Right now, decentralised blockchains cater better to big funds transfers than to multiple small ones. Blockchains, like Ethereum, are leading the way towards this sort of usability. ✓ Increased Education on Crypto Tech ‘An informed people are a happy people,’ according to a wise old adage. More education about crypto-realms and the qualities of the blockchain would go a long way towards the evolution and enhancement of the current online industry and influence current player bases to make the change. This should include a change of ideology to follow current social trends and an increased willingness from mainstream operators to adopt cryptocurrency as a form of tender on their sites. Round-Up One thing is for certain, the online casino industry has proven itself resilient over the years. Its ability to change and adapt is demonstrated in its year-on-year revenue growth. Its versatility is sure to continue as leading brands place big money into monitoring current trends and ensuring they stay on the cutting edge of innovation. Journey with us, at GamblersPick, as we keep you up to date with all the latest trends and introduce you to all the newest innovations and technologies as they drop.
  15. While the adage "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" would have you believe that there is no real difference between gambling online or at your local casino, that simply is not true. While land-based casinos do offer certain benefits like the potential to get free drinks, be comped a meal, and the experience of a night out “on the town”, playing at an online casino offers far more benefits for both experienced and beginner gamblers to enjoy. Why Gambling Online is the Best Here are 10 reasons why we believe online casinos trump their land-based peers every day of the week: 1. Perfect Environment for New Players Most online casinos offer free to play versions of the real money games they have on offer. This is the perfect way for new players to get to grips with the mechanics, features and bet sizes of any game they intend to play for real money later. Not only can you play these games for free, but each game comes with handy in-game hints and a detailed help file that explains everything from what each button does to how wins are determined and the games specific return to player percentage. 2. Online Casinos Offer Better Payouts The simple fact of the matter is that the House always has an advantage, whether playing online or at a land-based gambling venue – the trick is optimising that advantage as best possible. This is where online casinos beat out their brick and mortar counterpart’s hands down. Land-based casinos must cover the costs of running sprawling complexes which include restaurants, bars, clubs and all the staff to man these various activities. Online casinos only have support staff and tech-related costs which cost a fraction of what it takes to run an offline casino. This is why online casinos offer payouts of around 96%, this means the average house edge is as low as 4%. 3. Incredibly Range of Online Slots Slot machines are by far the most popular game type whether you choose to play online or offline, this is due to their wide range of themes, interactive features, payline options and jackpot win potential. Plus, individual developers each offer something unique to give their slots even more appeal. Big Time Gaming created their Megaways system offering up to 117,649 ways to win, Microgaming offers incredible progressive jackpot wins on their Mega Moolah slots and so much more. 4. Gamble When It Suits You Unlike online casinos which are open all year round, not all local casinos offer 24/7 access to their games. By playing online you can hop onto your favourite slot machine or play a few hands of blackjack whenever it is best for you. Oftentimes it is also simply not possible to coordinate getting to a casino venue at conventional times given the demands placed on our time by work, travel, family and more. In this instance being able to relax over a cup of coffee and a few spins of the reels when you have downtime available to you is an important feature. When you add this to the fact that you can play on your mobile device online gambling offers the most comprehensive, customer-first, gambling experience you could hope for. 5. Live and Play on Your Mobile The mobile device is far more than just a phone these days, we all run our lives from these tiny handheld computers. Online casinos understand this and offer an engaging gambling experience right there in the palm of your hand. Best of all thanks to high-quality apps and HTML5 these casinos offer the same entertainment on your device as they do when you play on your laptop or desktop computer. Allowing you to gamble whenever and wherever you want to. 6. There is Always a Seat for You A very real downside to gambling at a land-based venue, especially in smaller towns, is limited seating or access to popular games. At an online casino, whether you are playing at peak traffic times or in the middle of the night, your favourite casino table or online slot will be waiting for you to dive right in. This is equally true of buying additional casino chips while playing your favourite game. Online casinos allow you to easily top your chip stack from within the game you are playing rather than expecting you to get out of the action to go get more chips as you would at your local casino. 7. Fantastic Casino Bonus Selection Receiving bonuses at a land-based casino is highly unlikely for a new player. All new players at reputable online casinos will receive some form of welcome bonus. This bonus acts both as a gift basket to make you feel at home and as a safety net with which you can test out casino games without risking your own money. These casino bonuses will include deposit match bonuses, free spins, no deposit bonuses, wager free bonuses or a combination of these. Once you are a regular at the casino you will be able to avail yourself of reload bonuses, cashback and Loyalty bonuses. 8. Choose When to Play with Others A big part of ensuring your mental health though, especially during lockdowns is having the choice to play with others when you need contact and give yourself space when that is more important. One of the fastest-growing niches within the online gaming industry is the live casino sector. This allows players to step away from purely RNG casino games to enjoy the experience of interacting with a live dealer and the players around the table. As the market appetite for live games has grown so developers like Evolution Gaming have stepped up to grow their selection beyond traditional games like blackjack, roulette, and craps, to include custom games like Monopoly Live, Deal or No Deal Live and Mega Ball. 9. Protect Your Privacy with Bitcoin For players who are looking to further enhance the privacy and security offered by online gambling, there is the option to gamble at a Bitcoin casino. These sites are built on the blockchain, offer provably fair gambling, and ensure that your transactions are hidden from prying eyes thanks to Bitcoin’s incredible encryption. This is over and above any other measures, one can take online to protect their search histories and online banking by using virtual private networks (VPN) to connect to the internet. 10. Safety First When making the decision whether to play online or go to a local casino one must consider the potential health risks. Given the current situation we all find ourselves in, it is prudent to avoid crowds of people and rather play from home. With the ease of access to multiple casinos and swathes of cutting edge casino games, not to mention the bonuses and 24/7 personal support, there is very little reason to play at a land-based casino when with the click of a button you can enjoy world-class entertainment from the comfort of your home.
