Since it was created more than a decade ago, bitcoin has found itself caught in the unenviable nexus between exciting innovation on the one hand, and controversial disruptor on the other. Whatever the view on the cryptocurrency and the blockchain technology that underpins it, both have found a real-world use in gaming, thanks to the benefits they offer both players and operators. These benefits are especially relevant at a time when operators globally are grappling with the fallout from Covid-19 and slowing regional economies. In Asia, Macau gaming revenue is at all-time lows, while an extended shutdown may have cost South Korea’s largest casino almost half a billion dollars. Indeed, the current backdrop of social distancing offers even more validation to actively pursue a digital strategy, with crypto providing an added boost. The take-up of blockchain is evident in the proliferation of crypto operators in recent years, with more than 200 currently active...
