Features
How Norman Stein, a long-time teacher in Winnipeg Jewish schools transitioned into an enventful career in the music business
By BERNIE BELLAN
In May 2021 I began what was supposed to have been a two-part story about the life of a man, Norman Stein, who left an indelible impression on so many Jewish students during his teaching career in the Jewish school system, which began in the 1950s and ended in 1967.
But – I’ve long been a procrastinator; it’s taken me over two years to return to Stein’s story.
Now 91, Stein left Winnipeg many years ago, but he still recalls his years teaching here – at the Talmud Torah, Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate, and the Rosh Pina Hebrew School, with great fondness.
When I published that initial story about Stein’s teaching career, which I began by delving into his childhood growing up first on Pritchard Avenue, later on Redwood, and finally on St. Anthony, I attempted to transcribe a line in Yiddish that I had recorded Stein as saying, but I mangled that line.
Here again is the anecdote Stein related about one time when he had wandered off on a Friday evening into the Ukrainian Labour Temple on the corner of Burrows and McGregor:
“Anyway, one Erev Shabbes – I was three or four, I snuck into the theatre and the manager asked me who I was looking for?
“I told him I was looking for my mommy. He said, ‘You just sit here’, and the next thing I know I’m watching the Priscilla Lane sisters playing tennis in their white shorts. I remembered that.
“The manager called me out and said, ‘Your mother’s here now.’ And I wondered, how could that be? because my mother doesn’t even know I’m here. I go out and there’s my mother and Mrs. Rubinfield, who ran a grocery store a few doors down, and had a pay phone – which they avoided using on Shabbes – but they called the police and the police asked, ‘Is there a favourite place he likes to go?’ and my mother said I like to go to the movies, so the police said: Maybe he went to the Labour Temple.’”
As Stein explained what happened next, when he was confronted outside the Labour Temple by his mother, Mrs. Rubinfield, and a “Bobby” who was with them, in addition to being scolded for wandering into the movie theatre, the Bobby added: “And you didn’t even pay”, to which, Stein said he answered (and remember, this is a four-year-old) – and this is the line I got completely wrong: “M’tur nisht trugen kein gelt oif Shabbes” – “You mustn’t carry any money on Shabbes.”
It may have taken me 26 months for me to correct that adulteration of the Yiddish language, but when I contacted Stein again recently to ask him whether he’d be willing to continue with the story of his Winnipeg years, the first thing he told me is how miserably I had failed in trying to transcribe that line.
Despite that very grave error, however, Stein did tell me that he quite enjoyed the May 2021 interview piece. I told him that piece also evoked a very strong and warm response from many of his former students and that many of them had told me they were very much looking forward to the sequel.
I ended the first part of my story about Stein by noting that, in 1966, he was involved in a very serious car accident when his car was rear ended by a truck. He said, “That’s a period I don’t remember well… I was in a coma for some time. I was a nervous wreck. My doctor suggested I go to some place relaxing, so I went to Hollywood.”
Thus began the next chapter of Norman Stein’s life, which we now take up here:
Stein was working for RCA Records in the A&R (artists & repertoire) department. One day a young, barefoot Black girl came in with a demo tape. She said her name was Natalie Cole (daughter of Nat King Cole).
Stein asked her why she didn’t take her demo tape to Capitol Records, since that’s where Nat King Cole had a recording contract? “She said she didn’t want to be attached to his apron strings,” Stein explained.
Apparently though, Natalie Cole was upset with Stein “and she stormed out of there.” I asked Stein whether there were any other memorable moments from his time in California, and he mentioned that he was still in the United States during the time of the Six-Day War in June 1967.
“The Israeli Philharmonic was touring in the States at the time and I did some PR for them. There was a celebratory concert at the Hollywood Bowl and the guest artist was Jack Benny.”
While he was still in California, Rabbi Witty, who was the then-principal of the Talmud Torah and Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate had phoned Stein and had asked him whether he would be prepared to resume teaching the humanities courses that he had taught to students in Grades 7-12 at JWC for years, including courses in the history of music and the history of art, philosophy, and library science.