  16. Since its launch in 2009, cryptocurrency has taken the world by storm. In essence, it can be described as digital money. Many people invest in it, hoping the value of whatever crypto they have goes up. For example, at the start of 2013, Bitcoin was trading at around $13.50 per coin and peaked at just under $24,000 per coin in December of 2020. To understand the full scope of the cryptocurrency global landscape, we surveyed over 1,000 people regarding their investment tendencies and feelings toward the digital dollar. What does the future hold for Bitcoin and the many other cryptocurrencies circulating around the net? With their rapid rise in popularity and worth, they may be here for the long haul and might even eventually render the physical money we know and love obsolete. Keep reading to discover who's investing in what and why. Cryptocurrency at a Glance From the surveyed population, 76% had invested in cryptocurrency entering 2021. Millennials were the most keen on it – 80.1% of them fell into this age category. Among respondents, 64% were men, and 36% were women. By a large margin, the most owned cryptocurrency was Bitcoin (51.4%). The next highest was Bitcoin cash at 10.4%, and the rest were all well under that. Investors were five times more likely to own Bitcoin versus other cryptocurrencies – there are a handful of factors that contribute to its popularity. Bitcoin is worth a lot (over $35,000 USD apiece at the time of writing this), has been around longer than other cryptocurrencies and major companies have started to accept it as a legitimate payment option. Crypto influencers offer advice, news, and predictions for the crypto world – almost 60% of cryptocurrency owners took influencer knowledge into account when investing. Vitalik Buterin, a Canadian-Russian programmer, is one of the most famous figures in the crypto world. He co-founded Bitcoin Magazine in 2012 and Ethereum in 2015, which has become the second-largest cryptocurrency worldwide. Another influencer, Erik Voorhees, is an American entrepreneur who has been at the forefront of numerous crypto-related ventures. He launched a bitcoin gambling website in 2012 called SatoshiDICE and founded Coinapult in 2013 which allowed users to send bitcoins via SMS. In 2015, he turned his attention toward his new venture, ShapeShift, a currency exchange and management platform that supported many different cryptocurrencies. Of the last 12 years, 2018 saw the highest level of first-time cryptocurrency investment, with 21.4% of respondents entering the market at the time. Overall, 46% of respondents started to invest in 2018 and beyond. A tremendous increase in Bitcoin price over the last couple years could explain the rise in interest and subsequent investments. The Crypto Experience When further analyzing respondent's feelings toward cryptocurrency investment, more can be learned about their views, opinions, and experiences with it. Firstly, 53% of current cryptocurrency owners worried about criminal activity. According to a Crypto Crime Report conducted by Chainanalysis, the value of Bitcoin that had been sent to and from various markets on the dark web totalled over $600 million. To that end, 65% of respondents agreed that cryptocurrency should be regulated and monitored by the government in an attempt to crack down against the rampant illegal activity in the crypto underworld. Forty-one percent of investors claimed they had fallen for a scam or experienced an attempted scam. There are a lot of tricks scammers can use to con people out of their money. It is usually done by email or telephone – a common strategy used is to offer participation in online referral strategy schemes or investment in a "surefire" business opportunity. Unfortunately, some people send their hard-earned money to the person on the other end of the line. They may promise to double your investment, but the money is almost always never seen again. Seventeen percent of all respondents and a quarter of baby boomers felt cryptocurrency as a whole is just a scam. Seeing as the concept and usage of cryptocurrency is fairly new, the hostility and uncertainty toward its long-term legitimacy isn't entirely surprising. More on Investments Respondent's average initial investment into cryptocurrencies was $2,235. In all, the average investment totaled $9,305. Seventy-seven percent of investors had set up automatic investment payments to continually increase their crypto accounts. Not every investment led to financial success, though. Over 56% of baby boomer respondents claimed to have lost money to the crypto market, followed by 49.2% of Gen Xers and 44.6% of millennials. Overall, 47% said they had suffered losses on their invested money, the average being $2,763. Fifty-eight percent decided to pull their previously invested money, averaging $3,305 in withdrawals. Well over half of respondents attributed their use of cryptocurrencies to investment purposes. Investment can be an attractive option, seeing as Bitcoin, for example, is a scarce asset, many believe its value can continue to rise as fiat currencies (e.g., the U.S. dollar) depreciate. Only 8.3% of respondents used it for direct spending – there is an increasing number of companies that have begun to accept crypto payments, and as more allow it, direct spending will likely increase as well. Just under 15% of respondents claimed to have invested in cryptocurrency in the hopes of churning out large profits. The majority (37%) had invested purely out of curiosity. It is still too early to tell how cryptocurrencies will fare in the future – it seems as if many people are just happy to be along for the ride and see how their investments do. It also provides investors an opportunity to learn more about the crypto world in the event a global movement toward digital monetary assets takes place. The Future Is Crypto Twenty-one percent of cryptocurrency skeptics said they plan on investing in the new year. On average, those that have already invested plan on injecting $7,145 into their crypto accounts. Newcomers planned on investing considerably less, at an average of $965. Unsurprisingly, 31.3% of respondents are looking to invest in Bitcoin over other types of cryptocurrency. Also, most of them (65.6%) felt hopeful about the future of cryptocurrency – a positive mindset could be the first step toward (financial) success. As a whole, 45% of respondents felt a $100,000 mark is within reach for Bitcoin in 2021. Just over 54% of cryptocurrency owners believed as much, as did 16% of those without any crypto to their name. Seventy-seven percent of cryptocurrency owners believed that it will become just as popular as government-issued currencies, whereas 40.2% of nonowners agreed. On average, 68% of respondents believed the two currencies will eventually become equally as popular. With the increase in interest in cryptocurrencies and subsequent investments, as well as Bitcoin being the best performing asset this past decade, a level playing field between crypto and government currencies could be here sooner than we think. Crypto Quick Stats Top 5 Crypto-Friendly States: Colorado Ohio Texas California Wyoming Top 10 Richest Crypto Investors: ‘Nakamoto' Chris Larsen Joseph Lubin Changpeng Zhao Cameron & Tyler Winklevoss Matthew Roszak Brock Pierce Brian Armstrong Anthony Di Iorio Xu Mingxing Top 9 Countries With the Highest Increase in Users Between Ages of 18 and 24: Nigeria Australia Spain Canada Mexico U.K. Colombia India Pakistan Top 9 Countries With the Highest Increase in Female Users: Greece Romania Argentina Portugal Indonesia Ukraine Czechia Colombia Venezuela The Digital Gold Rush The rise of cryptocurrency is a fascinating one, and there is much controversy that surrounds the topic. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey famously tweeted in 2018 that he believed the internet and the world as a whole will operate on one single currency, being Bitcoin. Although there has been consistent elevated interest displayed by the public in their investment efforts, many are skeptical about the safety of a digital currency. An average person may fear scammers and hackers, and governments are worried that it might destabilize their national currencies and hurt their economies. The influence that cryptocurrency will have in the future is uncertain, as there are both positive and negative aspects that come with its total adoption. For now, it seems that people are happy investing casually and learning what it's all about. What we do know, though, is that the landscape may very well drastically change in the next ten years, maybe just as quickly as it has since Bitcoin's inception. Methodology and Limitations We surveyed 1,015 people about their views on cryptocurrency. Respondents were 42.1% men, and 57.6% women. One respondent was nonbinary, and two respondents chose not to disclose their gender. The average age of respondents was 38.3 with a standard deviation of 11.8 years. Our survey included respondents currently invested in cryptocurrencies and those who are not. 244 respondents were currently invested in cryptocurrencies and 771 respondents were not. Questions on which cryptocurrency respondents own, their reasons for investing, what they use it for, which crypto influencers they actively follow, and what they associate cryptocurrency with were asked as check-all-that-apply questions. Therefore, percentages won't add to 100. The data we are presenting rely on self-report. There are many issues with self-reported data. These issues include, but are not limited to, the following: selective memory, telescoping, attribution, and exaggeration. Fair Use Statement Think your friends and family might want to brush up on their cryptocurrency knowledge? Feel free to share these findings – we only ask that you do so for noncommercial use and that you provide a link back to this original page so the study's contributors can earn credit for their work.
