Cryptocurrency
Things That Could Affect the iGaming Industry in 2022
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.
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Compliance Updates
Romania Bans Polymarket Over Illegal Cryptocurrency Betting Activities
Reading Time: < 1 minute
Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has officially blacklisted Polymarket, a prominent prediction market that allows users to bet on future events, citing its operation as an unlicensed gambling platform. The decision comes amid heightened concerns over crypto-based betting during recent election cycles, where Polymarket reportedly saw trading volumes surpassing $600 million.
ONJN asserts that Polymarket’s “counterpart betting” model – where users wager against each other on future outcomes – falls squarely within the scope of Romanian gambling regulations. The regulator clarified that regardless of whether bets are placed using fiat currency or cryptocurrencies, they are legal gambling activities that require appropriate licensing. ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare emphasised that the issue is about compliance with the law, not technology, stating, “It’s about the law, not the platform’s blockchain foundation.”
Although Polymarket promotes itself as an “event trading” platform, ONJN concluded that its operational structure – where users place bets on the outcomes of unpredictable events and the platform earns commissions – meets the legal criteria of gambling. Consequently, Romanian internet providers are now mandated to block access to the platform.
The post Romania Bans Polymarket Over Illegal Cryptocurrency Betting Activities appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
AUSTRAC
AUSTRAC Cracks Down on Cryptolink for Late Reporting
Reading Time: 2 minutes
AUSTRAC has issued Cryptolink an infringement notice of $56,340 and accepted a court-enforceable undertaking that addresses the company’s AML/CTF deficiencies.
The action follows AUSTRAC’s Crypto Taskforce identifying late reporting of large cash transactions and weaknesses in the company’s money laundering and terrorism financing risk assessments.
AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said the package of infringement notices and the enforceable undertaking is designed to ensure useable intelligence does not slip through the cracks.
“The infringement notice addresses previous non-compliance around reporting and the enforceable undertaking seeks assurance that Cryptolink has improved its risk assessments and strengthened its AML/CTF controls,” Mr Thomas said.
“Crypto ATMs are one of the highest risk money laundering channels in Australia at the moment. They are being exploited by criminals to launder money and move scam proceeds. This is not conjecture. It’s what our Crypto Taskforce observed and has been backed up by the work of our law enforcement partners.”
As part of the enforceable undertaking, Cryptolink must engage third party reviewers to:
• validate whether the business has reported all required threshold transactions to AUSTRAC
• assess whether the business has implemented effective controls for large cash transactions
• review Cryptolink’s money laundering and terrorism financing risk assessment to ensure it is fit-for-purpose.
Cryptolink has fully cooperated with AUSTRAC and paid the infringement notice in full. Payment of an AUSTRAC infringement notice is not an admission of liability.
The enforcement action comes after intensive engagement with crypto ATM operators since late 2024.
Working in partnership with law enforcement, AUSTRAC’s Crypto Taskforce estimated that 85% of transactions made by the 90 most prolific crypto ATM users were the proceeds of scams and money mule activity.
“Scams are one of the biggest drivers of suspicious activity and criminals have been using crypto ATMs to move and cash out stolen funds,” said Mr Thomas.
A recently released Australian Institute of Criminology report found more than 40% of cybercrime victims are revictimised, often within months.
“With this in mind we want people to be cautious of making transactions to any wallet they don’t control and thinking twice in circumstances where someone asks you to deposit money into a crypto ATM.”
The second stage of the Crypto Taskforce is focussed on high-risk operations.
“Criminals don’t care how they hurt people, they care about making money,” said Mr Thomas.
“We want to work with the digital currency exchanges to harden the sector against exploitation but if operators don’t take this seriously, we will take action.”
The post AUSTRAC Cracks Down on Cryptolink for Late Reporting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
CasinoWebScripts
CasinoWebScripts Launches Revamped Crypto Casino Platform with Advanced Features
Reading Time: 2 minutes
CasinoWebScripts, a leading provider of casino software and game content, has released its newly upgraded cryptocasino platform. The launch strengthens the company’s position as a top solution for operators who want full control, flexibility and innovation in the blockchain gambling space.
With over 15 years of experience in iGaming development, CasinoWebScripts has redesigned and expanded its digital-currency casino solution to deliver a cleaner interface, faster performance and a broader range of tools that give operators a genuine competitive edge.
New Lobby UI and Improved User Experience
At the core of the update is a reworked lobby interface. The new design is clean, responsive and modular, so operators can display games, promotions and categories in a way that matches their brand identity. The platform optimises game grouping, filter logic and launch speeds across desktop and mobile devices to provide smoother navigation and faster content access.
Key Advantages of the Platform
CasinoWebScripts’ cryptocasino platform introduces a powerful feature set that few other providers combine in a single package:
• Provably Fair Replay for In-House Games — every spin or game round can be verified through transparent, cryptographical algorithms
• Compatibility with Any Cryptocurrency — operators can integrate any coin supported by their wallet infrastructure, without being limited to specific tokens.
• Comprehensive In-House Tools — the platform includes a complete suite of management and marketing features such as a bonus system, reward-code system, daily login wheel, affiliate module and more, all built to the highest standards.
• Flexible, Fair Pricing — pricing models scale with the operator’s growth, ensuring fairness and transparency from launch to expansion.
• Source Code Licensing & Exclusive Rights — operators can purchase full source-code access for complete customization and branding control. Exclusive licensing is available for those who want proprietary game content.
Oscar Stevens, Business Development Manager at CasinoWebScripts, said: “This launch focuses on what operators actually need — transparency, control, and independence. With provably fair replays, full crypto compatibility, and source-code options, our platform gives clients the freedom to own and shape their casino business entirely.”
The post CasinoWebScripts Launches Revamped Crypto Casino Platform with Advanced Features appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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