I remember taking Stein’s course on the history of art. Part of the course was devoted to a study of architecture. Stein recalled how enthusiastic so many of the students in my particular class were when he gave us an assignment to “take photographs of sites in Winnipeg that would be comparable to some in Ancient Greece by the way they photographed.”
Stein did resume teaching those courses in the fall of 1967, but when he asked to take a leave of absence to attend various music conventions, Tamara Wiseman, who was the vice-principal of the Talmud Torah at the time thought that “it wasn’t fair to the students that I had to leave town to go to conventions to pursue a career in music,” and without even being given a chance to say good bye to his students, Stein was told that he should just “leave.”
I said to Stein that I had heard from someone by the name of John Einarson, who is arguably Manitoba’s foremost music historian – and who gave a brilliant presentation during a recent Jewish Heritage Centre event titled “The Soundtracks of our Lives” about Jewish musicians in Winnipeg through the years, that Einarson had worked for Stein at a time when Stein was selling records out of the back of Strain’s Camera Store on Portage Avenue.
I asked Stein whether he began doing that around the time his teaching career ended (in 1967)?
“We couldn’t get into Polo Park (because Polo Park wouldn’t allow a record store at that time) so we opened in the back of Strain’s (which was owned by the late Manny Wiseman. One of Manny Wiseman’s sons, Bob, went on to become one of the founding members of Blue Rodeo.)
“People were only going up to the camera department and we rarely got anyone coming into our section,” Stein observed.
In 1969, Stein made the move that was eventually to lead to a 10-year period when he achieved his greatest recognition in Winnipeg – with the opening of the famed Opus 69 record store.
“There was space above Clifford’s Ladies Wear “(at 412 Portage Avenue, the corner of Kennedy and Portage), Stein continued. (Cliffords was owned by Johnny Pollock. One of Pollocks’ sons, Harold, went on to become a renowned classical guitarist.)
Thus began Opus 69. Around the same time Stein became host of a nightly program on CKY FM called “Now Flower.” Randy Moffat was the owner of CKY at the time and he was so impressed with the program – and the number of different recordings that Stein was able to play that CKY “even put a console in Opus 69 with live broadcasting by a DJ between noon and 6 pm.”
I remarked that I remember well that second floor location for Opus 69 and how popular it was.
Stein suggested “that small location became the most popular record store in Winnipeg.”
In a 2016 article for the Free Press, John Einarson wrote about the huge impression Opus 69 made on music fans in Winnipeg when it first opened: “Once Opus 69 opened in the spring of 1969 on Kennedy Street just south of Portage, above an optometrist’s shop, it became my destination for music. Opus 69 specialized almost exclusively in rock music and had the most extensive selection in the city, including imported recordings, as well as listening stations to sample before you purchased.
“I remember the first time my friend and I did that, never having used headphones before,” recalls Grant Edwards.“We were busy yelling to each other until one of the workers asked us to please stop yelling as no one else in the store was listening to headphones.”
Unfortunately, while owner Norman Stein had great taste in records, his business acumen was wanting, and when Opus 69 moved to the more spacious ground-floor store on Kennedy north of Portage in the early ’70s it was under new ownership. However, it continued to boast a wide selection and knowledgeable staff.”
Around the same time that Stein was running Opus 69 he also had a company called “Campus Records Distributors,” which sold records to university bookstores across Canada. Campus Records was eventually bought by Deutsche Grammaphone.
As John Einarson noted, “Opus 69 moved to a new location on Kennedy Street (across from what used to be the Town and Country), but by the early 1970s Norman Stein was no longer the owner.” (He told me, during our interview, that he didn’t want to get into what happened with the business. Suffice to say that, by 1979, Opus was in receivership. Stein had long been out of the picture when that happened.)
Stein said that he remained in Winnipeg with his ailing mother until she passed, in 1980. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Vancouver. He did talk about his career in Vancouver, but I said to him that I preferred to keep the focus on Winnipeg.
Before our conversation ended though, Stein said he wanted to tell me one more story from his childhood – when he was about four. The story had to do with the quaint Jewish custom of “shlogn kapores,” during which on Erev Yom Kippur a chicken (or a rooster) is waved over one’s head and one’s sins are transferred to said chicken or rooster.