  17. Bitcoin is a hot commodity in the digital world at the moment. The virtual currency is worth over $60,000 per coin right now and is attracting high-risk investors from all across the globe. Due to its growth over the course of 2020 and 2021, many of its buyers treat it as an investment option by’ hodling’ it. Did you know? The word ‘’Hodling’’ is a slang term for the act of holding your cryptocurrency for investment purposes. This word derives from a mistake made in a forum post in 2013 when the writer of the post meant to write that he intended to hold onto his cryptocurrency. Instead of writing, ‘’I am holding’’, he wrote “I am hodling’’. The term is still popular today. Many forget that Bitcoin is really a currency. You can actually buy real goods and services with the funds. In this article, we will explore ten great ways that you can spend your BTC in the world today. While some countries and regions may support cryptocurrencies more than others do, you should be able to spend your Bitcoin no matter where you are in the world. 1. Invest in Alt Coins Once you have joined the world of cryptocurrency, you open yourself up to a whole new digital environment. You can even use your Bitcoin to buy other alternative cryptocurrencies, known as ‘altcoins’. Quick fact: If you sign up and register a crypto wallet at most regulated exchanges, you can manage all your crypto-to-crypto trades yourself from your mobile phone or desktop device. For instance, XRP is outperforming Bitcoin at the moment. To hitch a ride on that currency’s current climb, you can simply opt to trade some of your Bitcoin holdings for the equivalent value of Ripple on your favourite crypto exchange platform. The process is both fast and simple. 2. Visit Bitcoin Restaurants and Fast Foods More and more retail vendors are looking to the blockchain to expand their markets in a time where crypto technology is flying high. This trend is quite evident in the United States and certain European countries. Currently, BTC hodlers can purchase coffee from Starbucks with Bitcoin by using the Bakkt or SPEDN apps on their mobile devices. But don’t stop there, use SPEDN to shop at coffee shops such as Caribou Coffee, Jamba Juice, and Baskin Robbins. Did you know? On May 22nd 2010, a man by the name of Laslo Hanyecz agreed to purchase two pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoins. While that didn’t equate to much money back then (about $41), the same purchase today would be worth over $600 million. The day goes down in the annuls of history as Bitcoin Pizza Day. When it comes to fast food, selected Subway outlets will accept your BTC currency. In the Netherlands and Germany, you’ll even be able to purchase food from Burger King with your Bitcoin holdings. 3. See the World When travelling the world, why not use a borderless currency to make your travels more convenient. This way, there’s no need to pay foreign exchange costs and other associated fees on travel fares and the like. You can now use Bitcoin to pay for your hotel accommodation and your air tickets. Cheapair.com was the first-ever travel agency to accept BTC for air tickets in November 2013 – talk about a company with a vision for the future! Expedia.com, a world-renowned trip advisor and travel agency, also now accepts Bitcoin payments. It doesn’t stop there though. There are many other travel brokers of this sort that will help you circle the globe with your crypto investment. 4. Play Video Games Riding a rallying bull trend in Bitcoin is an exciting prospect for adults, but perhaps what the currency can buy for you is a more rewarding prospect for our kids. Microsoft has been accepting BTC for its online Xbox store for seven years now. Quick fact: Multi-billionaire director of Microsoft, Bill Gates, does not own any Bitcoin of his own and has taken a neutral stance on the currency. While that is a fact, he and his company have surely seen the potential it can bring to the retail end of the business. After a short pause in accepting BTC when it became extremely volatile after 2017, you can use it to purchase Xbox credits again. This way you can get your hands on all your and your kids’ favourite video games with the profits you made in the digital asset’s latest rally. 5. Buy Your Web Domain Intending to open a new business thanks to the money you’ve made on Bitcoin? Well, use the currency to buy your website domain and hosting and get cracking right away. Did you know? Crypto-related web domains often carry great value. Many of these virtual currency domains have become prime real estate and sell for up to seven figures. NameCheap is a large progressive online company that deals in the brokerage of internet domains and offers web hosting and internet security certificates to an international customer base. The company’s willingness to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment for their services truly shows that they have a grasp of the future. 6. Purchase NBA Game Tickets The National Basketball League is one of the most progressive sporting leagues in the United States. The league has a long history of being the first to embrace innovations in technology. As such, it was also one of the first to move forward with cryptocurrency. Various teams, like the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks, have already accepted ticket sales to their games since 2014 and 2019, respectively. Nowadays, some of the teams have even broadened their views on crypto and accept various other altcoins, too. 7. Buy NFTs - Including Art and Other Collectables The non-fungible token (NFT) market is booming right now. Digital artwork, sporting memorabilia, and other virtual trinkets from famous stars are fetching good money on various blockchains (often associated with Ethereum). Did you know? Beeple’s digital art piece known as "Everydays: The First 5000 Days," sold at a Christie’s auction in March 2021 for a whopping $69 million. It currently holds the world record for the most expensive piece of digital artwork ever sold. Artwork and collectables from famous entities and stars are usually auctioned off to the highest bidder, while sports cards and other memorabilia are sold through retail vendors online. The NBA partnered together with Top Shots to sell unique digital mementoes from the league. The initiative became a multi-million-dollar success within a few months. There is no better way to purchase these new digital assets than with digital currency. Use your Bitcoin to fund your purchases today. 8. Transfer Funds to Your Family & Friends The days of sending wire transfers to friends and family on the other side of the globe are over, thanks to the wonders of Bitcoin and blockchain technology. Now you can fund another Bitcoin wallet within minutes without paying any additional foreign exchange costs. All you need is the recipient’s Bitcoin address to complete the task. Your friend or family member can then either use the BTC to buy what they needed at a supporting vendor or exchange the crypto for the native currency where they stay. Even with conversions to fiat currency, the funds will be available in less time than it would take for an EFT or wire transfer to clear. 9. Support Charities There is an old adage that says: ‘’It is better to give than to receive.’’ If you are of the same opinion and are someone who enjoys giving to charities and welfares, then you are in luck. Some of the top charities and NGO organisations, like Green Peace and the Red Cross, accept offerings in Bitcoin. By sending them virtual funds, it cuts out excessive withdrawal fees on the charity’s side too, making sure that they get all the funds you intended for them without losing any fees to trusted third-party brokers like banks. 10. Explore Online Gambling This next Bitcoin spending option falls right within our expertise at GamblersPick. There are a tremendous number of online crypto casinos available for those who would like to use their Bitcoin to play their favourite online casino games, like slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, and more. You can even bet on your favourite sports nowadays. Did you know? There are numerous Bitcoin casinos that offer games made with Provably Fair technology. This software allows players to see the coded algorithms for each game round, making it possible for the casino to prove that each hand or spin is random and fair. For a list of the most trusted cryptocurrency casinos which hold our community’s stamp of approval, be sure to use one of our top-rated Bitcoin casinos.
