Online Gambling & Industry

Crypto casino

Payment method

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin

Great Britain status

Illegal — operators may not allow consumers to deposit using cryptocurrency²

Licensing

Not licensed by the Gambling Commission¹

Commonly associated with

Crash games and other unlicensed online gambling²

Key points

• Players deposit cryptocurrency into their casino account, place bets, and withdraw winnings in the same currency.²
• In Great Britain, the Gambling Commission states it is illegal for licensed operators to accept cryptocurrency for gambling.²
• Crypto casinos are typically unlicensed and illegal if accessible from Great Britain.¹
• The term refers to an online casino, not a land-based venue.³

How to start a crypto casino

1. Choose a jurisdiction that permits crypto gambling (not Great Britain, where it is illegal).²
2. Obtain a gambling licence from a regulator such as the Malta Gaming Authority.⁴
3. Integrate a cryptocurrency payment processor for deposits and withdrawals.
4. Select and install casino games (slots, table games, crash games) from software providers.
5. Implement player verification (KYC) unless you intend to operate a no-KYC variant, which carries additional legal risk.

Regulation of crypto casinos

In Great Britain, the Gambling Commission has stated that crypto casinos are not licensed and are illegal if accessible from GB.¹ Licensed operators are prohibited from allowing consumers to use cryptocurrency to deposit money.²

Other jurisdictions, such as Malta, have issued guidance on the use of distributed ledger technology and crypto-assets in gambling, allowing licensed operators to accept cryptocurrency under certain conditions.⁴

The Gambling Act 2005 does not explicitly mention cryptocurrency, but the Commission interprets its provisions to cover crypto-based gambling as remote gambling.³

Common questions

Where this term is used

• Casino floor

Related terms

Sources

1. Emerging money laundering and terrorist financing risks ... gamblingcommission.gov.uk States that crypto casinos are not licensed by the Commission and are illegal if accessible from Great Britain.
2. Illegal online gambling - Phase 2: Identifying indicators of ... gamblingcommission.gov.uk Defines crypto casinos, states the illegality of accepting cryptocurrency for deposits in Great Britain, and links them to crash games.
3. Gambling Act 2005 legislation.gov.uk Confirms that the term applies to online gambling contexts and that the Gambling Act 2005 covers crypto-based gambling as remote gambling.
4. Guidance on the use of Distributed Ledger Technology and ... mga.org.mt Provides guidance on how licensed operators may accept cryptocurrency under certain conditions.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.