Here’s how Stein described how the ritual was practiced in his home – and what happened one year: “You have a tablecloth over a table, you take the live rooster and swing it around your head and say certain prayers from a Siddur (prayer book). When you do that you put the live rooster under the table, then you take it to the shochet for Yom Tov.
“Well, this rooster kept pecking at my wrists and hurting me but I was holding on tight, so I threw the rooster under the table. When I pulled it out, it had a limp neck. It was dead. I bawled my head off because it meant the rooster could not have absorbed all my sins. My mother was upset because she didn’t have a tarnigol (Hebrew for rooster) for Yom Tov.”
I asked: “Because it wasn’t slaughtered properly?”
Stein replied: “How could it be slaughtered? I choked it to death. It had an overdose of sins!”
I said to him that so many of his former students offered reminiscences, both in our newspaper and in the Facebook group “1950s and 60s Winnipeg Jewish Students”, about his having been their teacher, that I wondered whether he would be amenable to hearing from former students.
I mentioned to him that one of the contributors to that Facebook group was David Steinberg. I asked Stein whether he had ever had Steinberg as a student? That led him to tell this story:
“When I was teaching in the Rosh Pina Hebrew School the synagogue youth group had socials and David performed his jokes on stage. As I was teaching him, he knew, as an opportunist, that I had some connections with Chicago. He wanted to go to Second City – the famous comedy thing. He could not get in, but he could if he was a yeshiva student. So I wrote a letter to the yeshiva on his behalf and he got accepted into the Hebrew Theological College (from where Stein had also graduated) and, after that the Rosh Yeshiva said to me: ’So where is your David Steinberg?’ He disappeared after a while and Second City had rented in the Jewish community centre across the street from the yeshiva. I never saw him again until one year – it was around 1970, I went to Greenwich Village and saw a poster for a folk music group. At the bottom it said ‘opening act: David Steinberg.’
“A door opened and who comes out but David Steinberg? I said ‘Dudi?’ and he said, ‘Uh, your face is a little familiar…Oh yes, Norman, here’s my business card and we’ll have coffee in my private apartment ….and I never went to his apartment.”
I asked Stein whethe he would be amenable to my putting his phone number into this article so that former students could get in touch with him.
Although each time I’ve phoned Stein, we’ve had very pleasant conversations, I’m not sure whether he would have the stamina to engage in phone convesations on a regular basis with former students. Still, if he’s tired or preoccupied doing something else, I’m sure he would let anyone know. And, even though he says he has trouble remembering things, I certainly didn’t find that to be the case. Stein did say that he wouldn’t have any objection to my putting his phone number into this article, so here it is: 1-604-269-0961. Remember, he’s in Vancouver, so bear in mind the time zone that he’s in if you do plan on calling him.
Features
The Role of Jewish Morals in Art: an Example
By: Dr. Amir Pichhadze
(Submission to jewishpostandnews.ca)
Art can have a role in conveying and inspiring Jewish morals. This role is exemplified in this article through the collaborative artworks of Jacob Pichhadze, my father, and I, Dr. Amir Pichhadze.
During his studies at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (Georgia), Jacob Pichhadze was gaining recognition for his artistic abilities and accomplishments. For example, his works were featured at the Georgia National Museum (1969). Driven by his ambitions and abilities, Jacob and his wife (my mother, Zinaida), sought to immigrate to the West, where opportunities for artists were more extensive than in his native Georgia. Yet, Jacob’s plans were derailed by the unfortunate occurrence of his father [Shalom Pichhadze] passing away due to a stroke. To support his mother, Hannah Pichhadze, who decided to immigrate to Israel in the early 1970s along with Jacob’s siblings, Jacob and Zina deferred their personal goals and followed their family to Israel (1972).