  18. Key Takeaways: 45% of respondents had heard of Dogecoin, and 27.6% had invested in it. 30% of respondents believed that Dogecoin was the new Bitcoin. 48.8% of respondents regretted investing in Reddit-hyped stocks, while 40% regretted investing in Dogecoin. More than half of respondents were familiar with NFTs, while 40.5% had invested in NFTs. From Dogecoin to NFTs Bitcoin has been discounted before and still has its critics but always seems to come out on top. Even after years of disappointment, the digital currency came back stronger than ever. And with investing becoming more accessible to masses of people instead of the wealthy elite, we all want to know: What's the future of digital currency? As we saw with the GameStop story, large influxes of micro-investors have scale-tipping abilities comparable to those of established hedge funds. To better understand these scale-tippers, which we now know can hugely sway trading prices, we got to asking. More than 1,000 people across the country recently participated in our crypto trend research. They shared with us their opinions on everything from Reddit’s influence to Dogecoin and NFTs. If you're interested in what the average American was planning to do with these investment opportunities, keep reading. Determining the Future of Dogecoin Dogecoin was actually started as a joke in 2013 based on a popular Shiba Inu meme. But as we know today, jokes have power in the markets. Our study kicks off with a look at Dogecoin, how many Americans have heard of it, and how they feel about Elon Musk involving himself. While most people had heard of Dogecoin through social media (33.7%) or conversations with friends and family (21.7%), Elon Musk was single-handedly popularizing the coin as well. Eighteen percent of respondents had first heard of Dogecoin because of news covering Elon Musk's-related tweets. Most respondents either approved of or didn't care when it came to Musk's Doge-related information. Musk's tweets show enormous support for Dogecoin. When asked if he wanted the coin available for purchase on Coinbase, he tweeted with a resounding "Yes!" moving Dogecoin almost 10% north. Even if he meant it as a joke, we can say Dogecoin is at least considered a safer bet than the lottery –most respondents agreed that they would purchase Dogecoin over a lottery ticket, all costs being equal. Looking Forward to Dogecoin With Dogecoin getting so much attention on social media and from Elon Musk, we wanted to know what respondents felt the future of the currency was. They told us where they thought the price would go, what they would invest, and how it would compare to Bitcoin. People are placing a premium on Dogecoin's meaning in their life. Instead of investing "just for fun" or even to have a safe, reliable investment, the majority of Dogecoin purchasers see this as their chance to truly "get rich." They evidently have massive faith in the price of Dogecoin to soar, as they intended to get this rich with an average investment of $227. If Dogecoin goes up to $1 by the end of the year, however, which 23% of people thought it will, that $227 investment could be worth quite a lot, as the coin is hovering around a worth of just 5 cents at the time of writing of this article. Even with these high hopes, most people didn't see the coin as taking over Bitcoin's place. Instead, most felt Bitcoin would maintain its dominant stance in the cryptomarket. Buying With Bitcoin and Digital Currencies Digital currencies like Bitcoin are supposed to be exactly that: currency, or money with which to buy things. We next asked our respondents which retailers they wish accepted Dogecoin as payment. Most people thought it would be a perk for Amazon to accept Dogecoin as payment. While other stores were considered, 41.1% of respondents said they didn't really want any stores to accept Dogecoin. Evidently, the value often lay elsewhere. When asked, however, to consider what they would do were Amazon to release their own digital currency, the resounding answer was to invest. Sixty-four percent of respondents agreed that they would invest in Amazon's cryptocurrency. Fortunately for this group, Amazon's digital currency appears to be in the works. Trusting in Reddit The conversation around investing today often now leads to discourse about Reddit and memes. The next part of our study asks people what their response was to Reddit hypes and what investments they had chosen because of the platform's information. Similarly to an Elon Musk tweet, a group of Redditors also has the power to run up the price of alt coins (like Doge) when they put their mind (and money) to it. Even though it's highly associated with meme-style investing, the Reddit community's power has certainly been proven this year. It is not at all uncommon for digital investors today to use Reddit to inform their investments as well. Reddit's influence became unignorable with the GameStop phenomenon. The little guys from the internet were finally taking on the big hedge funds on Wall Street – and they were winning. GameStop was still the number one investment people made who took Reddit recommendations. Next was BlackBerry, which 31% of people also invested in because of Reddit. While BlackBerry was one of the biggest winners from the initial GameStop frenzy, this stock didn't have as large of a short interest as GameStop, making it harder to maintain the squeeze. The stock has fallen from $30 to around $9. Even though people were much more likely to invest in Reddit stocks than they were Dogecoin, they were also much more likely to regret the investment. While 48.8% of respondents said they regretted their Reddit-informed stock purchases, only 40% said the same thing about Dogecoin. While most planned to shed their Reddit investments within the next six months, perhaps they had higher hopes for Dogecoin still. Non-Fungible Tokens Chances are the acronym NFT has come across your radar more than once recently. NFT stands for non-fungible token. "Non-fungible" means that it's unique and can't be replaced –unlike Bitcoin, which can be replaced for another Bitcoin. NFTs, like truly one-of-a-kind trading cards, are part of the Ethereum blockchain at their highest level, though some others have implemented their own forms of NFTs. The last part of our study asks respondents to weigh in on this ongoing NFT boom. Just under half of respondents had even heard of Ethereum, though slightly more had heard of NFTs (which derive from Ethereum typically). While nearly a third couldn't provide the definition for NFTs, a whopping 61.7% of respondents planned to invest in them shortly. Women expressed particular interest in the opportunity, with 66.1% planning to invest in 2021. While millennials were most familiar with NFTs, almost a third of baby boomers knew the concept as well. NFTs made mainstream news when Beeple's NFT sold for over $60 million at auction – the most expensive NFT sold … so far. Trading and Trusting Even expert traders will tell you there's no way to predict the stock market. That said, there are certainly signposts and indications along the way. In today's Reddit-influenced and digital-informed markets, some of those signposts may be the communities that have arisen. With micro-investors banning together on such massive scales for the first time, the evidence compiled here from everyday Americans may actually indicate where digital currency trends may go. There's still optimism around Dogecoin and cryptocurrency and less hype around Reddit stocks and meme choices. That said, respondents weren't willing to sell everything just yet. If you're interested in having an investing-style community of your own, GamblersPick is the place for you. People from all over the world who share your interests and excitement are available to weigh in on whatever investments you may be considering. You'll also find news, guides, casino information, and whatever you may need related to money and fun! Head to GamblersPick today to check it out. Methodology This study uses data from a survey of 1,001 respondents familiar with cryptocurrencies located in the U.S. Survey respondents were gathered through the Amazon Mechanical Turk survey platform where they were presented with a series of questions, including attention-check and disqualification questions. 59.3% of respondents identified as men, while 40.7% identified as women. Participants incorrectly answering any attention-check question had their answers disqualified. This study has a 3% margin of error on a 95% confidence interval. 5.9% of respondents were Gen Zers, 60.8% millennials, 22.6% Gen Xers, and 10.7% baby boomers. Please note that survey responses are self-reported and are subject to issues, such as exaggeration, recency bias, and telescoping. Fair Use Statement Feeling the frenzy building in yourself as well? Community and sharing information is all part of it. Feel free to share this article, just be sure your purposes are noncommercial and that you link back to this page.
  19. In February this year, electric car manufacturer Tesla made headlines when it announced that it had purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin (BTC) and would shortly begin accepting Bitcoin as payment on a limited basis. At the time, industry experts lined up to question the wisdom - or madness - of the decision, with one commentator openly declaring it a "publicity stunt". Another publication did not see the humour in Elon Musk’s future-forward approach to his business calling it a "dangerous bet" that endangered the company and those who would follow in his lead. Contrary to the predictions of doom and gloom, the move is proving to be a masterstroke for Musk and his company with recent reports postulating that Tesla has netted more than $1.2 billion from its BTC investment. This would mean that the company has earned nearly twice as much from its gamble on Bitcoin as it did for the entire year of 2020 where it reported profits of $721 million. Showboating or Necessary Action? Musk has been a vocal supporter of cryptocurrencies, taking to social media and even waxing lyrical in interviews about his belief in the burgeoning technology and what it means for the future of finance. Detractors of Musk have called the investment in Bitcoin a risky bit of showmanship, however, the company had declared its intent to diversify its cash holdings and investment as part of their US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. The filing they submitted for review spoke of their desire to maximise the value of their holdings saying: “We may invest a portion of such cash in certain alternative reserve assets including digital assets, gold bullion, gold exchange-traded funds and other assets as specified in the future." It is also important to view the investment as a percentage of their value, rather than simply looking at the dollar value. At $1.5 billion, their investment in Bitcoin only represented a 7.7% divestiture of their $19 billion asset pool. A position they made clear in their SEC filing stating that they were updating their investment policy to allow for flexibility on “cash that is not required to maintain adequate operating liquidity”. In layman’s terms, Tesla checked under the couch cushions and invested the change they found there. Big Business Boards