10 Dec 2014 / Pocketfives.com – According to Online Poker Report and other sources, PokerStars, the largest online poker room in the world, is preparing to accept Bitcoin. The site’s timeline for doing so is not known, but Chris Grove from OPR told PocketFives that PokerStars has started to assemble the vendors that would be necessary to take Bitcoin.
“They’re not going to handle taking Bitcoin internally, so they’d need a vendor in the same way you’d need a vendor to process credit card transactions,” Grove told us. According to Gambling Compliance, “PokerStars and major Asian-facing operators are among those pushing for Bitcoin’s acceptance as three prominent gambling hubs hold advanced talks to allow it as a payment method.”
Grove relayed why a site like PokerStars would gravitate towards accepting Bitcoin, telling us, “The big advantage of Bitcoin, some would argue, is that when you look at markets that don’t have a strong payment processing framework, it allows you to enter those markets. That’s the long-term play: it broadens the map of markets they can participate in.” Countries like India and China are examples of markets that would be easier to access with Bitcoin as opposed to more conventional financial mechanisms like wire transfers, credit cards, and checks.
Poker rooms like Seals with Clubs and Breakout Gaming have tried to capitalize on the popularity of Bitcoin, while websites like Newegg, TigerDirect, and Overstock accept Bitcoin for purchases in the non-poker world. There are even Bitcoin ATMs…. Read more
http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/report-pokerstars-gearing-up-accept-bitcoin-590283/