While the process of immigration was undeniably challenging, Jacob’s determination and skills enabled him to quickly find grounds for pursuing and realizing his ambitions and potentials as a visual artist and art teacher. As was noted in the Israel Review (Aug 20, 1982), an internationally published magazine, Jacob was given his first opportunity to feature his artworks at the Beit Am Jewish Community Center (Jerusalem, 1973), with an opening reception that included the Minister of Justice, Jacob Shimshon Shapira, among others. This was followed by numerous other solo and group exhibitions at other museums and public centers in Israel. These exhibitions were typically supported and attended by large crowds and public figures such as Presidents, Prime Ministers, Mayors, leading entrepreneurs and celebrities. Many of Jacob’s exhibitions were fundraisers for different public needs such as charities, hospitals, immigrants, social organizations such as B’nai B’rith, among others. Jacob’s accomplishments as a visual artist, as well as his contributions to his community, were widely noted in the Israeli media and recognized. For example, David Peled, the Director of Beit Nurit, a Charity which Jacob supported, commented that “Jacob Pichhadze, an artist and teacher, is a man of inspiration possessing powerful artistic expression. He is, as well, a public personality of the highest order among the Jewish immigrants from Russia and Soviet Georgia.” (1987)
As Jacob was gaining recognition, he was also receiving professional opportunities abroad. Yet, considering his mother’s need for support, he remained close by and committed to support her. His dedication was based not only on love but also on his sense of morality. He was particularly inspired by the lessons of morality drawn from the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, which were instilled in him since childhood.
In this biblical story, following the passing of her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law, Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, decided to leave Moab to return to her homeland Judah. Naomi encouraged her two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, to stay in their own homeland to start a new life. They were young enough to remarry, Naomi told them. Also, Naomi recognized the risk that they may not be welcomed in Bethlehem since they were Moabites. While Oprah welcomed Naomi’s suggestion and turned towards a new path, Ruth refused to leave Naomi unattended and instead insisted on following her in her journey back to Judah, notwithstanding the unforeseen challenges ahead. Ruth’s reply, which has been described as “the highest and noblest of all expressions of faithfulness,” was:
“Entreat me not to leave thee,
And to return home from following after thee;
For whither thou goest, I will go;
And where thou lodgest, I will lodge;
Thy people are my people, and thy Gd, my Gd.
Where thou diest, will I die, and there be buried;
May Gd do so to me, and more also,
If aught but death part thee and me.”
With little concern over the prospect of poverty and hunger, Ruth accompanied Naomi to the land of her late husband, putting her hope and faith in Gd that He would not forsake them in their need. In their journey, to support them, Ruth turned to the fields to harvest by picking up leftover grain. Boaz, the owner of the land, took notice of her efforts. He inquired about this young woman and saw her sacrifice on behalf of Naomi. He not only allowed her to continue harvesting behind his servants, he also offered her protection as she worked. At hearing of Boaz’s generosity, Ruth fell before him in gratitude. Boaz responded to her gesture, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” Boaz and Ruth were blessed with children, and Ruth lived long enough to see her great-grandson David become king of Israel.
It has been commented that whenever our sages want to point to a shining example of womanhood, of self-sacrificing devotion to the higher things in life, of loyalty and modesty and excellence of character, they speak of Ruth. This inspiring story and its lessons has influenced my father personally, as reflected by his own self-sacrifice and loyalty towards his mother. He also sought to convey the story and its messages through his art, through numerous compositions over time. An early version of this series was featured at the Beit Emanual Museum ((1982, Israel), in a solo exhibition that was attended by guest speaker Shimon Peres, former Israeli President and Prime Minister.
Growing up, I closely followed my father’s teaching of art and morality. As my knowledge and skills developed, we increasingly cooperated in creating art. Also, like my father, I pursued opportunities to use my art for philanthropic purposes. For example, while studying visual art at York University (1996-1999), I initiated and organized a fundraising art exhibition to benefit student scholarship. Deputy Mayor of Toronto, Case Ootes, one of the guest speakers at the opening reception, commented as follows: “Your donation of proceeds from the sale of your artworks to an annual student scholarship fund at York University is an admirable deed, and one that should be applauded by all those who benefit from your generosity.” (Exodus, June 1998) He went on to say, Amir “is helping to define the soul of the new city through culture … obviously from what I’ve seen, he’s got a promising future” (York University’s Excalibur, March 4, 1998).
