Bitcoin
THNDR Releases Infrastructure for Limitless Wagering, Disrupting $95B Online Gambling Market
THNDR announced its newest product, Clinch, an API that enables instantaneous, borderless, low-fee, peer-to-peer wagering using the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Created in response to the pain points of traditional competitive gaming platforms – including high buy-ins, cashout thresholds, slow payouts, and regional restrictions – Clinch makes global, limitless wagering a reality.
Targeting the $95B online gambling market, the Clinch API allows partners, such as online casinos, sports books, and competitive gaming platforms, to integrate global, high-frequency wagering without the restrictions, high fees, and slow processing of traditional gaming providers. Clinch is a revolutionary monetization tool for game developers and other businesses navigating ever-changing app store and developer platform policies.
Current competitive gaming typically enforces high buy-ins, often requiring users to deposit $20 or more to begin gameplay. These thresholds are untenable for the majority of global users, especially in emerging markets and developing regions, unable or unwilling to deposit such high amounts of funds. Clinch’s wagering rails make it possible for users to enter wagers for as little as one satoshi (1/100,000,000th of a bitcoin). Clinch not only opens the door for users globally, it also allows businesses using the API to reach and monetize this global audience.
As of the announcement, users can test out Clinch in THNDR’s portfolio of games, beginning with the cult-classic, Club Bitcoin: Solitaire, which reached #21 in the App Store and is the highest ranked bitcoin game of all time. Users can place a wager (in bitcoin) on a game of Solitaire against friends, and funds will be paid out instantaneously, peer-to-peer.
Select partners are currently testing out early API access and users should expect limitless Clinch wagering in an endless supply of games. Expanding the Clinch suite of offerings outside of skills-based wagering, THNDR is working with sports-betting and gambling companies to make high-frequency wagering globally accessible and more efficient while elevating the integrity and overall quality of the gameplay.
How it works: Clinch allows users to place wagers directly with peers, for exactly the desired amount – no upfront deposit required. Wagers can be placed for as little as one satoshi, or 1/100,000,000 of a bitcoin, and there is no upper limit on the wager size (although early Clinch versions will be capped as the tech is tested in production).
While similar wagering and betting innovations have been tested on other blockchain protocols, these are fraught with security vulnerabilities, negligent token issuance, centralization, and have garnered regulatory scrutiny. In light of the recent $41.3M hack of the online crypto casino and sports betting platform, Stake.com, Clinch offers a welcome alternative by giving users complete control of their funds. THNDR is the first company to launch a consumer wagering product and API on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network.
Users can now test out early access, wagering bitcoin in near real-time, PvP Solitaire matches. Initial rollout is invite-only but users can sign up for rolling waitlist access. Developers interested in integrating the Clinch API can visit api.clinch.gg for API documentation and access.
THNDR is a gaming infrastructure company focused on building products that enable competitive, connected play, frictionless rewards, and borderless wagering. THNDR’s newest product, Clinch, leverages the Bitcoin Lightning Network to enable instantaneous, depositless, peer-to-peer wagering.