New Bitcoin Poker Sites to Launch in 2015

9 years ago
New Bitcoin Poker Sites to Launch in 2015
07:00
05 Jan

Recent announcements in online poker reveal that the industry will see a few new Bitcoin poker sites launch this year.

Get Lucky Poker, a site spearheaded by Michael 'The Grinder' Mizrachi, is currently in beta testing. A hard launch is expected to follow in the not-too-distant future.

A site by the name of BitnPlay has announced a February 1 rollout, while yet another called Burnturn Poker has not nailed down an official launch date. The latter has targeted early 2015 as the likely time to enter the market.

The problem is, that market is questionable at best, as players have yet to fully embrace sites that allow or rely on the virtual currency. The newcomers will join the likes of SealswithClubs, LiveBitcoinPoker, Switch Poker, Win Poker and Betcoin Poker in permitting deposits in Bitcoin. Players can use additional forms of currency on Switch and Win Poker, while the other sites mentioned are Bitcoin-only.

Bitcoin Boss

SealswithClubs is by far the most popular Bitcoin site, averaging about 110 players at any given time, according to PokerScout. Just a couple days ago, the site peaked with 241players on its tables, the highest total within the last two weeks.

How will the new sites fare? It's anybody's guess, but my guess is not too well. Bitcoin as an alternative currency has not taken the online poker industry by storm as some thought or hoped that it would.

Mizrachi has admitted that Get Lucky Poker is "a gamble." He and his partners are banking on the fact that "Bitcoins will soon be accepted by the online gambling world at large," the website states.

A Matter of Trust

BitnPlay will employ a rather unique approach in that players will not deposit at a cashier at the site. Instead, players will buy-in to SitNGos or MTTs (no cash games available at first) directly from their Bitcoin wallets. Winnings will be received by players in the same fashion.

In other words, player funds are not held by the site proprietors. BitnPlay's marketing scheme is focused on the lack of trust that players may have in poker sites in general.

"Trust no one. Play with everyone," the website proclaims, also promising "a new age for poker."

That new age revolves around the fact that "Bitnplay does not take deposits or keep an account balance for users in the traditional way that other poker sites may do. You do not have to trust us with funds that are not part of a game’s prize pool at that specific time."

Certainly an interesting strategy. It might work well except for one detail. Players seemingly don't trust Bitcoin either. If they did trust the decentralized currency, the top site would likely have way more than 110 players on average.

Invest Now

Another option available at BitnPlay is the ability to purchase a token in advance that will allow the bearer to receive 100% rakeback for life. This, of course, could be a wonderful investment for multi-tabling grinders who can play rake-free until it's time to join that big poker game in the sky.

However, what good is 100% rakeback if there are not enough tables on which to play? Should Bitcoins receive the global acceptance that some (Mizrachi) are predicting, it certainly would make sense to grab one (or more) tokens.

Each token costs 2 Bitcoins (BTC). As of this writing, a Bitcoin is valued at $272, allowing players to get in on the ground floor at 100% rakeback for $544.

Incidentally, players can purchase more than one token, presumably for sale or trade at a later date, as only one per account is permitted. A total of 200 have been made available for purchase. If you're wondering if you better hurry up and get yours while supplies last, it's safe to assume you can wait a little longer. There are 199 left.

Burnturn

Burnturn is the brainchild of Ragnar Del Torres, a 43-year-old "professional gambler, entrepreneur and part time philosopher" from Santiago, Chile.

Burnturn Poker has apparently not devised any 100% rakeback deals. The site's initial promotion is to give a 0.05 Bitcoin bonus to the first 500 depositors after launching.

In addition, those who are part of beta testing will gain entry to a freeroll with a prize pool of 1 BTC. A one level jump in Burnturn's VIP program will also be rewarded to the beta testers.

Hopes for a Prosperous 2015

It certainly would be fantastic if each of these new Bitcoin poker sites developed a large following of loyal players. Action on many tables and hordes of players clamoring to play poker in "a new age."

Unfortunately, the market doesn't look promising at present. SealswithClubs is dominating the Bitcoin poker market, yet that domination that readily accepts players throughout the world does not even attract as many players as the top sites in the small regulated states of Nevada or New Jersey.


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Charles is a Chicago native and long time poker player who dusted off his journalism degree and began writing about poker following the events of Black Friday in 2011. He has written for a number of leading poker websites, offering his insights and expertise on subjects ranging from online poker leg...Read more

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