Cryptocurrency

Things That Could Affect the iGaming Industry in 2022

Published

4 years ago

February 25, 2022

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

META: Take a look at our list of things that could affect the iGaming industry in the coming years.

Like a lot of other industries, the iGaming industry is often at the whim of advances in the wider world. World events, advancements in technology and consumer trends all have some sort of effect on online casinos and other betting platforms. And, in turn, the iGaming industry will have to learn to adapt.

But it’s a lot easier to handle things when you know what’s coming. It’ll make adapting your betting stores a lot more efficient to get ahead of developing trends, instead of playing catch up with the changing waves in the industry.

So, with that in mind, take a look at our list of things that could affect the iGaming industry in the coming years, and see how your business can adapt.

Virtual Reality is being pushed

Virtual reality is a big idea that is turning a lot of heads in Silicon Valley. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg envisions a world where people hold meetings in their virtual worlds and give granny a call with an avatar.

We’re a few years away from that, and in the meantime, virtual reality developers should focus on the demographic that is most likely to love it: gamers.

There are attempts to break into virtual reality gaming, and they’re slowly gaining traction. As more games hit the market, more VR rooms showcase their potential, more VR headgear will arrive and the virtual playground will open up.

And, if history is to repeat itself, some of the first games to hit the platform and be accepted will be casino games. Online casinos are already trying to up the immersion on their games, with live dealers and chat rooms. Why shouldn’t we upgrade that to appearing as though you’re actually sitting at the casino table? It’s sure to bring down the price of flights to Vegas.

Cryptocurrency is becoming mainstream

Slowly, cryptocurrency is finding its footing. People are learning the jargon, learning to avoid the scams, and are looking for ways they can use their newfound currency.

So far, short of buying a Tesla, there aren’t many options for the practical use of cryptocurrency except converting it into the national currency – except one place: online casinos.

More and more online casinos are accepting the likes of Bitcoin, Dogecoin, BEP20 token and more to make their deposits to online casinos. The main perk can be seen right away: it’s instant. Without the red tape of the bank to go around, players only need to wait minutes to gain their betting fodder, and don’t have to wait the standard 3-5 working days to then see the results of their winnings in their account.

As crypto becomes more popular and accepted, more industries will see the use of crypto and iGaming will no longer be one of two main uses of crypto, so it makes sense to adapt your site to accepting it now.

Regulations are slackening

World government attitudes to iGaming are changing. Famously stubborn anti-gambling countries like the Netherlands are changing their minds on the idea, and their regulations to match. In 2021 the Netherlands launched their own regulated gambling market, changing the law from an outright ban of all gambling in some places, to an allowance for online gambling. Meanwhile, South Africa and other African countries are telling their citizens that no gambling businesses will open in the country, but they can gamble online.

Even in the US, more and more states are accepting online gambling. So, what gives?

Well, taking New Jersey as an example, the launch of online gambling just before the worldwide lockdowns shut all of Atlantic City’s casinos, allowed the state to gain over $300 million in tax revenue. Since then, a lot of other states have followed suit, turning to online gambling as a means of recovering the country’s economy.

eSports are taking off

eSports are incredibly popular right now – and it makes sense. Everyone was surprised when the first YouTubers started playing games, asking “Who would watch that?” Fast forward and the top YouTuber and Twitch streamer are gamers, and some of the richest YouTubers are gamers. It only stands to reason that fans who love watching games for the fun of it, are likely to come out in droves to watch gaming competitively.

We might be a while away from entering the Olympics, but when you have investors transporting teams of players all around the world to win millions of dollars, you don’t need a medal.

And this means betting opportunities. The point is competitiveness, which means betting on the outcome. The great thing about this is that there is a lot to bet on. Customers don’t need to just stick to “winner” or “loser” but most kills, fastest run and all the millions of other concepts the gaming community has come up with over the years.

A lot of sports betting platforms have already started to adapt to this, offering eSports as a category alongside football, basketball and other traditional sports in a beautiful merging of nerd and jock.

BetPlays

BetPlays Announces Strategic Acquisition into a Premier iGaming Brand to Elevate Platform and Crypto Capabilities

Published

4 days ago

April 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

BetPlays has announced its integration into a major iGaming brand group. The move puts BetPlays in a strong position to elevate its services, with a robust technological infrastructure for quick expansion. This platform upgrade brings a faster and more efficient user experience and enhanced crypto compatibility. All accounts, wallets and profiles remain secure and intact. Players will enjoy a more secure experience with enhanced crypto compatibility and improved support options.