the Gravy Train While Tesla is one of the more recognisable names to get involved with Bitcoin, and certainly one of the most aggressive in terms of investment size, they are by no means the first. Over the past few years several well-regarded companies have shifted a portion of their investment portfolio into crypto. ✓Morgan Stanley Wealth management company Morgan Stanley has shrugged of its stuffy demeanour in favour of embracing Bitcoin. A recent internal memo indicated that the company is planning to provide access to funds that will allow investors to purchase BTC. The bank took this decision after high profile clients petitioned for access to the token. However, this option is not for everyone; only clients who have at least $2 million in assets with the bank will be eligible to access the new Bitcoin fund. Morgan Stanley has also laid out certain minimum investment conditions which include having an account that is at least six months old, as well as limiting bitcoin investments to a maximum of 2.5% of a client’s total net worth. ✓Square Inc. E-commerce firm Square Inc. is firmly on the Bitcoin bandwagon. In October last year, the Jack Dorsey-owned enterprise committed $50 million to Bitcoin, a financial outlay that represents about 1% of Square’s total assets. At the tokens current value, the investment is currently worth around $200 million – a fantastic 6 month return on investment by anyone standards. Amrita Ahuja, the group’s Chief Financial Officer, said: “We believe that bitcoin has the potential to be a more ubiquitous currency in the future … As it grows in adoption, we intend to learn and participate in a disciplined way. For a company that is building products based on a more inclusive future, this investment is a step on that journey.” This is not the company’s first foray into the crypto space. In 2018, Square launched Bitcoin trading via its mobile payments service, Cash App. Two years later, Square announced that Cash App’s crypto revenue had surged by an astronomical 600%. Following this success, the company formed Square Crypto, an independent company that focused on Bitcoin open-sourced work. ✓Grayscale Investments Grayscale Investments is rightly considered a frontrunner when it comes to corporate Bitcoin investments. Through its Bitcoin Trust Fund, the firm currently manages more than 656,166 BTC. This amounts to almost 3.1% of the total BTC currently in circulation on the blockchain. With the cryptocurrencies sharp increase in price the company's BTC holdings are valued at more than $35 billion, giving it the largest bitcoin portfolio of any institutional investment platform in the world. ✓CoinShares Group Digital asset management firm CoinShares is another UK-based, publicly-traded organisation with substantial Bitcoin holdings. The company is noted for being the first to launch a regulated BTC hedge fund as well as an exchange-traded Bitcoin product. CoinShares CEO Jean-Marie Mognetti summed up their attitude toward Bitcoin when she clarified that it was no longer a risk to invest in Bitcoin, rather investment houses now see not allocating funds to Bitcoin as the risky play. This is a massive about-face for the traditional investment houses who only a few years ago considered Bitcoin and its ilk a passing fad. As of February 2021, CoinShares Group held a little under 70 000 BTC which is valued at approximately $3.2 billion. ✓MicroStrategy Inc. Nasdaq-listed MicroStrategy specialises in developing mobile software and providing cloud-based services. It is also the owner of more than 71,000 BTC, currently valued at more than $3 billion. Back in September 2020, MicroStrategy made headlines when it bought $425 million worth of BTC. At the time, CEO Michael Saylor stated: “This investment reflects our belief that bitcoin, as the world’s most widely adopted cryptocurrency, is a dependable store of value and an attractive investment asset with more long-term appreciation potential than holding cash.” This crypto treasure trove ensures that MicroStrategy holds the largest number of BTC by a publicly traded organisation. The company has officially adopted Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset due to its “compelling returns”. ✓Ruffer Investment Company UK-based asset management firm Ruffer Investment Company has decided to dip its toes into the Bitcoin pool. Late last year, the company diverted a fraction of its Multi-Strategies Fund into crypto, purchasing 45,000 Bitcoin. Ruffer views this investment as an “insurance policy against the continuing devaluation of the world’s major currencies”. Their investors are praising this bullish policy as the $870 million the firm invested in BTC is currently worth a little over $2 billion! ✓Galaxy Digital Holdings Galaxy Digital Holdings is an investment and asset management company which owns an astounding number of Bitcoin in its own rights. The company was founded in 2018 by former Wall Street icon Michael Novogratz specifically to cater to the needs of investors looking to get into the digital asset, cryptocurrency, and blockchain sectors. An early BTC adopter Galaxy currently holds 16,400 BTC with a resale value of more than $770 million. How Big Can This Bubble Get? Regardless of origin, core service or origin the one trait all of these company’s share is their reason for investing in Bitcoin - they see the cryptocurrency as an effective buffer against the continuing devaluing of fiat currencies around the globe. Only time will tell if their fears prove to be founded or if the current cryptocurrency bull market becomes this generations dotcom bubble.
  20. Bitcoin is one of the most exciting and globally impactful new technologies to hit the planet since the invention of the internet. With that being said it is important to understand the benefits and limitations of Bitcoin, and which other cryptocurrencies can fill in where Bitcoin falls short. With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at what Bitcoin’s 21 million limit actually means, investigate ten affordable Bitcoin competitors who offer long term acquisition possibilities, and discuss Bitcoin’s market cap to help you better understand the value of the cryptocurrencies you choose to invest in. Why Is Bitcoin Limited to 21 Million? An intriguing aspect of Bitcoin is the fact that when Satoshi Nakamoto designed his visionary decentralised virtual currency, he limited its expansion to 21 million BTC. More than 18.5 million Bitcoin have been mined in the first decade since the cryptocurrency’s creation, however, it is predicted that mining the last remaining 2.5 million coins (11.9% of total) will take anywhere from fifteen to twenty years to complete. This is thanks to a process known as The Halving. Nakamoto included a process which effectively cuts the Bitcoin rewards for mining in half every four years. In practical terms, the total BTC reward for 2016 was 12.5 million, however by mid-2020 the same amount of “work on the blockchain” only rewarded miners with 6.25 million BTC. This may sound like it is a lifetime away however it represents less than two decades of “carefree” mining before the only way to monetise the cryptocurrency will be via transactional fees and direct sales of the BTC you own. Who Are Bitcoin Competitors? Considering the real world limitations of Bitcoin here are 10 affordable Bitcoin competitors. For ease of use we have sorted them using the total percentage available for mining (based on CoinMarketCap data for 17 February 2021): Avalanche (AVAX) - price: $36.38, mining availability: 89% The Graph (GRT) - price: $2.18, mining availability: 88% Uniswap (UNI) - price: $21.44, mining availability: 69% Huobi Token (HT) - price: $14.50, mining availability: 61% Chainlink (LINK) – price: $32.19, mining availability: 59% Synthetix (SNX) - price: $24.27, mining availability: 56% XRP (XRP) – price: $0.53, mining availability: 55% Stellar (XLM) – price: $0.49, mining availability: 55% Cardano (ADA) - price: $0.89, mining availability: 31% Neo (NEO) - price: $42.58, mining availability: 30% Whether it is due to rising prices or the scarcity created by its 21 million limitation the fact is that Bitcoin will not be able to dominate the market for much longer. This means that the smart money is on diversifying your options by looking into altcoins which could grow into the next Bitcoin. What Does Bitcoin Market Cap Mean? When looking at any investment vehicle market cap, or market capitalisation, refers to the number of shares which have been bought and then held by the investors. In the case of Bitcoin, this would then refer to the total value of all BTC currently held by people who have either bought, traded or mined them. Traditionally calculating the market cap of stock would mean looking at the number of shares held by investors multiplied by the closing value of the stock. The same logic is applied to cryptocurrency market caps, here we look at the number of BTC being held multiplied by the current value of a single coin. What is the Market Cap Value of Bitcoin? In January 2021 market and consumer data provider Statista calculated the relative market cap of Bitcoin to be approximately $600 billion. This is an amazing success story when you consider that in 2013 analysts placed the company’s market cap at $1 billion. The reason for the surge in Bitcoin’s market valuation is based on the number of Bitcoin which have been mined and the recent price surge which saw the virtual coin’s value hit an astounding $49,951 BTC thanks to Tesla’s massive investment in the technology. For those doing the math on this, it may seem off-kilter given that approximately 18.5 million BTC have been mined to date. However, market analysts consider who much BTC is available for circulation. Given public reports of lost wallets, misplaced passwords and genesis blocks which cannot be traded the number of coins in circulation is far lower than the number of blocks mined.
