Written by
Robert KrugerWhat Are Dapps?
What Is a Decentralized Casino?
So far, online casinos have been web applications hosted on centralized systems and controlled by a sole operating company. With the advent of Web3.0 technologies such as cryptocurrencies, NFTs and dApps, many online casinos have started to adopt these technologies for their many intrinsic benefits. A lot of people confuse crypto-friendly casinos as being decentralized casinos. This is simply not the case.
For an online casino to qualify as a decentralized casino, it must be a proper dApp where its data and source code are distributed amongst various nodes on a blockchain.
How Do Gambling Dapps Work?
All dApps, including dApp casinos, make use of smart contracts. Smart contracts are used to automate interactions within a dApp. A smart contract is a blockchain and decentralized application ecosystem technological breakthrough. These contracts are expressed as programs that are automatically executed if a pre-defined condition is met.
A central provider manages game outcomes and player monies in a traditional casino app or website. This implies that if the operator is dishonest, they might easily get away with the money of the players. The money of players in a dApp casino, on the other hand, is not controlled by a central authority or a third party. Instead, all transactions are conducted through the decentralized application's smart contract code.
Everyone on the network has access to the full ledger, which they may validate. There is no need for a third party because everything is transparent. Furthermore, all transactions are quick, safe, and devoid of dispute.
Regular Online Casinos vs. Dapp Casinos
The issue with traditional online gambling websites is not just the risk of compromised personal information, but there is also a challenge in establishing fair gaming practices. Implementing Blockchain Technology frameworks in the gaming business helps to mitigate these concerns, handle these critical issues, and build comfort and trust between players and dApp casinos.
An online casino player may not see a massive difference when it comes to playing at a dApp casino vs. playing at a traditional web casino. In both cases, the player can log in to their accounts, top-up their funds and play casino games for real money. The only observable difference could be the fact that dApp casinos generally only support cryptocurrencies.
The coding logic in a standard programme is centralized, but it is decentralized with DApps. In this method, a smart contract has code that ensures the dApp's functionality. The visibility and public nature of smart contracts ensure a high level of transparency and security. Users may rest certain that the DApp will only perform what the smart contract instructs.
Decentralized Casino Bonuses
dApp casinos are still a rarity. In the future, every online casino could be a dApp casino. However, at this time, dApp casinos make up only a tiny percentage of all web casinos. At some dApp casinos, a user may avail dApp or crypto-specific bonuses, but this is a rare occurrence at the time of writing.
For the most part, all bonuses and promotions seen at dApp casinos are similar to what we’re used to seeing at conventional online casinos. Let’s go over some of the different types of bonuses you may expect at a dApp casino as of today.
Decentralized Casino Free Spins
Many online casino gamers are familiar with the notion of free spins and how they work. The core concept of free spins will remain unchanged at dApp casinos too. In other words, you may use your free spins to play a number of free reel-based slot games while still having a chance to win real money. A free spin is a spin of the reels that does not cost you any money (typically on a slot machine). If a casino offers you a 10 free spins bonus, it entails you can play a slot game ten times for free. Any winnings will be added to your bonus balance tab in the cashier area.
No Deposit Decentralized Casino Bonus
The no deposit casino bonus works just like how the name implies. You get a bonus without having to make a deposit. There are different ways to claim a no deposit bonus, but the most common way is signing up for an account with the casino and then receiving the no deposit bonus once you’ve opened your account. The no deposit bonus is either a small sum of money or a modest number of free spins on certain slot games.
Deposit Decentralized Casino Bonus
Any bonus which is issued to you in exchange for making a deposit is called a deposit bonus. The most commonly seen form of deposit bonus is the welcome bonus where a new player receives a bonus upon making his or her first deposit at the casino. For example, make a first deposit of at least $150 and receive a 300% deposit bonus. In this case, $150 is the minimum deposit amount required. So, if you deposit $200, then you will receive an extra $600 as bonus funds. You can only withdraw the $600 after completing the wagering requirements.
No Wagering Bonus
When you examine your online casino cashier page closely, though, you will notice that it is divided into two sections: actual money balance and bonus balance. Any monies in your wallet's real money balance are accessible for withdrawal at any moment. Money in your wallet's bonus balance area, on the other hand, cannot be cashed out unless and until you complete the wagering requirements. When the wagering requirements are met, the bonus sum is converted to real money and may be withdrawn.
In a no wagering bonus, everything you win from the bonus or free spins is yours to keep, and winnings are deposited into your real money balance.
