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Jaron Rykiss’s half-year spent on exciting “Kivunim” program in Israel cut short by COVID

Jaron with monk 
Jaron Rykiss (left) with a monk 
visiting Kivunim in Jersualem

By BERNIE BELLAN
In 2019 Winnipegger Jaron Rykiss embarked on what, for almost any recent high school graduate, would probably be considered the adventure of a lifetime.

Jaron, who had just graduated from Gray Academy in the spring of last year (and doesn’t that seem like an eternity ago, even though it’s really only a little more than a year and a half ago?), had decided to enroll in a program that is probably not all that familiar to many Winnipeggers, known as “Kivunim”.

 

 

Marathon
Jaron with classmates participating
in a 10k marathon in Tel Aviv

Kivunim, which means “directions” in English, is a program begun in 2006. Here is how the Kivunim website explains what it’s all about:
“KIVUNIM succeeds in delivering an immersive and transformative gap year experience of serious academic study, focused international travel and cross-cultural dialogue. These take place within the context of impressive intellectual and aesthetic exploration and growth that develops and deepens our students’ Jewish identity as engaged global citizens. 

 

“KIVUNIM students forge a lifelong connection with Israel and the Jewish people through thoughtfully and intentionally-designed travel experiences that impart what other Jewish education programs can only envy: a nuanced and integrated understanding of Jewish civilization through sophisticated contact with the remarkable spectrum of religious traditions, cultures and world views among which the Jewish people grew throughout our 2,000-year Diaspora. Israel, our gap-year program home for the academic year, provides a challenging and surprisingly inspirational setting for appreciating the possibilities of Muslim-Jewish and Christian-Jewish co-existence and informs our broader international encounter with ‘the other’.”

Sounds pretty fantastic – right? And for any graduating high school student with the resources to participate in a program like this, it has to be considered a dream come true.

I spoke with Jaron Rykiss about his experience in Kivunim, which sadly for him and everyone else in the 2019-20 program, was cut short by COVID.
I began by asking Jaron how he heard about Kivunim in the first place?
Jaron explained that back in high school he was very involved with BBYO. Through BBYO he was exposed to a certain amount of international contact and realized “that there’s more to life than just Winnipeg”.
As graduation from Gray Academy was approaching Jaron “sat down with Avi Posen” (who was still in Winnipeg at that point, although in the fall of 2019 Avi himself made aliyah to Israel with his wife, Illana Minuk), and “we began talking about the possibility of a gap year” (the year between graduating from high school and entering a post-secondary institution).
After spending considerable time researching various programs Jaron came upon Kivunim which, he says, was perfect for someone like him – someone who didn’t have much experience outside of Winnipeg.

I asked Jaron whether he had ever been to Israel before?
He answered that he had – “twice” – once when he was nine, for a family occasion, and then again in 2017 when he was one of the students participating in the P2G (partnership together) program that Gray Academy has with Dancinger High School in Kiryat Shemonah, Israel. “That was really when I fell in love with the country,” he noted.

Fast forward to September 2019 and Jaron is in Jerusalem – “which is now my favourite city on the planet,” he said. There were 54 students in the program with Jaron – mostly from the U.S., but one other Canadian from Toronto as well.
“We all lived in a dormitory together – in the Mamillah area,” Jaron explained.
Under the original plan, Jaron said, he would have been in the program for eight and a half months, which would have taken him to the end of May.
As it was, he came back in March of this year – “exactly five months after I left”.

I asked Jaron at that point to describe what exactly he was studying during the program?
He answered: “The program goes to show you religion in other countries, so we spent the year studying Judaism, Islam…a Buddhist monk came to live with us for a couple weeks in Jerusalem and then when we got to India he showed us around.”

Which countries did Jaron actually visit as part of Kivunim? I asked.
Jaron said that the first month was spent in Jerusalem, followed by what was supposed to have been the first of several international trips.

Parthenon 
Jaron with classmate in Greece

“We ended up going to Greece and Bulgaria for two weeks,” after which the group returned to Israel for a month and a half, then India, but trips to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Hungary and Morocco were all canceled due to the outbreak of COVID.
“We were supposed to end up in Morocco and meet the king there,” Jaron noted. “It’s too bad that never happened.”
(Jaron added that they were also supposed to visit Turkey at the same time as they visited Greece and Bulgaria, but that didn’t happen either. As he explained, “there were a lot of political issues” – what with the heightened civil unrest in Turkey at that time.)