When asked at the time about my future plans in an interview for the university’s Excalibur newspaper, I commented that law school was my next step; though perhaps foreshadowing, I added that “art, I believe, is something that is always going to stay with me.” Indeed, I ended up pursuing legal studies at the LSE (LLB & LLM-Taxation, 2003-2006), the University of Toronto (NCA, 2008-9), and the University of Michigan Law School (2012-2017), and also worked as a Judicial Clerk at the Tax Court of Canada (2009-2010). Following these studies, my interests branched further into teaching and lecturing at universities worldwide, along with extensive research and publications.
After three years of teaching law at the Deakin Law School (Australia), I took time off to pursue an MSc at the University of Oxford, where I undertook research in legal pedagogy. Yet, halfway into my studies, my father unexpectedly suffered a stroke. In response, after completing my studies at Oxford, I decided to withdraw from my teaching in Australia, so that I could stay in Canada to support my parents in their time of need. Together, my father and I returned to our previous cooperation in creating art. Under the new conditions of my father’s stroke, my role was expectedly more engaged. I undertook the task of both finishing previously commenced works while we also engaging in cooperating to create new artworks together. Among these is our revisit of the theme of Ruth and Naomi.
In these new versions, unlike previous ones which focused on portraying the characters themselves, we attempted to place them in a context that is more suggestive of and related to their story. The first of these (figure 4) places them in an environment of a landscape with fields, suggestive of their journey.
The second artwork (figure 5) places them in a field of harvest.
Finally, the third (figure 6) uses the transition of from Black & White to color in order to suggest their transition from hardship to reward.
My father’s experiences in dealing with my grandfather’s passing as well as the need and desire to support my grandmother, inspired him to convey those experiences and challenges through the portrayal of the story of Ruth and Naomi. Hence, his art imitated the biblical story as well as, indirectly, his own life experiences and moral lessons derived from the story and from his life experiences. As I was growing up, that art taught and inspired me, and perhaps also others. Now, having found myself in similar circumstances, I have drawn inspiration and guidance from that art. Hence, my life imitates and is inspired by art. Moreover, in this cycle of influences between art and life, we revisit and further develop our art, based on our new life experiences, insights, and emotions. Hence, the relationship between art and life can be cyclical, dynamic and evolving. This gives art an ongoing and valuable role in life. Our example, I would suggest, gives valuable and additional perspective on, and examples of, the concept addressed by Oscar Wilde and others on the relationship between art and life. Oscar Wilde famously commented that “‘life imitates art far more than art imitates life’.
In conclusion, our artworks, beyond their aesthetic value, have served other roles. They have made it possible to convey Jewish moral values that guide and inspire us. They have also provided an opportunity to revisit and (re)build our cooperation, which gave new life to our bond. In sharing our experiences, I hope to inspire others to also explore and experience the value of art well beyond its aesthetic value.
Features
How To Earn Money with Cryptocurrency From Home
If you’re looking for new ways to make money from home, there’s a modern way to do it. Cryptocurrency has opened up new opportunities for making money online. With the right approach, you can generate income without leaving your house. Whether you want to invest, trade, or earn through other methods, there are various ways to profit from digital currencies. For instance, Canadian poker players take advantage of crypto-friendly platforms to play from home and cash out in Bitcoin or other digital currencies. These platforms provide customers various benefits and attractions that make online gambling a great way to earn money from home, while also having fun.
Understanding Cryptocurrency
Before diving into ways to make money, it is important to understand what cryptocurrency is. It is a digital form of money that operates on blockchain technology.
Unlike traditional currencies, it is decentralized and not controlled by any government or central bank. The most well-known cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, but there are thousands of others, including Ethereum, Litecoin, and Solana, and even plenty of meme coins to choose from.
Trading Cryptocurrency
One of the most popular ways to earn money with cryptocurrency is through trading. This involves buying and selling digital coins to take advantage of price changes.
Day Trading
Day trading is for those who want to make quick profits by buying and selling cryptocurrencies within the same day. It requires monitoring price charts and market trends. Since prices can be volatile, traders must act quickly to capitalize on short-term price movements.