  21. The recent months have been an absolute feeding frenzy for new and old Bitcoin fans alike. The granddaddy of all cryptocurrencies made headlines by skyrocketing in value to around the $40,000 mark. After an expected settling into the mid to high thirties, the decentralised coin received another boost a few days ago when electric-vehicle company Tesla purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin ahead of its announcement that it would begin accepting the cryptocurrency as payment for its products. This move by Tesla saw the currency surge another 16% to peak at an all-time high of $44,795. Amid all the positive press coverage Bitcoin and its altcoin peers are currently receiving, there has been very little discussion of the recent concerns raised by reports of double spending and its impact on cryptocurrencies. At the time that double spending was brought to the public’s attention, Bitcoin saw an immediate 15% loss, a fact that has been whitewashed by celebrity tweets and now Tesla’s big investment. Are Bitcoins Infinite? At the outset, it is worth noting that Bitcoin is not an infinite resource. Much like any other precious commodity, the value of the virtual coin is based on its perceived scarcity and user perception of worth. When Satoshi Nakamoto created the blockchain-based coin he limited its scope to 21 million units. Once all 21 million Bitcoins have been mined there will be no new coins added to the Bitcoin ecosystem, at that point all that will happen is the circulation of existing coins. It is theorised that at the beginning of 2021 approximately 2.5 million Bitcoin remained out in the wild. More importantly, there will never be the full 21 million coins in circulation given that millions of early coins are stuck in wallets where passwords have been lost or owners have passed on without leaving behind the means to access their wallets. This reality of lack raised concerns over whether or not Bitcoin is adequately equipped to combat an activity known as double spend. What is a Double Spend Attack? As the name of the action denotes a “double spend” or “double spend attack” is when a technically savvy Bitcoin holder is able to spend the same Bitcoin more than once. The most like form of double spend that will successfully bypass the verification processes inherent to the blockchain is known as a “51% attack”. This is when 50% or more of a particular series of transaction ledgers is processed by one user. This would allow them to process transaction to multiple wallets and then reverse them before they can be locked into the blockchain ledger – essentially allowing wallets to receive Bitcoin while the originating account never loses the coins it sent. However, the larger the Bitcoin user base grows the more unlikely it becomes for a single user to be able to control in excess of 50% of the computing power that processes a string of transactions. Is Double Spending Illegal? The challenge of a decentralised cryptocurrency like Bitcoin is that it actively resists being boxed into existing frameworks. On the positive end this has created a free, fair and anonymous currency that is not at the behest of local governments, however on the flip side it has led to the coinage being used to process illicit transactions. Looking at existing banking regulations the practice of double dipping is absolutely illegal. A transaction requires the passing of an asset from one user to another in return for another asset. In this case the buyer transfers their Bitcoin in return for a service or product. In the case of a Double Spend Attack there is additional value added to one end of the chain while none is deducted from the source account. The US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) covers the intentional actions of such bad actors under its regulations addressing “fraud and related activity in connection with computers”. The criminal case would assume that it is illegal to: “... knowingly cause the transmission of a program, information, code, or command, and as a result of such conduct, intentionally cause damage without authorization, to a protected computer.” In this case injecting false and/or duplicate Bitcoin into the cryptocurrency’s blockchain-based ecosystem would be deemed as damage. Doing so currently holds a penalty of 10 years in jail and fines to be determined by a court of law. All that is required to trigger this penalty is the attempt to violate a CFAA statute where the loss incurred could be $5000 or more. With Bitcoin values resting around $40,000 BTC violating the $5000 minimum loss trigger of this criminal statute is almost a foregone conclusion. Does Bitcoin Solve Double Spending? The short answer is yes it does. Given the size and momentum of Bitcoin’s network it is highly unlikely that a real 51% double spend attack will be possible. By timestamping groups of transactions and saving them to the blockchain across multiple nodes Bitcoin is protected from having single transactions added and removed at the rate needed to trigger a true double spend attack. While BitMex did report on a potential Double Spend on block 666,833 in January 2021 market analysts do not consider it a real 51% attack based on the fact that no new coins were added to the blockchain. In this instance a user tried to speed up an existing transaction by resending it with a higher fee cap. Rather than new transaction replacing the original one the network processed both transactions, however the one was sent to an active chain and the duplicate was sent to a stale (also known as invalid) chain. In this case the blockchain only recognises one of these transactions, hence the duplicate being stored on an invalid chain. This way it is able to keep an accurate record of all posted transactions without the risk of adding false coins to the network. While double spend attacks are theoretically possible it is very unlikely to be see one occurring in relation to Bitcoin. This is not however necessarily true of smaller altcoins who due to their limited size could fall foul to unscrupulous users who gain the required 51% processing power needed to abuse the system.
  22. The biggest name in the cryptocurrency game is Bitcoin, so much so that in many cases the word “bitcoin” has become synonymous for the entire industry. However, the cryptocurrency ecosystem is an incredibly interesting industry which has been built on an innovative codebase known as the Blockchain. We won’t get into the weeds with this code base other than to note that it is what makes cryptocurrencies virtually impervious to hacking, promises zero server downtime and ensures you can remain anonymous while exercising full control over your funds. Four Noteworthy Cryptocurrencies With more than 1000 cryptocurrencies on the market we have simplified matters by focusing on 5 intriguing non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies. Join us as we delve into what makes them both unique and potentially the next big breakout coin. ✓Ethereum (ETH) – Smart Contracts Ethereum is a well-known name in cryptocurrency circles, mostly for being the Pepsi to Bitcoin’s Coca Cola. What is less commonly known about Ethereum is where it secures its value proposition? Unlike Bitcoin which sees its value-driven by public awareness and scarcity, Ethereum generates its value from how useful it is to its users. Ethereum allows its users to perform credible transactions with buyers and sellers via smart contracts. These smart contracts use secure code to ensure the transactions in question are secure and will be honoured by both parties. Ethereum stands to see rapid growth once corporations become familiar with the benefits and features of doing business on the blockchain. The cryptocurrency has positioned itself as the one to work with once smart contract adoption hits the mainstream. ✓Litecoin (LTC) – Fastest Transactions There is very little to differentiate Litecoin from Bitcoin when looking at its basic setup. This is not unexpected given that Litecoin is considered a ‘hard fork’ of BTC, having been built using the same basic premise. Where Litecoin does shine however is in the cryptocurrency evangelism and technology adoption. Created by ex-Google engineer and creator of Coinbase, Charlie Lee, the cryptocurrency showcases the latest in blockchain development using its own algorithm for mining and requiring different hardware to other mining solutions. It is this constant dedication to speed, data security and enhancement that allows Litecoin to be the fastest processing coin on the market, showing up to 75% faster transaction speeds than Bitcoin. Charlie Lee is also an outspoken supporter of cryptocurrency adoption and works to educate the public and corporations of its benefits through the non-profit Litecoin Foundation. ✓Ripple (XRP) – Banking Pioneers Where most cryptocurrencies see themselves as leather jacket-wearing rebels, Ripple has taken a more mature approach to growing its user base. The bulk of its growth was achieved by partnering with more than 300 existing financial institutions. Their financial infrastructure is called Ripplenet, and by partnering with the likes of American Express, Bank of America, HSBC, Siam Bank, Nium, Moneygram and many others they have access to a limitless user base that literally crisscrosses the entire planet. These users are also the recipients of the faster transactions and lower costs offered by a virtual coin network. Another unique feature of Ripple is that while the cryptocurrency does use a ledger system like Bitcoin and its peers the coinage does not require traditional mining to be performed to acquire it making it cryptocurrency that does not come with massive power bills associated with crypto-mining. ✓Dash (DASH) – Traceless Transactions Dash lives up its name by being a virtual currency which offers lighting fast transaction speeds of 1 second, across more than 4300 global merchants. For those looking to interact with Dash as an investment item, it can be traded on more than 260 exchanges around the world. While all blockchain-based cryptocurrencies offer users the safety net of anonymity, Dash has taken that promise one step further. Rather than keep a transaction history – which would allow a third party to track your digital movements - Dash does not publish your transaction data to the blockchain. This added layer of security is proving popular with users, which sees them process more than 20,000 transactions daily. This transaction limit could see a sharp increase in the near future as Dash readies to launch the new DashPay Wallet for both Apple iOS and Android. Honourable Mentions During our journey through the weird and wonderful world of altcoins, there were several that caught our attention but did not seem poised to become big names in the industry. That is not to say that they do not serve a niche audience, check out our runners up to see if any of these meet your needs. USD Coin – While not a decentralised cryptocurrency in the true sense this is a virtual coin based on the value of the US Dollar. It could very well the way to transact on a daily basis should the fiat banking world do away with paper money. Dentacoin – One of the many niche coins which use Ethereum as its base, Dentacoin is the first virtual currency targeting the dental profession. With the coin, users can pay for care, earn rewards and even trade the coin on a participating exchange. Sexcoin – Where there is money there is sex, as the internet has proven over and over again. Established in 2013 Sexcoin aims to become to the go-to virtual coin for all your adult needs, everything from hiring a dancer to tipping your favourite camgirl. Let us know if you have any interesting altcoins that you feel have the potential to blow up in the future.
