stake

Ethereum and BNB Theft at Stake.com Crypto Casino Sends More Shockwaves Through the Industry

Stake.com, a popular crypto casino, was hit by a massive heist involving Ethereum (ETH) and Binance Coin (BNB), which amounted to tens of millions of dollars, in a shocking turn of events.

Stake’s Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain (BSC) hot wallets were compromised, but the business assures customers their money is safe. Bitcoin, Litecoin, XRP, EOS, and Tron wallets, among others, are safe for the time being.

An Analysis

On-chain transaction analysis reveals a startling $16 million in stolen Ethereum (ETH), USDC, USDT, and DAI from an Ethereum wallet. Apparently, to avoid any blocking by Tether or Circle, these stablecoin holdings were changed to ETH. In this fraud, almost 6,000 ETH were stolen.

In addition, tokens worth $17.8 million were illegally gained from the BSC chain, and another $7.8 million came from the Polygon wallet. Both of these amounts are referred to as the total amount stolen. Collectively, attackers got off with somewhere about $40 million.

Speculation that Stake.com’s platform has been systematically infiltrated has been fueled by comments from MetaMask’s Product Manager, Taylor Monahan, who noted that the transactions were precisely organized.

This lends credence to the hypothesis that the theft was carried out straight from the internal systems of the platform, most likely via the unauthorized acquisition of private keys. Important to remember is that they were “hot wallets,” meaning they lacked the extra protection of offline keys. Still, it has not been possible to determine who was responsible for this daring heist yet.

What This Means for Stake.com

Stake.com, established in Curacao, promotes itself as the premier crypto casino by offering an online gaming platform for cryptocurrency betting. Since its 2017 debut, Stake.com has enabled users to gamble on sports and online games using cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and DOGE. Bets in fiat currencies, like as the US dollar, are also accepted on the site. The company has had legal problems before, but nothing like what happened yesterday.

It is part of the growing industry of cryptocurrency casinos, which has seen success in part because of its customers’ need for privacy. Because they do not need users to reveal their identities via the Know Your Customer (KYC) process and accept cryptocurrencies for deposits and withdrawals, these sites have opened anonymous worldwide betting.

Despite the serious breach in security, Stake.com has continued to operate normally. The corporation has assured customers that their money is safe and is once again processing withdrawal requests. It seems likely at this point that the stolen goods belonged to the business, rather than specific consumers.

On the other hand, withdrawals have been enabled again, suggesting that Stake.com is confident in its capacity to make up the lost funds. Without these guarantees, customers are hesitant to make withdrawals for fear of going bankrupt. Thankfully, it does not seem that this is an issue with Stake.com.

hollywood-bitcoin

Blockbuster Crypto Betting Action As ‘Barbie’ Goes Against ‘Oppenheimer’

The world of cryptocurrency betting is constantly on the hunt for interesting opportunities, and at the moment, the focus is on two films that have a significant amount of anticipation around them: “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” As these films prepare to release in cinemas, crypto aficionados are getting ready to cast their bets and possibly earn large amounts of money.

Margot Robbie stars as the title character in the upcoming live-action comedy picture “Barbie,” which is based on the well-known doll brand of the same name. The combination of Margot Robbie’s star power, the film’s upbeat vibe, and the nostalgia component have led to considerable interest among crypto gamblers.

In contrast, ‘Oppenheimer’ is a biographical drama on the life of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was instrumental in the creation of the atomic bomb during World War II. This picture, directed by Christopher Nolan, has a few benefits of its own. Oppenheimer is attracting the interest of crypto gamblers because of Christopher Nolan’s status as a renowned director, the story’s historical relevance, and the potential for ethical debates.

Where Is All This Action?

Bets on these movies may be placed using Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and even Dogecoin on crypto gambling sites like Stake.com, BitStarz, Cloudbet, and Polymarket. Crypto gamblers have a wide variety of possibilities to explore, including betting on things like a film’s opening weekend box office take, critical reception, and issues surrounding the film.

Despite ‘Oppenheimer’s’ rising popularity and popularity among bettors, ‘Barbie’ is now favored. It has been getting good reviews and has some funny and nostalgic qualities, so it’s no surprise that “Barbie” is popular. It’s possible that the underdog ‘Oppenheimer’ may end up shocking audiences, thanks to the movie’s historical relevance, a star-studded ensemble, and Christopher Nolan’s stellar track record as a director.

