05-14-2026 
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The year was 2012 when I first became aware of the “crypto casino” concept with peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions and ‘provably fair’ results, thanks to Erik Voorhees (Satoshi Dice), Charlie Shrem (provably fair advocate), and Roger Ver (uncensored, P2P payments advocate). I interacted with all three in person, and their passion for Bitcoin in these early days was contagious, but it was exactly that—early days.
- Crypto Casino concept and P2P transactions
- iGaming NEXT organizes first crypto casino event
- What to expect in iGaming NEXT
Fast forward nearly 15 years, and the crypto casino space has exploded far beyond its original Bitcoin blockchain infrastructure and anti-establishment beginnings… it’s a whole different world.
Today, we have thousands of crypto casino brands, spanning from traditional casinos that accept all sorts of crypto as payment to fully “crypto-native” casinos that run entirely on a blockchain. We have regulations starting to take shape in the crypto payments space. We have high-value, VIP players who want to use crypto. Young people expect to interact in crypto. But! Even though 15 years have passed, and crypto awareness has dramatically increased, it is still early days, and the iGaming industry has a lot to learn.
For this reason, iGaming NEXT has decided to organize the first dedicated crypto casino event in many years (last one was “Bitcoin4iGaming” in 2014, who remembers?!), taking place in Malta on May 26, the day before their flagship NEXT Valetta kicks off.
“Crypto casinos have grown into one of the most interesting and fastest-moving segments of online gambling, but the industry hasn’t really had a proper forum where the operators, suppliers, and the wider crypto world come together to talk about it,” Pierre Lindh, Founder of iGaming NEXT, shared with me.
“That’s exactly why we built the Crypto Casino Focus into NEXT Valletta this year. Crypto isn’t a side conversation anymore, it’s increasingly central, and the format gives it the room it deserves,” he added.
Lindh has always been a forward thinker in my eyes, and I believe the timing of this focus event is spot on. As someone who has been studying the intersection of iGaming and blockchain since 2012, I agree we are ready for an event like this. A niche within iGaming that was mostly regarded as black as you can get is taking a big step into the light, and it feels like a lot of people want to get on board.
Which brings me to what you can expect on the day.
As part of the event’s advisory board, it’s been a pleasure to work with the team and uncover the most relevant topics for anyone interested in—or already involved in—the crypto casino world. The event’s strategic partner, “fam,” is a crypto iGaming growth hub that specializes in connecting relevant parties in this space, a perfect fit for what we are trying to do on the ground in Malta.
“NEXT Crypto Focus, 26-May, will put together crypto operators, games providers, platform and tech partners, and investors—all in one room. This is an important event for the Crypto iGaming community, and I will be there along with some of fam’s members and partners,” shared Adar Ziv, Founder of fam.
So now that you know who will be in the room, let’s get into some of the content that will be covered.
Throughout the morning, we will dive into topics such as crypto casino marketing strategies, content and games, stablecoins and payments, investment, black market vs. white market, and a live workshop hosted by Ishan Haque of Origami on how to build a crypto brand.
For the most up-to-date content, please keep checking the event website, as there will likely be updates between now and the big day.
In terms of networking, there is a one-hour breakfast before the event kicks off, and a one-and-a-half-hour networking lunch after the content finishes. The lunch will also include attendees for the start-up and investment focus event that takes place in the afternoon, a nice bonus for anyone looking for funding.
For those who want more than just a half day, there is also a Prediction Markets focus event taking place on Monday, May 25, which will surely include juicy blockchain-related insights and a “Blockchain for Payments and Beyond” panel at the main event Tech Hub on May 27. The Tech Hub blockchain panel will explore payments, treasury, and capital efficiency, compliance, loyalty, affiliates, new game design, and more.
Rather than theory alone, panelists will provide practical examples of what’s working today and explain how operations were improved.
I will personally be chairing the crypto casino focus event and moderating a few panels, including the Tech Hub blockchain panel, and I look forward to getting to know more people interested in this space.
The intersection of iGaming and blockchain is a long-time love of mine, and while it might be hard to see it clearly just yet, I do believe we are looking right at the future of iGaming. What do you think?
Let’s chat! Join me at Crypto Casino Focus- use “CoinGeek10” for a 10% discount on your ticket.
What:NEXT Focus: Crypto
When:May 26, 8am-2pm
Where:The Phoenicia Malta
Tickets: Register online with CoinGeek10 promo code
Watch: iGaming & Blockchain with Becky Liggero
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