  23. In the online gambling world, few game types take as much intricate planning to produce as online slots. Increasing innovation and technological enhancements have made playing video slots super exciting. The special graphic effects, sounds, and features developed over the past few years have been entertaining and have inadvertently churned up a heated and competitive market space. Did you know? In the USA, the latest stats show that nearly half of all casino visitors play slots. The trends are not set to change either, as a new generation is entering the market. These players have grown up on video games and are likely to engage better with slots than other game types. Quick fact: Online gambling stats in the UK show that young adults between the ages of 25 and 44 years old dominate the gambling player market. This is sure to make an impact on gambling trends. It is believed that online slot games will rule the casino world for years to come. We can expect to see so much more from this sector. Each year, the quality of the games improves, and the diversity of features and mechanics grow. This has us excited about the prospects for 2021! Let’s take a look at what we can expect in the slot world this coming year. ✓ Bitcoin is Booming! Decentralised casinos are a big thing right now, especially with all the attention that Bitcoin is getting in the finance sector thanks to its hefty growth over the past year. This has resulted in a healthy introduction of casino start-ups in this segment. With a push for a more transparent gaming environment, game developers in this segment are introducing more and more titles with provably fair algorithms built into the RNG software. This way players can validate that each game is random and fair. Quick Fact: With provably fair games, the game developer provides specific tools for players to use that grant them access to the software’s open-source code. Gamblers can check to make sure that no alterations are made to the RNGs algorithms while a spin of the reels is underway, thereby proving that the result is unmanipulated and random. For this reason, we can expect that far more provably fair online slot games will enter the marketplace over the course of 2021. This is sure to set a strong trend for greater transparency in the casino market, as a whole. ✓ Mobile is Mapping the Future While mobile gaming is not new to the online gambling industry, we expect that far more players will be turning to “on the go” gaming options in 2021. More and more people are acquiring mobile phones year on year, which bodes well for gambling statistics. Did you know? Many top gaming providers are developing their games for mobile-first, in keeping with the obvious trends in this market. More and more people are using their mobile phones to manage every part of their lives. From watching Netflix to diarising their days and spending time on social media. It is only natural that these same people would use their handsets to play their favourite online slot games too. ✓ Keep an Eye on AR and VR Technology Virtual Reality entered the market a few years ago, providing players with a far more immersive way to play slots. Players could actually enter into the virtual world of the game by donning special headgear. They could control the mechanics with hand gestures which would be relayed back to the gaming software via sophisticated sensors. The main reason that VR did not catch on then was that the hardware was very expensive to purchase and not everyone could afford the tech needed for it. New tech is always over-inflated when it comes to cost, but we can hope to see these prices normalise soon. The implementation of VR for mobile is a far more cost-effective alternative as well, so expect to see VR’s possible return this year. Augmented Reality (AR) is another engaging gaming alternative to watch out for. The technology uses overlays in the mobile app software to superimpose an augmented reality over your present environment, which is visible on your phone’s screen. Did you know: One of the most popular Augmented Reality games still played today is Pokémon Go. While it is not a gambling title, it provides us with the perfect example of how slots may play out in the near future. We said earlier that this was the year for mobile technology innovation, and this may be two ways in which “on the go” gameplay might steal the show in 2021. ✓ Enhancements in 3D Imagery The noticeable demand for titles in video gaming culture has been for games that look more realistic. The better the graphics and effects, the more popular games tend to be. This is becoming the norm among modern video slot players too. This is also one of the reasons that games like Gonzo’s Quest are timeless classics. Here, 3D imagery was used to provide a cinematic-like experience for its players. With enhancements in CGI, game developers have all the tools at their disposal to create ground-breaking strides in the graphics department. Quick Fact: CGI stands for Computer Generated Imagery. It is a popular form of technology used to enhance the special effects visible in movies and TV programs. It is based on the 3D imagery that we are seeing more and more in video games and slots today. Keep your eye on the line up of games each month to earmark the stacks of ‘pretty’ games we are expecting will arrive this coming year. ✓ AI to Handle Slot Security The standards of security are set for enhancement this year, as game developers and online casinos opt for AI-backed protection for their players. Quick Fact: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a computer science that uses machine learning protocols to undertake smart actions that would normally require human intelligence. In many sectors, AI is used to greater effect than a human workforce, because of the speed of transactions possible through the software mechanics. Artificial Intelligence protocols will be able to pick up on suspicious activities and hacking risks within seconds and move to resolve/neutralise the issues that players are facing in real-time. The Promise of More While the forecasting for the future of the slot industry is no exact science, all the trends suggest that the above technologies and innovations will be metered out over the next few years. One thing is certain though – This year promises advancements in the iGaming realms and is bound to build upon the innovations of last year to give us something more than we had in the past.