 

What was the actual learning experience like? I wondered.
Jaron described the learning as “experiential”.
“While we were in Israel we would study the places we were going to visit,” Jaron observed, “then we would experience what we had just learned about – so it was a combination of classroom and experience.”

I was still uncertain, however, what the overall purpose of the program was – beyond exposing students to a wide variety of experiences.
According to its website, Kivunim aims to provide a “liberal arts” type of education: “The power of conceptual and intellectual integration is the ultimate (and all-to-often illusive) goal of a liberal arts education.
The website goes on to say:
“Why do we train our children in the liberal arts? It is not because these studies can grant someone virtue, but because they prepare the soul for accepting it.” 
“KIVUNIM represents the beginning of a unique intellectual journey for our students and our staff and faculty. KIVUNIM succeeds in creating a thoughtful, comprehensive, and resilient intellectual foundation for our students and alumni.”
Here are the five courses taught to students in Kivunim. (There are no optional courses and all students must take the same five courses):
Civilization and Society: Homelands in Exile
Land, People, Ideas: The Challenges of Zionism
Hebrew Language and Literature
Arabic Language and Culture
Visual Learning – The Art of Seeing

A more detailed examination of each course gives a clearer understanding of just what it is that Kivunim is attempting to convey to students. Here, for instance, is an excerpt from the course outline of Land, People, Ideas: The Challenges of Zionism: “Here we seek to make the history of the Zionist movement come alive and allow KIVUNIM students to truly appreciate the capacity of the human being to become an historical actor: to make things happen.  The course explores the growth of Pan-Arab nationalism and the specific development of Palestinian identity and nationalism.  We encourage our students to imagine solutions while studying problems and to develop their sense of empowerment in glimpsing a future more positive than the past or today.”

If this all seems slightly airy-fairy, then I wondered how a program like this would be perceived by other institutions of higher learning – for instance, at a university here in Manitoba? After all, on its website Kivunim maintains that its courses will give students 30 academic credits, which would be equivalent to a normal year of study in an Arts program at a Manitoba university.
Jaron, who is now enrolled in an Arts program at the University of Manitoba, said that the university has not yet accepted for credit all the courses that he took in Israel.
Thus far, he has received credit for two of the courses: “Civilization and Society: Homelands in Exile”, and “Land, People, Ideas: The Challenges of Zionism”.
He noted though that he is being asked to take aptitude tests in both Hebrew and Arabic to determine whether the courses he took in those languages will be accepted for credit. As for the fifth course – “Visual Learning”, he explained that he is not expecting to obtain credit for that course, since it was more of a “photography” course than anything.
The problem, however, as Jaron noted during our conversation, is that due to COVID, so much of the university’s decision making is backed up that he doesn’t know how long it will be before he knows what the status of the two language courses that he took will be vis-à-vis receiving credit for them.
As far as his future studies go, Jaron added that he plans on majoring either in Political Studies or Philosophy, with his ultimate goal to get into law. (By the way, did I mention that Jaron’s grandfather is Jack London, about whom I have a review of his book elsewhere in this issue? As a disclaimer though, I want to explain that I contacted Jaron long before I knew that Jack had even written his memoir.)
One final aspect of the Kivunim program that hasn’t been mentioned yet in this article is the question of cost. I sent an email to the Kivunim program, asking for information as to the cost of the program. Here is the response I received:
“Our tuition is $55,000 which includes room and board, international travel, academics, a round trip from New York, etc. Tuition plus a small fee also includes 30 academic credits from Hebrew College (a full college year) accepted by most colleges in the U.S. and Canada. Every year we offer scholarships and interest free loans. We give about 40-50% of our students scholarship each year. Jaron’s year, 45% of students received a scholarship totaling approximately $375k.” (By the way, as one might expect, Kivunim is not being offered in person this year, although there is an online program.)