Reload Bonuses
A reload bonus is essentially a deposit bonus where the deposit made is not one that qualifies for the welcome bonus. Unlike sign-up or welcome bonuses, reload bonuses are frequently ongoing rather than one-time offers. The important terms and conditions to beware of with regards to a reload bonus are – the minimum deposit amount, the wagering requirements and the validity period of the offer itself. Usually, a reload bonus is a percentage of the deposit amount, but sometimes, in addition to the deposit amount, you also get some free spins.
Dapp Casino Games
Slots: Slot machines are some of the most popular types of games at any casino. Whether we talk about a land-based casino, a conventional web casino or a dApp casino, slots usually take up the limelight in the game library. Within the world of slots, there’s a lot of variety, be it in theming, features, bonus rounds, background music tracks, special symbols, or the reel structure. A big reason why slots are so popular is that they are so easy to play, and you don’t have to learn any rules or do much calculation/thinking in order to play.
Live Dealer Games: With slots, you're putting everything to chance, which might pay off at times. However, in table games such as blackjack and roulette, players can employ particular methods in order to affect the results or outcome of each round to a degree. Table games at online casinos are mainly computer-generated, and you may keep playing round after round, which can become tedious. With live dealer games, you get the best of both worlds – online gaming and in-person casino gaming.
Video Poker: For gamers who are familiar with 5-card draw poker, video poker is a fantastic online casino game. In video poker, you are not seated at a table with other players, but instead, you are playing on a slot machine and against the computer/dealer. You can think of a video poker game as a slot game, but the symbols are basically made up of cards of varying ranks and suites.
Progressive Jackpots: Progressive jackpots are also commonly referred to as jackpot slots. In terms of how the game looks and how you play, it is very similar to a classic slot or a video slot. However, the difference lies in the fact that the top prize (jackpot) in a progressive jackpot slot is an accumulator and not of a fixed value. Basically, every time someone places a bet on a progressive jackpot, a certain portion of each bet is added to the jackpot and the jackpot value keeps climbing up in this manner. When someone wins the jackpot, the jackpot value is reset to a base amount and then starts to increase again with future wagers.
Table Games: Blackjack, roulette and baccarat are the usual game types found under the table game category at online dApp casinos. Table games are preferred to slots by strategic casino players who want to have some say in the outcome of the game. In terms of odds and influenceability, Baccarat is one of the most favourable games for the player.
Sports betting: The process of making bets via websites and mobile applications is referred to as online sports betting. It's a very popular strategy that offers a variety of advantages to bettors. Online sports betting is available for almost any sport. You may gamble on cricket, badminton, lacrosse, darts, and hundreds of other sports, for example. Plus, there's more. Online sports betting companies have almost every wager you can think of. You may even wager on live or in-play sports using online sports betting (games or matches which are already underway).
Decentralized Casino Experience
With regards to the user experience, a dApp casino is only subtly different to a conventional, centralized online casino. Except for the fact that you may only use crypto tokens and not fiat currencies, everything else works in a similar way in both centralized and decentralized casinos. However, behind the veil, it is a completely different story.
The user may not even know it, but their data is safer, their game results are provably fair and there is virtually no room for any unfair practices or frauds. What’s more, dApp casinos, due to lowered operating costs, can also afford to give players a higher overall payout rate which means they would win more over the long run when compared to a centralized casino.
Security, Licensing, and Provably Fair
Online gaming requires a high level of security, and cryptocurrencies, thankfully, increase the standard. Normally, a cyberattack on a centralized system's core server results in the system's complete failure. However, because of the blockchain's decentralized design, data is not subject to a single point of failure.
Cryptocurrency transactions are far more secure compared to fiat payment methods. Furthermore, because players are not required to enter any credit or debit card information on the site, the danger is considerably reduced.
Cryptographic protocols are also used by DApps to ensure transaction security. As a result, saved transactions cannot be falsified or imitated. Anyone connecting to the network may see the blockchain ledger because it is open-source data. This facilitates 100% transparency and trust between the casino and its players.
Staying Safe While Gambling in Decentralized Casinos
Even the most tech-savvy consumers may find it difficult to stay secure in the realm of decentralized banking. Simply by playing at a decentralized casino rather than a traditional casino, you are already mitigating certain security and safety risks associated with centralized casino platforms.
Unfortunately, several casinos that advertise themselves as decentralized are not genuinely decentralized. Prior to investing funds into a casino, it’s a good idea to go through verified player reviews of the casino to see if there are any red flags or complaints that raise the alarm bells. Another important factor is to use a highly secure crypto wallet and never share your wallet's private keys with anyone or anything, be it online or in the real world. If you’re not sure how to pick a safe and high-quality dApp casino, we have a section dedicated to this subject further below on this page.