  24. With the proliferation of legalized sports gambling in the United States, it's never been easier for gamblers to lay action with a sportsbook. Online sportsbooks run by casinos and large commercial books now dominate the betting market. They have their advantages. With a few finger swipes, a player can lay money on a nine-leg parlay from their couch. They also have their disadvantages. Hit big, and your money may take five days to show up in your bank account. As Bitcoin and cryptocurrency grow in popularity, betting with it may be the best way for sports gamblers to ensure safety and swift transactions. Sportsbook betting with Bitcoin doesn't change the rules of the game, though. Whether you're laying cryptocurrency and cash, you want to win. Check out our five tips for Bitcoin gambling success. 1. Use Market Volatility to Your Advantage Because Bitcoin isn't a fiat currency or money issued by a centralized government, the market value fluctuates with high peaks and low valleys. This may feel dangerous to gamblers, but you can use this volatile marketplace to your advantage. Understand that when betting with Bitcoin, you're not only gambling on a football game, you're betting on the future market value. Let's explain. Most reputable sportsbooks that accept Bitcoin convert your deposit into American dollars. Upon withdrawal, that money is then converted back to Bitcoin at current market value. They do this to stabilize your deposit. If you invest in Bitcoin at a low market value, you get more. Purchasing Bitcoin at a market high means you get less. Your deposit strategy needs to be the opposite. If you deposit your Bitcoin at an online casino when the value is at a high, thanks to that conversion, your deposit will be larger. This means you'll have more money to bet, and like anything else, you need money to make money. Since your US Dollar amount is re-converted into Bitcoin upon withdrawal, doing so at a market low means more Bitcoin. If you withdraw at low market value, you're betting on the price rising again. When it does, you can re-deposit or sell your Bitcoin off for serious money. 2. Understand the Rules If you're thinking about gambling with Bitcoin, you must learn how to gamble on sports. While your best Bitcoin strategy is more involved than betting with government-backed money, the rules of the game remain consistent. When betting sportsbooks, you need to comprehend the basic terminology to win. Sports gambling can be a lot more complicated than people think. Though the esoteric aspects of betting are important, they all revolve around three basic bets. These examples use US Dollar amounts because your Bitcoin will convert to these units upon deposit. Moneyline Betting on the Moneyline is a bet on a team to win by any amount. We'll use a real-life example of an upcoming football game between San Diego and Buffalo. The sportsbook has San Diego +125 and Buffalo at -141. A '+' means San Diego is the underdog, while a '-' indicates Buffalo as the favorite. If you bet $100 on San Diego, you'll win $125. However, if you bet on Buffalo this way, you lay $141 for $100. Spread Spread bets add another complicated layer to gambling. With a spread bet, you bet on a team, but to cash, they must win by a certain amount of points. On the flip side, you can win on a losing team if they lose by less than that amount. Let's build on the above example. The book lists San Diego +2.5, while they place Buffalo at -2.5. The '2.5' is the spread. This means if you place a bet on Buffalo to win as the favorite, they must win by more than 2.5 points for you to cash. Should you bet on San Diego, you win if San Diego wins the game or loses by less than 2.5 points. Over/Under This is a bet you place on the combined total score of the game. Using the above example, the book set the number at 47.5. If you bet on the over, you win if San Diego and Buffalo combine for more than 47.5 points. If you bet the under, you win if both teams combine to score less. 3. Use Your Anonymity Sports gambling isn't a profitable business by accident. If you're a skilled gambler who bets big money, you may find you have trouble placing bets at traditional casinos or online sportsbooks. These businesses watch every dollar they pay out and who it goes to. If you're good, they'll limit how much you can bet. If you're exceptional, you might lose your gambling privileges completely. Since Bitcoin is mostly anonymous, you can use it to place really big bets you otherwise couldn't. 4. Take Advantage of Fast Transactions Professional gamblers play multiple sportsbooks for a simple reason. They offer different numbers. It's a basic betting strategy. Find the number you like and hit it. Gambling with Bitcoin makes this easier than ever online. Online casinos that only accept dollars can take days to pay-out. Bitcoin casinos transfer immediately. This gives you the flexibility to find the numbers you want to play at multiple sportsbooks. If one sportsbook has San Diego at +2.5, but another has them at +3, instantaneous withdrawal and deposit allow you to take advantage. 5. Bonus Bonus Bonus Sportsbooks love to offer bonuses to encourage play. Bitcoin sportsbooks are no different. To get more, search for deposit bonuses and frequent player bonuses. Many casinos who offer Bitcoin play prefer it to cash play. The transactions are easier and the market fluctuates. Because of this, many online sportsbooks offer Crypto Reload Bonuses that give you free money each time you deposit. Bitcoin Sportsbook Betting Bitcoin sportsbook betting is the future. With fast transaction times and a decentralized currency market, many sportsbooks and gamblers now turn to Bitcoin for profit. To be successful, learning how to use the Bitcoin market to your advantage is as important as knowing the rules of sports betting. If you can combine these skills, you can go from guppie to whale in no time. At gamblerspick.com, we offer the latest Bitcoin gambling news as well as a comprehensive listing of all the best bonuses. Check us out for all the latest industry trends and the news you need.
  25. By now, everyone's heard of Bitcoin. It's probably the most famous cryptocurrency out there. And the growth of Bitcoin brought in its wake the expansion of crypto casinos, whose popularity was tied to fair gambling and instant payouts. But the exciting thing about blockchain-based currencies is that there are so many of them. Bitcoin isn't the only player in town—Monero is another open-source currency that's taking the online gambling world by storm. It's even one of the top ten cryptocurrencies on the market. Let's take a look at what Monero is, and examine some of the best Monero casinos in 2021. The 411 on Monero So just what is Monero? Appearing in 2014, Monero is a cryptocurrency that's a little newer than the more established cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin. It's an open-source cryptocurrency that leverages the decentralization, interchangeability, and privacy features for which blockchain-based financial systems are famous. So, whether you're an international terrorist bent on world domination, or just really privacy-conscious, Monero is the cryptocurrency for you. It was created by an individual colorfully known as "thankful_for_today," a frequenter of the Bitcointalk forum. Called at first "BitMonero," it had a slow and shaky start; later, it was taken over by a character named "Johnny Mnemonic," and renamed Monero. Since then, the cryptocurrency has enjoyed a rather dubious history, becoming the crypto of choice for many black marketeers and drug dealers. You know, the good guys. Some of Monero's Privacy and Security Features So what is it that makes Monero such a secure cryptocurrency? Why is it a favorite of online gamblers? Here are some of the crypto's security and privacy features: Bulletproofs: These are a form of NIZK (non-interactive, zero-knowledge) proof. That means transactions can be verified without any exchange of details between the sender and the receiver. Stealth Address: The sender's address is a one-time, cryptographically generated address link. This ensures the sender's privacy. Encrypted Transactions: All transactions using Monero are encrypted, so users cannot be tracked. And there are some other complicated, blockchain-type stuff that works to ensure the security and privacy of transactions. Basically, if you're trying to keep your online financial transactions on the down-low, Monero is the go-to cryptocurrency. How to Get Monero Getting your hands on some Monero may be the most difficult part of the whole process, but once that's taken care of, you're ready to hit the casinos. Like other cryptocurrencies, Monero is listed on various exchanges, such as Kraken or Poloniex. You purchase the amount of Monero you'll need, and store it in your crypto wallet. MyMonero, Monerujo, and Cake Wallet are considered among the most secure and trusted Monero wallets you can find. Best Monero Casinos Okay, now let's get down to business. Monero is growing in popularity as the perfect crypto for online gambling. Its peerless security features and anonymity conspire to make it an ideal medium of exchange for gambling sites. Nevertheless, Monero has yet to fully infiltrate the online gambling space. Which means your options are somewhat limited. Still, there are several good options available. Let's take a look at some of the best online casinos that accept Monero. 1. FortuneJack Casino FortuneJack Casino is without doubt one of the best crypto casinos out there. It offers nine different cryptocurrencies, including (you guessed it) Monero. Then there's the fact that it has over three thousand (!) games, including slots, dice, table games, and much else. In fact, there are so many games offered that you're virtually assured of finding something that is to your liking and skill level. The site features a number of bonuses and promotions, and it has a slick layout that will keep you coming back for more. 2. Betcoin Betcoin is a long-standing Bitcoin casino, but it also offers other cryptocurrencies, including Monero. It has an extensive gaming library—though not as extensive as FortuneJack's. The casino offers 150 games, including blackjack, baccarat, craps, dice, slots, etc. There's also a poker room with impressive tournaments, and a sportsbook. Betcoin's overall look and feel may not be as slick as FortuneJack Casino, but it gets the job done with a number of online games. 3. 1xBit Founded in 2015, 1xBit has established itself as a comprehensive Bitcoin gaming portal, catering to many different games, as it is not only an online casino. It also offers a much wider range of cryptocurrencies than just Bitcoin, and this includes Monero. As for gaming—1xBit has a truly massive selection of well over three thousand games available for play. There are standard casino games and slots, multiplayer games, a sportsbook, fantasy soccer tournaments, and betting on various televised games and financial events. 4. 7BitCasino 7BitCasino has been around since 2014, and boasts a gaming license from the government of Curaçao. It has an attractive online interface, and offers over two thousand popular online casino games. It comes with the usual slot and table games, and also has a live dealer lobby—something of a rarity. The site also offers numerous promotions and bonuses. Hit the Slots at the Best Monero Casinos of 2021! Cryptocurrencies have enjoyed some spectacular growth in the past decade. Whether it's the old standbys like Bitcoin and Ether, to edgier newcomers like Monero and ZCash, there's a whole lot to choose from. Finding the right Monero casinos is all about doing your research and finding the right fit for you. We think these five casinos, however, make a pretty good start. To learn more about cryptocurrencies click here, or visit out Monero Casinos section for the complete list XMR online casinos.
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