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Sheldon Adelson’s Campaign Against Online Gambling Regulation

Sheldon Adelson, the late billionaire casino magnate and founder of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, was a towering figure in the gambling industry and a polarizing force in the debate over online gambling regulation in the United States.
While many casino operators saw the internet as a new frontier for profit, Adelson waged a relentless campaign to block its legalization, citing moral, social, and business concerns.
His efforts, primarily channeled through the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, left a lasting impact on the regulatory landscape.
Let’s explore Adelson’s motivations, strategies, and the role of initiatives like Jackpot Sounds, a platform aggregating big online casino wins, in the broader context of the online gambling debate.

Jackpot Sounds: Celebrating Big Wins Amid the Debate

A 2023 report estimated that online gambling generated $5.7 billion in revenue in the U.S., a figure amplified by spotlighting success stories. It caused the rise of gamblers’ desire to address the big win replays. Platforms like Jackpot Sounds emerged, highlighting and aggregating big win replays as the enticement of online gambling.

The platform showcases real-time highlights of significant payouts, from slot machine jackpots to poker tournament victories, fostering community among online gamblers.

Jackpot Sounds captures the excitement of virtual jackpots, offering players a way to relive thrilling moments.

By curating content that celebrates high-stakes wins, Jackpot Sounds underscores the appeal that Adelson sought to suppress.

But what preceded this success of online gambling in the USA? How is Sheldon Adelson’s name related? While Adelson argued that such accessibility endangered society, Jackpot Sounds reflects the industry’s resilience and the public’s enthusiasm for digital gaming.

The Rise of Sheldon Adelson and His Casino Empire

Born on August 4, 1933, in Boston, Massachusetts, Sheldon Adelson grew up in modest circumstances.

By 12, he sold newspapers, showcasing an entrepreneurial spirit that defined his career. By 1995, Adelson had amassed wealth through ventures like the Comdex trade show, which he sold for $860 million.

He then focused on the casino industry, founding Las Vegas Sands Corporation. By 2019, his net worth was estimated at $35 billion, making him one of the world’s wealthiest individuals. His flagship properties, including The Venetian Las Vegas and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, solidified his status as a global casino titan.

Adelson’s influence extended beyond business. A major Republican Party donor, he contributed over $90 million to political campaigns in 2012 alone, earning the moniker “kingmaker.”

His financial clout gave him significant leverage in Washington, D.C., which he later wielded in his fight against online gambling.

Adelson’s Stance on Online Gambling

Adelson’s opposition to online gambling emerged publicly in 2013, when he declared his intent to block its legalization in the U.S. Unlike competitors like Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts, who embraced online platforms, Adelson argued that internet gambling posed unique risks. In a June 2013 Forbes article, he claimed it could lead to financial ruin for vulnerable individuals, including those with student debt.

He also expressed concerns about underage access and the potential for money laundering, calling online gambling “a danger to society.”

Critics, however, pointed to a potential conflict of interest. Adelson’s brick-and-mortar casinos thrived on in-person gambling, and online platforms threatened to divert revenue.

A 2001 Las Vegas Sun article revealed that Adelson had once supported online poker, suggesting his later opposition might have been strategic. By 2014, he was unequivocal, stating, “I am willing to spend whatever it takes” to stop online gambling.

The Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling

In January 2014, Adelson launched the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling (CSIG), a lobbying group designed to rally support for a federal ban on online gambling.

Headed by prominent figures like former New York Governor George Pataki, former Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln, and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, CSIG aimed to influence lawmakers and the public.

The coalition’s website warned that online gambling “crosses the line of responsible gaming” by bringing casinos into “living rooms and smartphones.”

CSIG employed aggressive tactics, including:

  • Media Campaigns: In February 2014, CSIG released an ad titled “Don’t Let the Games Begin,” claiming online gambling could fund terrorism and harm families.
  • Lobbying Efforts: By 2015, CSIG had enlisted dozens of lobbyists, including former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, to push for legislation.
  • Political Alliances: Adelson secured support from governors like Rick Scott of Florida, who received $750,000 in campaign contributions from Adelson between 2010 and 2014.

The coalition’s efforts gained traction. In March 2014, 16 state attorneys general co-signed a letter to Congress urging a ban on online gaming. CSIG also influenced the American Gaming Association, which dropped its support for online gambling in 2014 after pressure from Adelson.