The success of the films throughout their opening July 21–23 weekend will determine the ultimate conclusion of this cryptocurrency betting market. If ‘Barbie’ does better than ‘Oppenheimer’ at the domestic box office during this time, the market will likely choose ‘Barbie.’ If, on the other hand, “Oppenheimer” has a higher weekend gross than “Barbie,” then the market will likely favor “Oppenheimer.”

If both movies earn the same amount at the box office, the audience will be divided in half. The key factor, in this case, will be the domestic weekend numbers reported by Box Office Mojo for the given three-day weekend. To guarantee a fair and accurate market resolution if definitive data is not available by July 31, a reliable alternative source will be the preferred option.

crypto-investigation

ezBtc Under Investigation for Massive Crypto Fraud Scheme

According to the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), the Canadian crypto trading platform, ezBtc, has been engaging in fraudulent activities for the past three years. It has come to light that ezBtc has lied to its consumers about the protection of their personal assets and has instead been funneling the customers’ money to online gambling websites. That is right, instead of keeping their customers’ assets safe and secure, ezBtc transferred incoming Bitcoin and Ether to two crypto gambling websites, and the assets were worth a staggering $13 million as of mid-2019.

However, things only get worse. According to the BCSC’s findings, ezBtc did not maintain custody of its client’s money, and most of the holdings reported by the platform did not exist. To put it another way, to trick its customers, ezBtc has been pretending on its website to have real holding thus acting just like a bank would.

But wait, there’s more bad news! EzBtc has been running under the auspices of a numbered corporation known as 1081627 B.C. Ltd. since 2016, when David Smillie, the only director of the firm, registered it. Furthermore, Mr. Smillie’s whereabouts are unknown as of at least the year 2021.

Early Red Flags

In November 2019, customers noticed something was wrong when the ezBtc.ca website stopped working and they were unable to make any transactions or withdraw any funds. They were led to think that their funds were being stored offline, in “cold storage,” safely under ezBtc’s watchful eye.

The BCSC has issued a summons to ezBtc, instructing the business to attend at its offices on June 27 ahead of any planned hearing. That is if the company wants its side of the story to be heard. The authority claims that ezBtc has committed securities fraud since the contracts it offers to clients are technically futures contracts, which are classified as securities. These accusations, however, have not been proved in a court of law.

Tough Times for Crypto

Even as the cryptocurrency industry reels from the collapses of FTX Trading Ltd. and Celsius Network LLC, it seems that crypto fraud is on the rise. Doug Muir, director of enforcement at the British Columbia Securities Commission, has seen many instances like ezBtc as Canadian regulators crack down on cryptocurrency services.

For crypto users on such platforms, this calls for even more diligence. If you are thinking about getting involved in cryptocurrency, it is imperative that you do your research and comprehend how the industry functions before you do so. In case something seems to be too good to be true, then there is a strong chance that it is not what it claims to be.

alfa-romeo-stake

Stake.com Takes the Wheel as Title Partner for Alfa Romeo Racing

We are ushering in yet another exciting new chapter in the realm of crypto-related online gaming and betting! The Alfa Romeo F1 Racing Team has officially announced that the industry-leading service provider Stake.com would take over as the team’s title sponsor. That said, the name of the team will change to “Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake” effective immediately.

Stake has been putting in a lot of effort to enhance its visibility on a worldwide scale, and its relationship with Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is the most recent step on that road. The crypto gaming company has previously sponsored campaigns for teams competing in the Premier League football competition, fighters competing in the UFC, and even celebrities.

The Terms

Stake will provide a variety of exciting events and experiences for F1 fans from across the globe as part of this historic relationship. According to Alessandro Alunni Bravi, a team spokesperson, the addition of Stake as a co-title partner represents a new beginning for both businesses.

Because of the current growth in popularity of Formula One, it should come as no surprise that firms like Stake are ready to get on board and take advantage of the tremendous exposure that the sport produces.

A Potential Way Forward for Cryptocurrency Funding?

