Cryptocurrency
The future of crypto gambling: how SOFTSWISS is driving the iGaming industry forward
Cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies have had a significant impact on the development of the iGaming industry and online betting particularly in recent years. The first to see the potential of cryptocurrencies in gambling was SOFTSWISS, an international company with Belarusian roots.
“SOFTSWISS as a fast growing company has always been interested in new technology and innovation. We had been closely following the development of cryptocurrency since 2011,” says Ivan Montik, the Founder of SOFTSWISS. — “We had a fairly young company at the time and an equally ambitious team. So we decided to focus on developing crypto solutions for classic casino and in the spring of 2013 added special features for the SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform and processing for bitcoin gambling. There was nothing like it on the market at that time except for a few one-page dice games.”
SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to offer the B2B market a turnkey crypto solution for running a casino. This coincided with the crisis in Cyprus, when bitcoin showed serious growth and drew attention as an interesting tool not only for geeks and IT professionals, but also for businesses. However, in iGaming cryptocurrency was still considered a dark horse. Even the seasoned players of the gambling industry did not know or understand the full potential of the new currency at the time.
“Initially, SOFTSWISS was the first to introduce bitcoin and blockchain into the operation of gambling,” notes Andrey Starovoitov, Chief Operating Office at SOFTSWISS. — “It was SOFTSWISS that first recommended providers to include cryptocurrencies in the list of currencies available in casino games to accept bets.”
“We were the ones who first sponsored and helped organise the bitcoin seminar at the ICE Totally Gaming conference in London in 2014, where there were panel discussions and I spoke to the iGaming guys,” Ivan continues. — “We tried to tell the industry that it was cool and to open their eyes to the fact that cryptocurrencies were the future of iGaming. The main objective was to convince providers to add bitcoin as a full-fledged betting currency without exchanging it for euros.”
The pioneers in crypto gambling were Bitstarz, 7Bit Casino and BetChain, well-known and successful companies now. These were the first brands to start taking bets in bitcoin, taking advantage of the SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform and cryptocurrency solution.
This segment of the casino industry existed separately for a long time, until the year 2020-2021 when a radical change occurred. This is when so-called ‘dice sites’, which were not online casinos in the classical sense, but offered players their in-house developed games: roulette, crash games, etc., came into the limelight. One of the important components of these companies was the provably fair feature, based on cryptographic algorithms, which allowed players to verify the outcome of a bet. Among them were crypto gambling giants such as Stake and BC.Game.
“Dice sites have long been known in the industry, but have always had an isolated place amongst other iGaming projects. We saw great potential in collaborating with them and expanding their gaming content. So we decided to use the knowledge we already had and offer them a complete ecosystem of products, including Game Aggregator, Affilka and Sportsbook. So in 2020 the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator partnered with several new crypto projects — Stake .com, Roobet, BC.Game, Rollbit. Their performance has been staggering. In the first few months, the count was in the millions of GGR. There is no other example in my practice of gaining momentum and showing such rapid growth,” says Andrey.
“We started communicating with them, offering to diversify their content with SOFTSWISS, adding to their existing games hundreds of new brands, brought together in the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator. We had a large set of providers that, thanks to their cooperation with SOFTSWISS, were open to cryptocurrency betting. So since our partnership, crypto betting rates have been breaking one record after another,” adds Ivan.
One of the benefits of the dice sites has been the use of more effective marketing tools borrowed primarily from cybersports (CS:GO, Dota 2). Created by guys who knew these games and their audience from the inside, they offered the younger generation exactly what they wanted: engagement, demonstration of skills and elements of competition with rivals, rather than slots that produce results you cannot influence. New brands have learned how to attract and retain this audience in online casinos through new formats, gamification and niche social platforms such as Twitch streaming.
“We are seeing a landmark shift in the gambling audience. It is getting younger whereas classic casino brands are mainly geared towards the mature player. The competitive element is very much in favour of and attracts the younger generation,” Andrey concludes. — “It can be easily seen by the popularity of eSports and games where several people can play at the same time. And while marketing experts in many companies are struggling with the question of how to attract a young audience, the new brands have already found a way to do it.”
