The worlds of gaming and blockchain technology have merged in recent years as they propel each other toward success. Online gaming dates back to the late 20th century, but it became more popular in the early 2000s. With the emergence of smartphones, this industry has seen tremendous growth over the past decade. According to Statista, the market value was at USD$61.5 billion in 2021, and it could see an 81% increase to 114.4 billion by 2028.
The introduction of cryptocurrency to the world of gaming has also contributed heavily to the growth of this industry. In fact, the number of crypto casinos continues to grow every year as new prospective gamblers come to the picture.
One of the most popular platforms today is Stake .com. The crypto gambling giant has been in operation for less than a decade, but it has already made its name in the world of online gaming. With over 50 live casino games supported on Stake, it has one of the industry’s widest selections of live dealer games including exclusive titles.
The emergence of crypto casinos
E-Gold, Bit-Gold, Hashcash, and B-Money were among the first digital currencies to join the market. But it wasn’t long before they fizzled out. However, some of the elements worked their way to the development of Bitcoin, which was launched in 2009.
Bitcoin is the oldest existing digital currency, and it was the first one to be used in modern crypto casinos. The first crypto casino transaction worth 0.2 Bitcoins (USD$24) was recorded in October 2010.
Since then, the number of transactions in this sector has skyrocketed mainly because of the benefits they offer to gamblers. Apart from the low transaction fees, crypto gamblers enjoy anonymous betting and high digital security.
More crypto casinos have joined the market as the number of users keep increasing. So, how did Stake .com take over the world of crypto gambling? Keep reading to dive deep into the history of the world’s biggest live casino platform.
The beginning of Stake .com
Barely six years after the introduction of Bitcoin gambling sector, Easygo Gaming founders finalized a new crypto casino platform. Edward Craven and Bijan Tehrani launched Stake .com in 2017. It’s registered under the name of Medium Rare N.V., a Curacao-headquartered company that operates this crypto betting giant.
Many crypto casinos struggle to get licensed given the strict gambling regulations in most countries. However, Stake .com managed to acquire its gambling license from various gambling authorities, which has helped boost its legitimacy.
Stake’s original license is from the Curacao eGaming License Authority. This license allows the company to operate in countries, such as the United Kingdom and Mexico, using different URLs. So, if you’re in the UK, you can access Stake’s services using the URL Stake .uk .com. It’s worth noting that the casino is also licensed in the country by the UK Gambling Commission.
Unfortunately, Stake .com’s services aren’t available in countries where crypto gambling is banned. The US, France, Australia, North Korea, and the Netherlands are some of the areas where you won’t be able to use Stake’s platform.
Nonetheless, the company is constantly working to expand its territories to reach more people across the globe. In fact, that’s one of the reasons why it managed to grow beyond expectations within its first five years of operation.
Its wide range of online games has also propelled its development, not to mention the flexible payment methods. Keep in mind that Stake .com is primarily a crypto betting platform. Therefore, most transactions carried out on the site are crypto-based. But which and how many cryptocurrencies are available for use?
How many crypto does Stake support?
As one of the earliest crypto casinos, Stake currently supports half of the top 20 cryptocurrencies, with 19 separate currencies supported. This is after the casino added 11 cryptocurrencies in August 2022 to cater to the needs of its users.
Bitcoin, the most used in the initial list of eight currencies, is still one of the most popular options. Other cryptocurrencies supported by Stake .com before the recent update include Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), EOS (EOS), Tron (TRX), and Ripple (XRP).
The following is a list of the 11 new altcoins adopted by the crypto gambling giant in August 2022:
- ApeCoin (APE)
- Binance Coin (BNB)
- Binance USD (BUSD)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Dai (DAI)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Tether (USDT)
- The Sandbox (SAND)
- Uniswap (UNI)
- USD Coin (USDC)
As shown from the list, Stake now supports many popular crypto coins. Gamblers can also use some the best lesser-known digital currencies to bet on their preferred games. But before you choose a cryptocurrency for your gambling activities, it’s important to learn about each coin.
Two notable categories in the new list are stablecoins and meme coins. Read on for more information on the two groups.
- Stablecoins on Stake .com’s platform
A stablecoin is a digital currency whose value is tied to that of fiat, other digital currencies, or assets, such as metal. Their value rarely deviates significantly from that of the reference asset, hence the name ‘stable.’
The objective of this group of crypto is to protect users from the high volatility synonymous with popular cryptocurrencies. It allows users to preserve the fiat value of their investment without necessarily having to cash out of the market. For instance, those coins pegged to the dollar’s value are expected to match the US dollar price 1:1. Of course, there is always a little deviation, but the ratio remains more or less the same.
So, which of the altcoins mentioned above fall under this category?
- Binance USD (BUSD): BUSD is a fiat-backed cryptocurrency whose value matches 1:1 with the USD dollar. Its market capital as of December 2022 is USD$22.10B.
- Dai (DAI): It’s based on the Ethereum blockchain and is pegged as close to the USD price as possible. DAI’s current market cap stands at USD$5.22.
- Tether (USDT): Tether is backed by the US dollar, and it maintains a 1:1 ratio with the USD price. It has a market capitalization of USD$65.58B.
- USD Coin (USDC): USDC is another popular digital dollar. It’s the second largest in this category with a market cap of USD$43.13B.