It is worth noting that the word “crypto” was left out of Alfa’s press announcement, which is an intriguing topic to consider. Stake may be different from other platforms in that it functions as a cryptocurrency casino. This is even more intriguing considering Stake.com’s headquarters are in Australia, a country that has strict regulations on online casinos and gambling. The company has also been under quite a bit of scrutiny.

Even though Alfa Romeo was not the very first team to accept crypto investment, the fact that they have done so puts them well ahead of the competition. Though it does come at a time when some F1 teams are cutting ties with their crypto sponsors.

Other teams including Mercedes and Ferrari, have parted ways with their corporate sponsors in the face of financial difficulties and plummeting stock prices. Despite these obstacles, Alfa Romeo is moving on with Stake as its sponsor.

All in all, there is plenty that the bitcoin industry has to gain from this partnership. Although it may be sometime before the full potential is realized, we are making progress, and this is a major first step in the right direction. If the bitcoin industry follows the right regulatory procedures, it will continue to thrive and grow in the next years.

2023

Predictions for Crypto Gambling in 2023

Making accurate forecasts is still a complex and sometimes futile exercise. A change in rhythm from the booming years of 2020 and 2021 for the gaming industry was unexpected in 2022. As far as gaming happenings go, it was perhaps one of the most shocking.

Our experiences throughout the pandemic have left us with a perspective on the future that is equal parts pessimistic and optimistic. Nevertheless, because of the interconnected nature of factors like governmental restrictions, technological advancements, and market trends, it remains hard to make accurate predictions about the future of online gambling.

Once you add the murky world of cryptocurrency gambling to the mix, things get even more complicated. But with this information at hand, we can at least attempt to draw a rough outline of our expectations for the sector.

Potential developments in 2023 could include:

More expansion. – Over the last few years, crypto gaming has seen explosive development, and this upward trend is expected to continue in 2023 as more people get aware of cryptocurrency and as technology continues to advance.

Regulatory developments. – There has been a rise in the number of nations enacting stricter laws regarding online gambling, including that which involves the use of cryptocurrency. Possible steps include tightening up on licensing standards, strengthening player safeguards, and increasing security.

New and exciting platforms. – There will certainly be additional crypto-gambling platforms developed to suit the rising demand for these kinds of games as the crypto-gambling business expands. Possible differentiating factors among these platforms include the availability of new features and developments.

Another Difficult Year for Crypto?

While the popularity of crypto gaming has increased dramatically over the last few years, it is no secret that cryptocurrency is very unpredictable. The development of the industry as a whole will unquestionably be affected by this.

Even as this turbulent year for cryptocurrencies comes to a close, industry insiders anticipate more trouble for crypto investors in 2023 due to the arrival of new problems and the persistence of residual worries. The aftermath of the “crypto winter” of 2022 is projected to reverberate strongly into 2023 and even 2024, and most crypto specialists do not see a bright future for the industry in the next year.

The outlook for 2023 is equally bleak, and the hope that cryptocurrency investment might be a “get rich quick” scheme evaporated in 2022. After a difficult year, few industry insiders are optimistic about a significant cryptocurrency rally happening anytime soon.

 

 

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Betting on the 2022 World Cup with Cryptocurrencies

With the world’s biggest sports betting event taking place in Qatar over the next several weeks, the sector might see even more disruption.

The World Cup, like the Super Bowl or the Wimbledon final, is one of those exceptional athletic events that manages to pique the curiosity of people across the globe. It is hardly shocking that this is also a major development in the world of sports betting. For example, the astronomical sum of $133.7 billion was wagered on the 2018 World Cup, which was hosted in Russia.

In comparison to the about $6 billion bet on the most recent Super Bowl, the World Cup finals took in around $8.2 billion. According to analysts in the industry, the amount of money wagered on the Qatar 2022 games will most likely far exceed the amount wagered on Russia 2018.

Significant Four-Year Shift

Only a small fraction of the betting market in 2018 cared about the World Cup in terms of cryptocurrency use for the same. Additionally, most of the participants were early adopters and industry veterans in the cryptocurrency sector.

Much has changed in that segment of the gambling industry in the space of only four short years. Sports bettors and casino gamers alike are increasingly turning to digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum for their wagering and gaming needs.

Additionally, the development of crypto-friendly online gaming platforms is being spurred by this need. Along with more conventional payment options like credit cards and e-wallets, more and more well-known firms are beginning to accept Bitcoin as payment.