“What we are seeing now is the second wave of crypto gambling that has already come to us. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain are the reality that can no longer be denied. There are still a lot of opportunities for development in this field. Unfortunately, there is often no space for innovation due to strict licensing and regulation. And that leaves the entire industry at a disadvantage. — “But SOFTSWISS already offers innovative and unparalleled solutions for crypto gambling. You just have to take advantage of them if you want to be on the crest of the new wave, rather than watching the most interesting things unfold from the shore.”
Cryptocurrency
Payhound empowers LSports with a seamless solution to receive payments
The post Payhound empowers LSports with a seamless solution to receive payments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Cryptocurrency
Crypto Casino Lucky Block Partners with MMA Legend Michael Bisping
Global MMA legend Michael Bisping has signed a sponsorship deal with the fast-growing top-tier crypto casino Lucky Block.
The tie-up between the Mixed Martial Arts and UFC superstar and the premium sportsbook and casino entertainment platform is a win-win for Bisping fans and Lucky Block’s swelling customer base of highly engaged players.
This deal secures opportunities for both parties by leveraging the valuable synergies present in the colliding worlds of sports and online gaming.
Through securing the sponsorship deal with Michael Bisping, Lucky Block is joining the big league of crypto casino industry leaders who understand the business impact of top-level sports sponsorship deals.
Aligning with the world of competitive sports, Lucky Block is not only endorsing a celebrated athlete but is also tapping into the fervent sports fan base that is growing by leaps and bounds. Together, Lucky Block and Michael Bisping are bridging the gap between traditional sports and the burgeoning world of crypto-based betting.
Damian Jacobs, Lucky Block community and growth manager commenting on the sponsorship deal, said: “We are pleased to announce our sponsorship of UFC icon Michael Bisping. We believe this deal will be a powerful catalyst as we embark on the next leg of our journey to lead crypto gaming’s conquest of the online sports entertainment and betting industry.
“This partnership shows that Lucky Block can mix it up with the other industry leaders. Our sponsorship of Michael Bisping shows we understand the importance of developing and exploiting the brand projection potential at the intersection between the sports domain and the disruptive power of crypto betting.”
Cryptocurrency
SOFTSWISS Named Crypto Company 2024
Crypto Company of the Year was announced at the International Gaming Awards in London. SOFTSWISS, a leading technology company with 15+ years of experience in the industry, gets this title for the second year in a row.
Marking the beginning of ICE London, the awards ceremony has brought together top names in the iGaming industry to honour their achievements. The International Gaming Awards not only unites experts and gaming enthusiasts worldwide but also serves as the pinnacle charity event of the year.
The Crypto Company of the Year category recognises companies that create innovative experiences for clients in the gambling sector with a focus on crypto. The winner is determined by evidence showcasing the company’s standout performance in the crypto space compared to competitors. Reconfirming the previous year’s success, SOFTSWISS emerged as the Crypto Company of the Year for the second time in a row.
Securing the title of Crypto Company of the Year comes naturally to SOFTSWISS, the trailblazer in introducing crypto-friendly solutions for online gaming. Beginning with Bitcoin, SOFTSWISS has expanded its cryptocurrency offering to nearly 20 digital coins since 2013.
In its dedication to improving player experience, SOFTSWISS introduced the In-Game Currency Conversion feature. The innovation allowed players with crypto holdings to engage seamlessly in games originally tailored for fiat only. One year post-launch, 85% of all bets in crypto casinos powered by the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform were made via the feature.
As an expert in crypto-friendly solutions, the company shares its expertise through the quarterly State of Crypto reports and topical podcasts. This helps raise awareness among all stakeholders, offering essential insights for strategic decision-making.
Andrey Starovoitov, Co-CEO at SOFTSWISS, shares: “We are delighted to receive this award, and it signifies more than just recognition for our recent achievements. The title of Crypto Company of the Year holds deep meaning for those who led the way in integrating digital currencies into iGaming, actively advocate for crypto solutions, and generously share expertise in this field.”
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international tech company supplying software solutions for managing iGaming projects. The expert team, which counts over 2,000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
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