Pros and Cons
- At dApp casinos, you may maintain your anonymity if you wish to.
- dApp casinos are always up and running.
- All transactions are instantaneously processed and also much cheaper in terms of processing fees.
- dApp casinos are tamper-proof and 100% reliable, verifiable and trustworthy.
- Not suitable for non-crypto holders
- Developers face challenges when it is time to roll out updates for dApp casinos
Best Dapp Casino Software Providers
dApp casinos feature a variety of different games. Some dApp casinos work with a single game development company and only feature games from this company. However, most dApp casinos are multi-vendor casinos that have contracts with various software providers and feature games from more than one provider. Some of the world’s best game providers that have also entered the dApp casino market include NetEnt, Games Global, BetSoft, Play’n GO, etc.
How to Choose a Decentralized Casino
When contemplating whether or not to invest your money in a dApp casino, there are numerous factors to consider. While many aspects are unique to each individual, the measurements listed below should always be taken into account.
Game collection – This is a very important factor to consider for obvious reasons. The main purpose of joining an online dApp casino is to play games and thus – you want your casino to have a good collection of games in terms of both volume and quality. You should also think of what games you prefer and ensure the casino has those types of games.
Bonus offers – Bonuses are commonplace today at online casinos and dApp casinos are no different. Every dApp casino is bound to have one or more bonuses of some type. When looking at and evaluating a bonus, the important thing is to read the bonus terms and conditions to understand the real value and limitations of an offer. You should not be swayed by the marketing material; the fine print is where the reality is.
Banking – If you’re looking at dApp casinos, it is likely that you are a crypto holder who is interested in all things Web3.0. Just because it is a dApp casino, it does not automatically mean that the casino will recognize and support any crypto token of your choice. You should check beforehand and confirm that the casino accepts the tokens that you hold and deal in.
Customer Support – Customer support is an important part of any online casino platform. There could be several instances where you may need help from a professional. You could face issues with connecting your wallet, or have problems making a deposit, claiming a promotion, etc. Therefore, when you choose a dApp casino with 24/7 support, you know that someone is always around to help you through any rough patches. Ideally, you want customer support to be available via live chat, email and phone.
Pick one from our list – We know it is not easy to find a dApp casino that fits the bill. It takes time, and it also takes reading a lot of reviews, doing your own research and maybe even testing out various casinos till you find the right one. If you want to make this whole ordeal much shorter and sweeter, you can pick from our list of recommendations where we’ve already shortlisted dApp casinos which are the cream of the crop.
Decentralized Casino Login
Logging into your dApp casino could be different from how you are used to logging in at a conventional online casino. Usually, dApps make use of a public and private key in place of a user name and password. We humans may find it more intuitive to remember a username and password instead of an arbitrary set of characters that make up a public key and private key.
However, such arbitrary keys are much harder for password hacking algorithms than traditional username-password combinations where many people base it on things like name, birth year, pet name, etc.
Top Decentralized Casinos Compared (comparison list)
Final Word
Despite the fact that dApps have several drawbacks at this moment, it also offers a number of advantages that are often overlooked. The beauty is that because the dApp is open source, all of the world's best tech innovators are free to collaborate to enhance it. The usage of blockchain will become increasingly prevalent in our daily lives.
With a little more tinkering and improvement, dApps and blockchain technology will enhance the gaming industry's safety, transparency, and interoperability.
Faqs About the Best Decentralized Casinos
What is dApp?
A dApp is a decentralized app. A digital app that is built on top of existing blockchain technology. Bitcoin, for example, is a dApp.
Is dApp gambling legal?
This will depend on where you live. dApp gambling is very new and has not yet been regulated in most countries. It is not likely that you will face any legal consequences for partaking in dApp gambling.
Should I use gambling dApps?
Yes, dApp casinos have many advantages. At some dApp casinos, you get to enjoy a better overall payout rate since operation costs are lesser. Like this, there are various other advantages. dApp casinos are safer, fairer and more secure as well.
Are decentralized casinos safe?
Yes, dApp casinos are inherently much safer than conventional, centralized online casinos. Firstly, you don’t have to share as much personal or sensitive data. Secondly, since all deposits, withdrawals, game results, etc. are recorded on a public ledger, everything is intrinsically fair, verifiable and trustworthy.
Editor & Product Owner
Robert Kruger is an experienced writer for Online Gambling SA. Born and raised in Port Shepstone, Ryan studied sport science and psychology where he developed a passion for writing and sports. His extensive knowledge of online casinos and his ability to write engaging and informative content have made him a valuable member of the team. His favorite online casino is Punt Casino, which he considers to be one of the best in South Africa.
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