It’s no longer possible to say that crypto casinos are new in the online gambling industry, as the first platform, SatoshiDice, was launched in 2012. However, the crypto casino market has grown unprecedentedly in the past few years, spiking by 500% between 2022 and 2024. During this period, crypto casinos amassed over USD 81 billion in revenue.
What is behind such a roaring success? A powerful blend of online casino gameplay and innovative crypto-backed payment methods, which is perfectly represented by crypto roulette. Learn more about the latest developments of this centuries-old game and the ground-breaking changes they usher in.
A Bit Of Context
Roulette is one of the oldest and most iconic games of casino culture. Primitive versions of roulette can be found in the 17th century, though the rules and format were established in the 18th century in France. It’s a game of chance, but unlike most games of this kind, players can choose the levels of risk they’ll take.
Such modulation of risk levels is only possible due to its gameplay, where different betting options offer different odds. Typically, a roulette table has 37 to 38 numbers: three rows with 12 numbers each, from 1 to 36 (in red or black), and one or two zeros, depending on the version. European and French rules include only one zero, while the American version has two.
Zeroes represent the house edge, as players can’t bet on them unless they’re included in specific combinations. Indeed, roulette has many betting options, which are more or less likely to land. For instance, the table has 18 red and 18 black numbers, meaning that a bet on red or black numbers has nearly a 50% chance of landing.
The “nearly” part is important, as the ball can always land on a zero, in which case, both options result in a loss. Additionally, the number of zeroes impacts betting odds; American roulette tables, like those at Bitcasino.io, with two zeros, have slightly less favorable odds for each bet. Players can also bet on columns, dozens, individual numbers, or combinations of numbers. In any case, individual numbers bets are the riskiest, with only a 2.6% chance of landing.
From Chips To Cryptos
The first online casinos were launched in the mid-90s, bridging the gap between players and brick-and-mortar venues. The popularization of online gambling platforms went as far and as fast as the internet itself, making anyone with a connected computer (and later, a smartphone) a potential player. The global online casino industry has become tremendously powerful, with a projected revenue of over USD 80 billion by the end of 2025.
The online casino industry was already gigantic when SatoshiDice was launched. Bitcoins were worth a fraction of today’s value (about USD 15 a unit), and very few platforms would support this payment method. In this context, crypto casinos gave a new purpose to digital currencies, which could now be used for entertainment. However, the innovations brought by crypto casinos go way beyond the integration with crypto-backed payment methods.
Thanks to blockchain technology, crypto casinos can provide unprecedented privacy, safety, and transparency. For once, all operations are protected by heavy cryptography and recorded on immutable, public ledgers. It means that players can individually verify each transaction and the outcome of each round.
Players don’t need to share personal data like their ID or banking information for deposits or withdrawals, securing their anonymity and privacy. Additionally, blockchain-based operations are much faster and cheaper than traditional banking services. Indeed, crypto casinos can cater to a global audience, as players don’t need to worry about the high costs of exchange and cross-border financial operations.
Still, not many innovations are as important as Provably Fair games. Fair algorithms ensure that no one can tamper with the results of a round, as they are determined before users hit the “play” button. In a market with a reputation scarred by scammers and fraudsters, technologies like blockchain and Provably can restore players’ trustworthiness in operators.
About Crypto Roulette
As the name suggests, crypto roulette is a kind of roulette where players use cryptocurrencies for betting, not fiat money. For this reason, it’s often called “Bitcoin roulette.” Likewise, all prizes are awarded in crypto. Bitcoin isn’t the only option in this context, as many other cryptocurrencies are in the market. Crypto casinos and online tables support all sorts of cryptos these days.
Better still, Provably Fair technology has become commonplace in the industry, which means there are plenty of reliable options to enjoy. Roulette is a timeless game that keeps fascinating generation after generation of gamblers, blending sheer luck and decision-making features that make each round unique.
Typically, younger gamblers prefer games involving some level of skill and decision-making instead of slots. Roulette isn’t a game of skill either, but the variety of betting options leaves room for some pretty interesting, math-backed, strategic thinking. Like in modern options such as Plinko and other crash games, it’s possible to adjust risk levels to each player’s appetite.
Coincidentally, the same age groups that prefer more decision-based games (Millennials and Gen Zers) are also the most excited about cryptos. According to recent statistics, 35% of crypto owners are between the ages of 25 and 34, while 26% are between the ages of 35 and 45. It’s easy to understand why crypto roulette has been attracting their attention, a trend that will likely remain upward.
Integrating Business With Entertainment
Crypto casinos have become too big to be ignored in recent years. Still, its fast-rising popularity has other impacts on the cryptocurrency world. Crypto owners have a new and entertaining way of spending their assets. Additionally, they attract new users who need to set up wallets and buy cryptocurrencies to play, and new users keep coming in every day.
Online roulette corresponds to nearly 5% of all online bets and is the favorite option for players aged between 25 and 50. In this context, the popularity of crypto roulette and other casino games means an increasing demand for more efficient payment services. DeFi and cross-chain integration are already a reality for some crypto casinos, providing faster and cheaper transactions between different cryptocurrencies and blockchains.
Cross-chain integration will also allow players to use NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to gamble on games like roulette, creating new opportunities for brand collaborations. Most NFT transactions still occur on Ethereum blockchains; NFT-based casinos and sports betting platforms are also rising as NFT adoption increases.
Crypto casinos are inherently innovative and a fertile ground for major breakthroughs in the digital currency ecosystem. Any changes that make gambling more dynamic, accessible, and convenient will be warmly welcomed by billions of fans worldwide.