Legislative Push: The Restoration of America’s Wire Act

Adelson’s campaign focused on reinstating a broad interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act, which prohibited interstate wagering.

In 2011, the Department of Justice (DOJ) had issued an opinion stating the Wire Act applied only to sports betting, opening the door for states like New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada to legalize online gambling. Adelson sought to reverse this.

On March 26, 2014, Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative Jason Chaffetz introduced the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA), a bill backed by Adelson to ban most forms of online gambling.

The legislation gained co-sponsors, including Senators Dianne Feinstein and Marco Rubio, and was reintroduced in February 2015. Adelson met House Speaker John Boehner in January 2015 to push RAWA, leveraging his $13.2 million in donations to Republican causes in 2014.

Despite these efforts, RAWA faced opposition from a coalition of casino operators, poker players, and states’ rights advocates.

By 2016, the bill had stalled in Congress, unable to overcome resistance from figures like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who legalized online gambling in his state in 2013.

Adelson’s Influence on the Department of Justice

Adelson’s campaign reached a high point in 2018, when the DOJ revisited its 2011 Wire Act opinion.

On November 2, 2018, the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel issued a new memo, released publicly on January 14, 2019, declaring that the Wire Act applied to all forms of online gambling, not just sports betting.

This reversal threatened the legal frameworks in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which had generated $200 million in tax revenue from online gambling by 2017.

The timing raised suspicions. Adelson and his wife, Miriam, donated $113 million to Republican causes in 2016, including $20 million to Donald Trump’s campaign. In January 2017, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who received campaign support from Adelson, expressed shock at the 2011 opinion and vowed to review it.

A February 2017 memo from former CSIG lobbyist Charles Cooper mirrored the DOJ’s 2018 arguments, prompting speculation of Adelson’s influence. In 2019, New Jersey and Pennsylvania attorneys general filed Freedom of Information Act requests seeking evidence of lobbying by CSIG and Adelson.

Resistance and Industry Pushback

Adelson’s efforts faced significant opposition. Caesars, MGM, and the American Gaming Association formed the Coalition for Consumer and Online Protection (C4COP) in February 2014 to counter CSIG’s narrative.

Led by former Representative Mary Bono and former Financial Services Committee Chairman Mike Oxley, C4COP argued that regulation, not prohibition, ensured consumer safety. A January 2014 poll by North Star Opinion Research, commissioned by C4COP, found that 74% of voters favored state-by-state legalization over a federal ban.

The Poker Players Alliance also mobilized, urging members to flood lawmakers’ social media with pro-gambling messages.

By 2015, states like Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware had generated $2 billion in online gambling revenue, bolstering arguments for regulation. Critics like Jan Jones Blackhurst of Caesars called Adelson’s approach “counterproductive,” accusing him of fostering an unregulated black market.

Adelson’s Legacy and Ongoing Impact

Sheldon Adelson passed away on January 11, 2021, at the age of 87, but his campaign against online gambling left a complex legacy. While RAWA never passed, the 2018 DOJ memo slowed the expansion of online gambling, creating uncertainty for operators.

By 2023, only seven states had fully legalized online casino gaming, compared to 38 for sports betting, partly due to Adelson’s influence.

However, the industry continued to grow. A 2024 report projected U.S. online gambling revenue to reach $7.6 billion by 2026.

Adelson’s moral arguments resonated with some lawmakers, but critics viewed his campaign as defending his land-based empire. As Mary Bono noted in 2014, “It’s impossible to stand in the way of the internet.”

Conclusion

Sheldon Adelson’s battle against online gambling, spearheaded by the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, was a high-stakes effort to shape the industry’s future. From launching CSIG in 2014 to influencing the DOJ in 2018, Adelson used his wealth and political connections to advocate for a federal ban.

Yet, platforms like Jackpot Sounds highlight the enduring appeal of online gambling, celebrating wins that Adelson sought to curtail. While he delayed regulation in some areas, the momentum for legalization persisted, reflecting the challenges of containing a digital revolution.

Adelson’s story is a testament to the power—and limits—of influence in a rapidly changing world.

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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.

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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.

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