Latest News
Tokens and Gambling, What You Need to Know
Early on in the development of the cryptocurrency industry, Bitcoin was the only cryptocurrency many enthusiasts had heard of. In the years since, however, thousands of altcoins have been created, many of which focus on improving upon what Bitcoin does (or does not do). Nowadays, there are even custom tokens designed only for gambling. The result has been revolutionary changes to the way people interact with technology, including online gambling and casinos. With so many different cryptocurrencies out there, here’s what you need to know about tokens and gaming to understand where this trend is going.
The Need to Evolve Payment Methods
Crypto casinos accept a variety of currencies and payment methods. However, the public’s increasing adoption of cryptocurrency has made this form of payment the main one for online gambling sites. Players can use major crypto coins like Bitcoin or Ethereum at just about any casino buying crypto with fiat through a digital wallet and depositing into their preferred game. As the needs and desires of players change, so do the specificity of features casinos have to offer. A player could prefer to use coins with a less busy blockchain to reduce the transaction time. For instance, Litecoin (LTC) has a much faster transaction speed since the coin takes two and a half minutes to produce a blockchain block while Bitcoin’s blocks are produced every nine minutes.
Why Casinos Incorporate Tokens
Altcoins or tokens are basically cryptocurrencies other than the pioneer Bitcoin. Some casinos still support only Bitcoin. But the most future-forward sites also support altcoins like DOGE and the swapping of tokens through the integration of wallets and swapping apps like Metamask. The considerable growth of decentralized finance and, accordingly of DeFi tokens, during the past year has made some kind of incorporation of tokens mandatory for online casinos to stay competitive. But, why tokens? The gambling audience is diverse and as such, they have different needs when it comes to choosing how to invest and play with digital assets. This is where the development of such a variety of tokens comes in. Every token is designed to cover certain necessities of the market, for example, gaming tokens. These coins are used as currencies in video games to buy features like characters, weapons, and they even can allow the players to own the games partially. Tokens allow deeper involvement from the community that purchases them. Some coins are distributed on a play-to-earn basis, rewarding players for their performance on the platform. The possibilities are endless since each token can be designed for an immense amount of purposes, hence the need to make them available in gambling, the main use for cryptocurrencies worldwide.
Most Used Altcoins in Gambling
Ether (ETH) Ether is until today one of the most popular tokens in the casino community. Its popularity lies on the fact that it is significantly more stable than any of the new tokens. However, Ether transactions are becoming more expensive since the network is getting more and more busy thus increasing the gas money per transaction.
Litecoin (LTC) This coin was created based on the protocol of Bitcoin but with the intention of making a more “lite” version, with better scalability, more capacity for micro transactions and much quicker transactions.
XRP Developed by Ripple Labs, this altcoin offers a lot of benefits for gamblers like fast confirmation times and cheap transactions. All XRP coins already exist which eliminates the need for mining. The down part for many players is that XRP is not a decentralized token since it depends directly on the company Ripple Labs.
To Sum Up
While Bitcoin is still king when it comes to converting real money into digital cash, there are plenty of alternative coins that are slowly making their way into casinos as an alternative. Altcoins are growing more prominent in every sector of society; whether you play games on your phone or gamble for sport with friends, there’s an altcoin that can help you. The gambling scene is no different—and as a result, we’re seeing new tokens popping up all over the place to improve the experience offered by mainstream crypto like Bitcoin.
eSports
Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19
The ESL Pro League (EPL) returns to St. Julian’s, Malta, for Season 19 on April 23 – May 12, 2024. The world’s biggest Counter-Strike league will see teams from around the world arrive on-site for three weeks of non-stop action, and only one team will emerge victorious as Champions.
Here is all you need to know about ESL Pro League Season 19
The 19th Season of the ESL Pro League will see the 32 best Counter-Strike teams compete for a total prize pool of $750,000, a win in the race to secure Intel® Grand Slam V, and a spot at IEM Cologne 2024. Commencing on April 23, contenders from around the globe will face off in Malta for a spot in the Playoffs. There, the six best teams will compete live in front of an intimate live audience at the InterContinental Malta on May 10 – 12, 2024.
Starting with the upcoming season, EPL will see some improvements to its schedule. While the number of teams and the tournament structure remain the same compared to recent seasons, the duration of the tournament has been adjusted to three weeks instead of five. To accommodate this change, two groups will be played simultaneously during the Group Stage, resulting in a more intense story for fans to follow.
