The popularity of bitcoin (BTC) as a virtual currency has facilitated another economy to thrive in parallel to the existing fiat currency-based economy. As the use of bitcoin as a medium of exchange continues to gain acceptance, it has also supported a new field for gambling, gaming, and lotteries via online bitcoin casinos. In this guide, we shall learn what bitcoin casinos are, how they work, why they are so popular, their legal framework, and their future.
What are Bitcoin Casinos?
A bitcoin casino refers to any online casino or sports betting platform, which embraces BTC either in preference (or alongside) fiat money, like dollars. In the recent past, multiple large-scale BTC casinos have sprung, providing a customized list of games and services for players who want to transact in BTC as opposed to fiat currency.
Apart from standard casino games such as roulette, bitcoin casinos offer more sports-based betting and online lotteries. Instead of the word bitcoin or BTC, most bitcoin casinos use the word mBTC or millibitcoin to refer to one-thousandth of a bitcoin, or 0.001BTC.
How do Bitcoin Casinos Work?
Software is the centre of any internet gambling site and this holds true for bitcoin casinos. Majority of the common BTC casinos with big user bases operate their own gaming software, while smaller firms use purchased or rented versions. The software conducts and runs the game, with very minimal human intervention.
Apart from the process of transferring or withdrawing BTC after a win, many bitcoin casinos work similarly to ordinary casinos. For gamblers who long to take a chance, bitcoin casinos have new registrations with in-build wallets, which players use to hold their bitcoins temporarily.
Any bet placed in the casino relies on a player’s stored assets. A player places a bet using funds from their wallet and can either lose or profit on that amount based on their luck in a game. Some notable online casinos are providing mega BTC jackpots, where players stand to win sums of up to 500 bitcoins.
Once a game is finished, all winnings are returned to a player’s in-build wallet. A player can then transfer their BTC to their personal wallets if they wish. Nevertheless, most casinos have placed a withdrawal limit to restrict players from withdrawing all their bitcoins at once. It is advisable to thoroughly go through an online casino’s terms and conditions before engaging in any business with it.
Why are Bitcoin Casinos so Popular?
Since the invention of bitcoin, the world’s dominant cryptocurrency has found favor with online casinos due to its pseudonymity and ease of transfer. Just like the way BTC initially boomed with black internet markets like the Silk Road, online casinos have promptly moved to embrace BTC as their base currency to avoid regulatory restrictions.
Besides, BTC casino platforms have gone further to provide zero transaction charges with unlimited free daily transactions- differentiating themselves from ordinary casinos that purely depend on fiat money.
In some instances, bitcoin casinos are offering mega jackpots and huge profits, considering that their operating margins are considerably lower. Many bitcoin casinos have recapitulated on the formula provided by ordinary casinos, and have tailored many standard games with new rules and guidelines.
Possibly the significant contributing aspect to the enduring acceptance of bitcoin casinos is that players’ profits or losses are not subjected to taxes.
Are Bitcoin Casinos Legal?
Just like other online gambling counterparts, BTC casinos are categorized within a legal ‘gray zone’ and regulations against such platforms differ from one country to another.
Most online gambling platforms pose a challenge for international regulators because any central body and BTC transactions do not regulate BTC cannot be interrupted or moderated. However, most international watchdogs have given strong stances against bitcoin casinos.
For instance, US citizens are restricted from operating a BTC casino in their home states- implying that most operators are formed in collaboration with non-US citizens to cater to the needs of US gamblers.
Most bitcoin gambling websites permit new users to sign up pseudonymous- implying that new registrations do not require a player to provide their real names and other extra identification documents. Nevertheless, legal authorities can analyze BTC transactions and potentially trace their origin through chain evaluation tools.
It is advisable to abide by all legislation in your state and only proceed to gamble online if it is legally acceptable to do so.
The Future of Bitcoin Casinos
Perhaps, the future of BTC casinos may not strictly involve bitcoin. Although BTC brings several benefits to the gambling sector- categorically offering an escape route from government regulations, quick transactions, and pseudonymity- altcoins may offer more attractive benefits soon.
In the period since BTC’s invention on the global stage, numerous privacy-based digital currencies have evolved that particularly anonymize transaction details and the people involved. Cryptocurrencies like Monero and Zcash may one day be widely embraced by online casinos because of their fungibility aspect.
Remember to bet what you can only afford to lose!