Swing Trading
Unlike day trading, swing trading focuses on medium-term price trends. Traders hold onto their assets for days or even weeks, waiting for a better price before selling. This method requires patience and a good understanding of market trends.
Holding
HODLing is a long-term investment strategy. Investors buy cryptocurrencies and keep them for an extended period, expecting the value to rise over time. This method is ideal for those who believe in the long-term potential of digital currencies and prefer a hands-off approach.
Earning Through Staking
Staking allows cryptocurrency holders to earn passive income by participating in the network of a blockchain. By holding certain cryptocurrencies in digital wallets, users help validate transactions and secure the network. In return, they receive rewards in the form of additional coins. Some popular staking coins include Ethereum, Cardano, and Polkadot.
Mining Cryptocurrency
Mining is another way to generate income from home. It involves using computer power to validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain. Miners are rewarded with cryptocurrency for their efforts.
While Bitcoin mining requires expensive equipment and high electricity costs, other cryptocurrencies like Litecoin and Monero can still be mined using regular computers. Some mining pools allow individuals to combine their computing power with others to increase their chances of earning rewards.
Earning Through Airdrops and Forks
Airdrops occur when cryptocurrency projects distribute free tokens to wallet holders as part of a promotion. These giveaways help new projects attract attention. To receive airdrops, users often need to hold a specific cryptocurrency or complete simple tasks like signing up for a newsletter or following a project on social media.
Forks happen when a blockchain splits into two. If you hold a cryptocurrency that undergoes a fork, you may receive new coins based on the amount you already own. This provides an opportunity to make money without additional investment.
Participating in Play-to-Earn Games
The rise of blockchain gaming has created new opportunities for earning cryptocurrency from home, while also having a little fun. Some online games reward players with digital assets for completing tasks, winning battles, or progressing through levels. These assets can be sold or traded for real money.
Many play-to-earn games operate using NFTs, which allow players to own and trade in-game items. Popular games in this space include Axie Infinity, The Sandbox, and Gods Unchained.
Creating and Selling NFTs
Non-fungible tokens have created new earning possibilities for digital artists, musicians, and content creators. NFTs are unique digital assets stored on the blockchain, representing ownership of artwork, music, videos, and virtual collectibles.
Artists can create NFTs and sell them on marketplaces making them a great way to raise your income from home. Some NFTs have sold for thousands or even millions of dollars, making this a profitable option for those with creative skills.
Earning Crypto Through Affiliate Programs
Affiliate programs allow individuals to earn cryptocurrency by promoting products and services. Many crypto exchanges, wallets, and investment platforms offer referral programs where users receive rewards for bringing in new customers.
By sharing referral links on social media, blogs, or YouTube channels, users can generate a steady income stream. The more people who sign up using their link, the more they earn.
Crypto Lending and Yield Farming
Crypto lending allows investors to earn interest by lending their digital assets to others, of course, you will need to have a crypto to lend in the first place to make money through this method.
Yield farming is another way to earn passive income. It involves providing liquidity to decentralized finance platforms and earning rewards in return. This method can be profitable but carries risks, including market fluctuations and smart contract vulnerabilities.
Freelancing for Crypto Payments
Many online platforms and businesses pay freelancers in cryptocurrency for their work. Writers, developers, graphic designers, and marketers can find gigs that offer digital currency as payment.
There are plenty of websites out there that can help connect freelancers with clients who prefer paying in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies.
By offering services in exchange for cryptocurrency, freelancers can avoid traditional banking fees and receive payments faster.
Features
Understanding different payment methods in online casinos
Payment methods have been a hot topic of conversation in the casino gaming world since the inception of online casinos. Before the internet changed the entire fabric of this industry, there were a relatively small number of ways to deposit money in a casino. Many land-based casinos have ATMs, others accept cheque payments as withdrawals and deposits, and others pay out larger amounts in cash or bank transfers.
Of course, Visa and Mastercard have been widely accepted in land-based and digital casinos for decades. But compared to the way the market is now, with a whole range of e-wallets and digital payment options, the number of possibilities has soared.