Schedule and Format
Group Stage (April 23 – May 5):
- Four groups of eight teams will compete in separate triple-elimination brackets
- All matches are best-of-three
- The top four teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs
- Group Stage winners advance to the Quarterfinals
- The Group Stage runner-ups advance to the Round of 12
- The Group Stage third and fourth-place teams advance to the Round of 16
Playoffs (May 7 – 12):
- The top sixteen teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket
- All matches will be best-of-three, excluding the Grand Final which will be best-of-five
- The third and fourth Quarterfinals, as well as both Semifinals and the Grand Final will be played out live on stage in front of an audience
Teams Attending
- Astralis (Partner Team)
- BIG (Partner Team)
- Complexity (Partner Team)
- ENCE (Partner Team)
- FaZe Clan (Partner Team)
- Fnatic (Partner Team)
- FURIA (Partner Team)
- G2 Esports (Partner Team)
- HEROIC (Partner Team)
- MOUZ (Partner Team)
- Natus Vincere (Partner Team)
- Ninjas in Pyjamas (Partner Team)
- Team Liquid (Partner Team)
- Team Vitality (Partner Team)
- Monte (ESL Challenger Jönköping winner)
- Virtus.pro (ESL Challenger Atlanta winner)
- SAW (ESL World Ranking)
- Team Falcons (ESL World Ranking)
- GamerLegion (ESL World Ranking)
- BetBoom Team (ESL World Ranking)
- Eternal Fire (ESL World Ranking)
- 3DMAX (ECL S46 Europe winner)
- FORZE (ECL S46 Europe runner-up)
- M80 (ECL S46 North America winner)
- BOSS (ECL S46 North America runner-up)
- The MongolZ (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific winner)
- TYLOO (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific runner-up)
- Imperial Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
- Sharks Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
- Pera Esports (European Conference winner)
- Bad News Kangaroos (Oceanic Qualifier winner)
- FlyQuest (ANZ Champs winner)
Prize Money (USD)
TOTAL | $750,000 |
1st | $170,000 |
2nd | $80,000 |
3rd-4th | $45,000 |
5th-8th | $32,000 |
9th-12th | $23,500 |
13th-16th | $17,500 |
17th-20th | $12,000 |
21st-28th | $7,000 |
29th-32nd | $3,500 |
Broadcast Talent
- Hosts
- “Tres “stunna” Saranthus
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
- A Stream
- Jason “moses” O’Toole
- Janko “YNk” Paunović
- Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
- Harry “Harry” Russell
- Hugo “Hugo” Byron
- Henry “Henry” Greer
- Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
- B Stream
- Neo “Ne0kai” Caine
- Harvey “Skriv” Rodgers
- Lucy “LucyLuce” Eastwood
- Brandon “BDog” Rawlings
- Travis “Trav” Landaw Mott
Where to Watch
The live broadcast will be available on FACEIT Watch, ESL FACEIT Group’s premier esports viewing platform created by esports fans for esports fans and open for all.
Featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch their favorite player’s perspective directly next to the main event stream, a live chat, a kill cam, live-generated replays of key moments, a sound mixer, a rewards program, and more, FACEIT Watch revolutionises esports streaming by putting fans in control of their viewing experience.
Fans can also watch the action on the ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand for free via YouTube.
For more information about ESL Pro League Season 19, and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website, and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
Latest News
New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt
Another incredible new market launch for Hacksaw Gaming, this time we’re taking a trip to Portugal with Solverde.pt. Exclusively showcasing our content until the 30th of April, this new partnership looks to be one with an exciting journey ahead.
Fan favourites Wanted Dead or a Wild, 2 Wild 2 Die, R.I.P City, Le Bandit and many more are now featured on the Hacksaw exclusive section of the Solverde.pt platform. At long last, Portuguese players can now immerse themselves in the Hacksaw experience, exploring a large catalogue of our games that demonstrate our creative mechanics and stunning visuals.
“Hacksaw has been a top request from Portuguese casino players and we always aim to know the market preferences and deliver what the customers want” says Américo Loureiro, Solverde.pt Director “We’re very proud to bring this groundbreaking studio to Portugal for the first time and have no doubt it will be a success”
Part of Solverde Group, which boasts more than 50 years of history, Solverde.pt was launched in 2017.