Lots More to Look Forward To

However, the World Cup is not drawing attention to cryptocurrencies because of sports betting alone. Many prominent bitcoin companies are now sponsors, and this has drawn criticism. Because of the volatility of the bitcoin market in the last several years, this is to be anticipated.

Case in point, one large cryptocurrency exchange recently announced that it would no longer be continuing its nearly $500 million sponsorship of FIFA over five years. Furthermore, Everton fans have asked the club to sever connections with a prominent crypto-gambling firm that has sponsored the team.

While there are undoubtedly still some bumps on the road ahead, it’s heartening to see how far we’ve come. As general awareness of cryptocurrencies increases, even casual sports fans will learn to appreciate their many benefits. Fans may make wagers with ease thanks to our streamlined, safe, and user-friendly system among other benefits.

bitcoin-sports-betting

The Rise of Big League Crypto Sports Betting

Even though there has been a significant slump in the value of cryptocurrencies over the course of the last few months, U.S. sports bettors are slowly but surely coming around to the idea of using digital currencies for betting purposes. As virtual currencies grow more prevalent in daily life, proponents of the change contend that it will be a key tool in keeping bettors away from the offshore market.

Many well-known sports betting organizations have recently started accepting bitcoin deposits into their users’ gaming accounts. An important element of this procedure is played by third-party payment providers.

Lots to Offer

Sports bettors will appreciate cryptocurrency’s numerous advantages over traditional forms of payment. To begin with, it has an exceptionally high level of security making it very tough to crack. It is essential for operators to ensure that this is the case so that your wagers are protected from any kind of manipulation. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are also decentralized, which means they are not governed by a single entity. This makes it almost hard for anybody to take advantage of the system.

Last but not least, using cryptocurrencies is remarkably quick and affordable. It has very cheap costs and allows for almost instantaneous transaction completion. As a result, it’s an ideal choice for individuals who wish to gamble on sports without having to worry about transaction costs.

Dealing With the Concerns

Even though cryptocurrency is still in its infancy, there are already several compelling arguments suggesting that placing bets on sporting events using bitcoin might be the wave of the future. Cryptocurrency has the potential to completely change the online sports betting industry with its speedier transfers, reduced costs, and increased anonymity.

There have, of course, been some concerns. Thankfully, these are being addressed in different ways.

no-bitcoin

The Wikimedia Community to Stop Accepting Crypto Donations

Following a three-month debate in which the environmental effect of bitcoin and other digital currencies was a significant discussion topic, Wikimedia, the non-profit foundation behind Wikipedia, has decided to cease accepting crypto payments and donations.

Accepting donations in digital currencies including popular options like BTC and ETH signals the endorsement of digital coins and a clear push for more mainstream adoption. These also have a reputation for being “inherently predatory” as investments. As such, they do not align with the Wikimedia Foundation’s commitment to environmental sustainability, according to a proposal from contributor Molly White.

Crypto miners have been accused of polluting the environment by utilizing massive quantities of computer power to confirm transactions. Molly White included this in the proposal. The foundation singled out BTC and ETH for their high energy requirements, while also pointing out that there are alternative “greener” cryptocurrencies. However, these are less extensively used even for payments or donations to the foundation.

The decision was reached via a vote.  Nearly three-quarters of the fewer than 400 people who voted, leaned in favor of no longer accepting BTC. This is definitely a big deal for the crypto community as proponents have been working hard to increase adoption. However, all hope is not lost it seems. Wikimedia has kept the possibility of restarting crypto acceptance on the table. For now, it will continue to watch the situation.

Can crypto go green?

The energy consumed by computers to issue new digital tokens via a process known as “proof of work” accounts for a large part of crypto’s environmental effect. That is simply because it requires a lot of computing power. According to some estimations, the server farms that compete to produce new Bitcoins consume as much power as a small nation every year.

A greener crypto future most likely implies a more regulated one. Two types of legislative measures for crypto regulation are possible. The first kind would need greater openness on the carbon costs of operating a cryptocurrency mining farm. The second would involve regulators imposing some form of carbon tax. Already, these kinds of rules are being pushed by some notable environmental and economic justice organizations.