Today, we’ll review the popular payment methods, some of which experts believe could disrupt the industry, and other options that have started to connect with casino gaming audiences in Canada and further afield.
Prepayment vouchers
In the modern casino market, digital wallets and internet-based payment services have become dominant forces in casino gaming. Prepayment services have exploded in popularity over the last 25 years, and services and platforms such as Neosurf have been able to carve out a slice of this market for themselves.
As the Canadian market expands, prepayment options such as Skrill and Paysafecard have emerged as deposit options for gamers looking to deposit first and pay later. Neosurf is widely used in casino gaming, offering e-wallet and account functionality. Knowing where you can find the best Neosurf casinos is a good move, as dozens of highly reputable providers provide a facility for Neosurf customers to play casino games.
However, in a vast and competitive casino gaming market, casinos that simply focus on one type of payment method face an uphill challenge in an industry where scope of choice is becoming more of a selling point.
E-wallet payment options
While PayPal and Neteller might have been the first companies to highlight the potential for e-wallets to exist as payment methods in the online casino business, they have morphed into an entirely different market to that of 20 years ago.
Options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay have surged in popularity. While they work similarly to PayPal and Neteller, for the tens of millions of people who have added their debit card to their phone wallet, it’s a simple case of selecting either Apple Pay, Android or Google Pay, depending on the type of mobile device you use. Your card information syncs immediately to the site, and you can deposit within seconds.
It’s faster than entering your card details. It integrates the biometric face ID or your passcode, depending on which one you use on your mobile device. If you experience any issues, you can immediately freeze your Apple Pay card, meaning nobody can withdraw any funds.
Traditional methods
Millions of online casino gamers opt for traditional payment options. We’ve touched on some of these, including PayPal and Visa. However, despite the rise of e-wallet payment options and more contemporary types of payments such as cryptocurrency, there’s still a vast, dominant market for Visa and Mastercard – which are two of the oldest and most traditional payment methods still available in the casino gaming industry, both online and land-based.
Of all the key tips to use the internet safely, several high-profile anti-fraud campaigns focus on traditional payment options. While entering your card details, CVV number and expiry date into the wrong site can be disastrous, many stopgaps are in place, including suspicious transaction flagging from both Visa and your bank, which can stop criminals dead in their tracks.
That said, handing out such information is still not a good idea. This is why you should always research a casino before you use it. Once you ensure they have a watertight security system and have not been subjected to a data breach, you can deposit your funds with greater confidence. It also pays to keep updated with the latest cybersecurity news, including sophisticated phish-free phishing attacks, one of the latest emerging threats.
The future of payment methods in online casino gaming
Cryptocurrency and blockchain systems are the latest methods that have become popular in the online casino world, although they might not have the visibility or the same level of mass adoption that we have seen with other payment options over the last few years.
It does feel like there’s room for Bitcoin and altcoins to become players in the future. Not only do they have the appeal to branch into a broader market, but by utilizing and leveraging the power of the blockchain, users can deposit and withdraw their funds directly to their crypto wallet without having to enter their card details.
In the event of a cyberattack, a cryptocurrency casino’s main wallet is often targeted for funds, but criminals rarely try to extract databases of information.
The added convenience and potential security could be the two main pillars that bring cryptocurrency alongside some payment systems that have been present in the casino gaming world for decades. There are still other variables to consider here – most crucially, regulation. However, if these obstacles can be overcome, crypto could spearhead the growth of online casinos into the 2030s.
Final thoughts
You could find platforms with two dozen payment options, depending on the casino site you use. Many of the large providers offer as many payment options as possible. Other sites, such as niche casinos that don’t have the same market share, will only focus on cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP.
However, regardless of the payment options you encounter in an online casino, they will often fall into three categories: e-wallets, traditional payment systems or niche digital-specific payment options, such as cryptocurrency. We wouldn’t recommend seeking the niche options if you do not understand how they work.
Understand the mechanics of these payment systems and what drives the market. Once you know the payment option, whether cryptocurrency or Apple Pay, you can test the waters and experience how it works in the broader online casino gaming industry.