They strive to offer the widest casino portfolio in Portugal, prioritising all the fun of casino games with the top quality and safety that SolverdePT users have come to know them for.
Marcus Cordes, Hacksaw Gaming CEO is certain that Hacksaw enthusiasts in Portugal will be ecstatic with this new launch – “Being able to bring yet another growing market our games is what drives us forward! Saúde to a promising future partnership and to the teams who made this happen.”
With this latest launch marking our third new market entry in the past month alone, Hacksaw Gaming’s quest to introduce our collection to players worldwide is rapidly becoming reality. Are we setting the tone for even more groundbreaking ventures in the months ahead? Stay tuned, as we’re on a mission to grow our Hacksaw Community far and wide.
Latest News
What Types of Resources Help You Find New Online Casinos?
As online betting and gambling are increasingly getting popular, more and more gambling portals and online casinos are sprouting up every day on the internet. With so many mobile applications and websites offering lucrative options, it can be quite overwhelming and confusing to find new online casinos which are both legitimate and safe. So, how do you make a decision?
This list of resources will help you clear out that confusion and help you analyse your choices more carefully and choose the right new online gambling site for yourself.
Read Reviews on Reputable Review Sites
Online review websites are one of the most reliable sources to ascertain how good a new online gambling site is. With the drastic increase in the number of online gambling portals and casinos, these review sites have become a frequent visit for many gambling enthusiasts. Such websites usually provide comprehensive reviews of different online casinos along with important information about their games, bonuses, payment methods, and customer support.
One pro tip is to look for reviews from industry experts and popular players to ensure you get a credible report and make a more informed decision accordingly.
Check for Proper Licensing
One of the most critical things before signing up for a new online gambling site is to check its legitimacy and licensing. On the portal, make sure to look for a valid license registered under a proper jurisdiction.
This will ensure that the company is a legally registered operation and that your personal and financial data is safe and secure.
Refer to News Websites and Blogs
Another credible way to find good new online casinos is to look through news websites and blogs that specifically talk about the gambling industry. These sites often publish dedicated articles about the latest trends and developments in the industry, including new site launches and promotions.
Often including reviews from experts, articles and blogs on these platforms is a good way to judge a new online gambling site and make your decision. That’s why it is advisable to keep an eye on such portals and stay updated and informed.
Join Online Forums and Communities
I believe that no one can give a better review of an online gambling website other than someone who has been on the portal and played the game themselves. While there are multiple such forums dedicated to the online gambling industry, some online casinos have their own forums dedicated to their players.
Being on these forums and communities is a good way to get in touch with industry experts and experienced players and personally get their reviews and recommendations on online casinos. You can also learn about new casinos, discuss different aspects of online gambling, and connect with other players who share your interests.
Check Social Media Platforms
It’s 2024 and no community is bigger than social media! Be it Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat or even Reddit, almost every individual and business is present over there including online gambling companies. With the easiest access to a very large number of people, online casinos have to maintain their presence and stay active on these platforms.
That’s why many online casinos have social media accounts across many of these platforms where they regularly post updates about their latest games, promotions, and other news. Thus, social media is one of the best ways to search for new online casinos. In fact, by following these casinos on social media, you can stay updated about their offerings and be among the first to know about any new developments.
Consider Bonuses and Promotions
A lot of new online casinos offer generous bonuses and promotional schemes like welcome bonuses, free spins, no or low deposits, etc., to attract new players. If you ask me, I prefer playing on a portal that asks for the lowest deposits.
For this, I look for a list of low-deposit online casinos and research their bonuses and promotions to make sure they are lofty and worth my time. Do the same while picking out your online gambling website and chances are that you’ll start with a great deal.
Choosing a new gambling site from a pool of hundreds and thousands of casinos can be daunting, especially for beginners. However, using the right resources like review portals, online communities, blogs, etc., can help you indulge in a proper research process. On the other hand, using smart techniques like checking for licenses and promotional offers offered by the company can make the decision-making even smoother.
But at the end of the day, I believe that finding the right new gambling website really depends on how well-informed you are about the industry. Always make sure to stay updated and informed about whatever is happening in the industry and you’ll automatically find it easier to pick your new gambling website.
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