Many people opt for stablecoins because they’re more predictable than most other digital currencies.
- Meme tokens on Stake .com website
Another set of crypto coins worth noting is the meme tokens. They’re digital currencies inspired by internet jokes and memes. Dogecoin (DOGE), which is already supported by Stake .com, was the first meme coin created in 2013. DOGE is currently the 8th largest crypto with a market cap of USD$13.10B.
These cryptocurrencies have grown over the years and are now some of the most popular in the market. Shiba Inu (SHIB) was created in 2020 as a rival to DOGE. It’s the 15th most valued coin with a market cap of just over USD$5.0B
Which games are available on Stake .com?
Stake .com prides itself on a wide range of games it offers. As mentioned earlier, this variety is one of the factors that contributed to its unbelievable growth five years after its launch. As a gambler, you can choose from more than 40 live dealer games on Stake.
So, which game categories are available on Stake’s platform? Roulette, slots, and live casino are the most popular ones. You’ll also find blackjack, baccarat, game shows, jackpot slots, and table games on this crypto gambling site.
There are games unique to Stake .com that you can enjoy. The fact that these games have fair probability have helped the company attract and retain many crypto bettors. Here are some of the games:
- Crash
- Keno
- Dice
- Limbo
- Hilo
- Mines
- Scarab Spin
- Blue Samurai
- Slide
- Video Poker
- Wheel
If you’re not a fan of chance-based games, you can opt for sports betting. With this option, you just need to predict the outcome of some popular events and wait for the final results. Here are the main sports available on Stake .com:
- Football (FIFA World Cup, English Premier League (EPL), UEFA Champions League, Europa League, La Liga, Serie A, and more)
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Tennis
- Handball
- American Football
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Indy Racing
- Futsal
Stake .com offers a wide selection of chance-based games and sports betting. As such, there is something for everyone who wishes to join the world of crypto gambling.
The marketing strategy
Of course, offering a lot of games and payment options have contributed heavily on Stake’s growth. But you can’t ignore the fact that the company has also invested heavily on its overall marketing plan. The strategy has always been to attract both prospective crypto gamblers and sports enthusiasts.
Over the past few years, the company has made its name in the world of football, boxing industry, and social media. So, how did Stake .com manage to do this within just five years?
Twitch streaming
Social media has been one of Stake’s main marketing channels, and Twitch has played the biggest role in that. Twitch has enjoyed a constant growth for the past 10 years. It currently has well over 2 million concurrent viewers, an increase from 102,000 recorded in 2012.
The platform’s users are predominantly in the world of gaming. In fact, famous games, such as League of Legends and Fortnite, are among the most streamed content. Crypto gambling had also made its way to the top of that chart a few months ago before such streams were banned on the platform.
Stake .com used the opportunity to target Twitch users by partnering with popular Twitch influencers. The likes of Adin Ross, cQc, and Nelk Boys featured Stake’s brand on their live videos as they streamed their live casino experience.
Another famous name that joined the mix in 2022 is Drake. The Stake & Drake channel slowly grew this year as Drake played live casino on Stake under the username DeepPockets6.
But since the ban, most streamers allied to the crypto gambling site have had to change tact. Some of them today focus more on sports betting, as Twitch still allows this type of gambling. One such Twitch streamer is TrainwrecksTV who recently recorded one of his biggest wins betting on the FIFA World Cup.
Sponsorship deals
Aside from Twitch streamers, Stake .com has partnered with some big names in the sporting industry. The sponsorship deals signed by the company over the past two or so years have grown its reputation and popularity across the globe. Have a quick look at the list below.
Stake .com’s sports betting department has grown rapidly over the past few months. This can be attributed to the company’s marketing strategy that has seen it attract the football fanbase.
It currently sponsors two English football clubs, Watford FC and Everton FC. Watford FC signed a deal with the crypto gambling giant in the 2021/22 Premier League season. The two parties renewed the agreement for the 2022/23 season even as Watford were relegated from the Premier League.
Everton FC also followed suit in July 2022. Stake .com is now the official Main Sponsor of the Mersey Side in a deal worth more than USD$10 million per season. Both Everton and Watford feature Stake .com’s logo on the front of their men’s and women’s shirts.
- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
In 2021, Stake .com became the official betting partner of UFC in Latin America, excluding Brazil. However, the South American country was included in the new deal announced in 2022.
The company also brought in Israel Adesanya and other UFC legends as the brand ambassadors. This marketing move has proven fruitful, as Stake .com has become more popular within the boxing industry.
Conclusion
Crypto gambling has become all the rage today, thanks to the growing number of crypto casinos. One platform that’s grown beyond expectations over the past few years is Stake .com. Since its launch in 2017, this crypto gambling site has managed to reach billions of people across the globe. It currently holds licenses from the Curacao Licensing Authority and UK Licensing Commission.
The company offers over 40 live dealer games and many more options for every gambling enthusiast. In addition to the popular selections, Stake .com has a few games that can only be found on its platform. Some of them include Limbo, Hilo, and Miles.
Many factors can be attributed to the company’s tremendous growth, one of them being its marketing strategy. Stake has managed to build a market base on social media and within the sports industry. The gambling site is constantly improving its products as it looks to bring more gamblers on board.
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