The integration brings a robust technological infrastructure to the popular BetPlays platform. The goal is to enhance operational efficiency through an upgraded, seamless user experience. With a stronger tech footing and enhanced crypto compatibility, BetPlays is looking ahead of the curve for continued growth in this competitive sector.

The full integration was completed on March 31. It deliver Betplays powerful new features to a familiar brand. BetPlays’ fanbase remains on the platform they know and love, with profile and payments intact. Additionally, users will benefit from a faster, more reliable system and consolidated resources.

The post BetPlays Announces Strategic Acquisition into a Premier iGaming Brand to Elevate Platform and Crypto Capabilities appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Crypto

Tequity joins Hub88 aggregator platform to accelerate operator access to Originals and Crypto Trading games

Published

2 weeks ago

March 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

tequity-joins-hub88-aggregator-platform-to-accelerate-operator-access-to-originals-and-crypto-trading-games

Tequity, the rising iGaming software innovator, has successfully integrated its content portfolio into Hub88’s gaming aggregation platform, providing operator partners worldwide with a streamlined route to market.

The partnership enables Hub88’s network of operators to enrich their lobbies with Tequity’s high-performance titles via a single API, allowing rapid deployment and seamless content delivery.

Hub88 clients now have access to Tequity’s Originals portfolio, featuring 17 fast-paced, streamer-friendly, and fully customisable in-house games, as well as the new Crypto Trading games series, which brings crypto market-inspired gameplay directly into the casino environment.

The integration also includes Tequity’s Publishing vertical, with Mirror Image Gaming’s Royal Drop as the first third-party title available through Hub88 distribution.

Operators benefit from a broader content mix with strong advantages in brand control and operational confidence. Extensive customisation options allow partners to tailor game look, feel, and UI, all supported by a robust, engineering-led infrastructure designed for global scale and performance.

Dominic Sawyer, VP of Growth at Tequity, said:
“Hub88 is an ideal distribution partner for studios and operators building for scale. This onboarding makes Tequity content more accessible across Originals, Crypto Trading games, and Publishing, with a focus on fast rollout and full brand control. We have several operator partners scheduled to go live in the coming weeks.”

Ollie Castleman, Managing Director of Hub88, added:
“We are excited to onboard Tequity to our platform. Their Originals, Crypto Trading, and Publishing content provide our operator partners with a diverse, differentiated game offering and a simple, efficient path to launch.”

The post Tequity joins Hub88 aggregator platform to accelerate operator access to Originals and Crypto Trading games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Crypto.com Receives Limited Financial Institutions Licence in Europe

Published

1 month ago

March 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

crypto.com-receives-limited-financial-institutions-licence-in-europe

Crypto.com has announced another regulatory milestone: its EU MiCA regulated entity has received a Limited Financial Institutions licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). The approval allows the company to continue delivering its full suite of stablecoin services – qualifying as payment services – across the European Union, without disruption.

This additional licence is for the provision of services exclusively in relation to electronic money tokens (EMTs). The licence was acquired to navigate a complex regulatory landscape resulting in overlapping crypto asset services (MiCA) and payment services (PSD2). By securing the Limited Financial Institution Licence, Crypto.com has addressed both regulatory regimes ensuring full compliance across every aspect of its stablecoin operations.

Crypto.com’s Malta entity received MiCA approval in January 2025, allowing the company to passport services across the European Economic Area (EEA). Notably, Crypto.com already holds a full Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence in Europe, making it one of the most comprehensively authorised platforms operating in the region.

“We are one of the most regulated crypto platforms in the world and receiving this licence proves, yet again, that we are committed to working with authorities to ensure the strongest compliance standards. Our stablecoin business and services remain a pivotal part of our European product offering so it was vital we secured this limited licence to continue providing seamless access to our institutional and retail customers,” said Eric Anziani, President and Chief Operating Officer at Crypto.com.

The limited Financial Institutions licence adds to Crypto.com’s expanding list of licences and registrations globally including, but not limited to, a UK Electronic Money Institution licence (FCA), a Major Payment Institution licence in Singapore (MAS), a Virtual Assets Service Provider licence in Dubai (VARA), U.S. Money Transmitter Licences, U.S. Designated Contracts Market (DCM) & Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO) licences and recently conditional approval from the U.S. OCC for a National Trust Bank Charter.

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