Other options such as the adoption of renewable energy at the mining farms have also been fronted. Still, we cannot dismiss the fact that crypto is growing at an incredibly fast pace and government regulatory measures often take time to create and implement. It will very certainly fall to the industry to embrace sustainability with the same zeal that it has innovated.

bitcoza

Bitcoza Debuts World’s First Charity Bitcoin Casino

Crypto charities are not an exactly new concept but the idea of a Bitcoin charity had not come up until recently. Bitcoza, a fast-rising operator in the world of crypto has recently launched what it claims is the first charity Bitcoin online casino on the planet.

According to the creators and operators of the platform, Bitcoza is aimed at offering players a fun gaming environment while at the same time giving them a chance to contribute to initiatives aimed at making communities. Better. So, in addition to being a profitable entertainment spot, the platform has an interest in assisting in the protection of endangered species.

This will be achieved by the company donating up to a whopping 50 percent of its revenue to charitable campaigns. As mentioned, the key focus of the charity efforts is endangered species so we expect to see a bias in that regard.

One of the current initiatives that the company is currently pursuing with its top-level VIP program involves saving the endangered Pinta Island Tortoise. The Pinta Island Tortoise which is currently at the Galapagos National Park and Conservancy is the only of its kind left in the world. In addition to that, Bitcoza has also been offering support to the World Wide Fund For Nature and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

More About Bitcoza

Since its launch in the Spring of 2021, Bitcoza has built up quite a reputation. To begin with, it is a licensed and regulated gaming site. It has a license from the jurisdiction of Curacao. Players are therefore assured of fairness and safety. The operator also plans to take this a notch higher by rolling out a set of responsible gambling tools. These are going to come in handy for tracking spending and playing responsibly.

While its charity initiatives specifically reference Bitcoin, the iGaming site accepts several other digital currencies as payment methods. These include Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Dai, and USD Coin. Increasingly popular crypto tokens are also eventually bound to find their way onto the platform.

When it comes to the games, Bitcoza has a pretty solid selection of titles too. Among its popular titles are blackjack, poker, baccarat, lotteries, slots, and roulette. One of the most notable things about the platform is the fact that its bonus schemes could net players up to a whopping $22,000 in bonuses. To make it even better, these bonuses are not accompanied by any wagering requirements should players choose to withdraw them.

Solana-Pay-Share

Solana Pay Ventures into the Crypto Payments Space

While crypto has certainly revolutionized online payment in many respects, the sector still has more room to grow and advance further. There have been lots of different initiatives and developments dedicated to solving some of the things that have plagued crypto payments. Stablecoins and Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, for instance, were all dedicated to bringing some much-needed improvements to the sector.

Now, Solana Labs is hoping to make its play for the crypto payments sector with a solution it believes will be a gamechanger. The company has co-developed software that it will use to help merchants accept payments via the Solana network.

While still relatively new, the Solana network has been steadily growing in popularity. Today, it is the blockchain network that is the Ethereum network’s biggest competitor. That is because it offers a solid range of products and services. The most notable ones are the cheaper, faster, and more scalable transaction processing capabilities that the network boasts of.

Its new product is aimed at facilitating merchant payments and commerce rails. Both are very lucrative and thus a provider that offers the most value in terms of costs and instant payment settlements can tap into this unique growth opportunity.

No Middleman

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Solana’s new venture is that it lives up to the promise of crypto. Using QR codes, users will be able to make direct peer-to-peer (P2P) payments. All they need to have is a valid cryptocurrency wallet.

According to Solana Labs Head of Payments Sheraz Shere, the new product has the potential of paving the way for the future of mainstream crypto use. The fact that there is no need for a middle man taxing every transaction makes it very appealing to both merchants and consumers.

“Now that we have a blockchain that has the throughput, speed and scalability and low fees of traditional payment networks – 50,000 transactions per second and sub-second transfer times, we can potentially build a merchant payment system that’s truly on the blockchain, and most importantly, that’s peer-to-peer and decentralized and permissionless.”

Sheraz Shere, Solana Labs’ Head of Payments.

For those who may be concerned about volatility, the new product is particularly focused on USDC. According to the company, USDC transfers are the best way to go as they are not only simple to execute but also unlikely to add any stress to the network.