Bitcoin ATMs continue to show up all over The Strip in Las Vegas. Earlier this year, the first bitcoin ATMs showed up in the city, indicating a growing demand for Bitcoin in the region. Fast forward to a few days ago and over a dozen ATMs can be found across the city. Two casinos have installed their first Bitcoin ATMs in the fall of 2016.Both The Plaza Casino and Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino have gotten onboard with the Bitcoin movement.
Las Vegas Casinos See The Value In Bitcoin
Gambling has been affected by Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in unprecedented ways. Due to its privacy-respecting aspect, and the added accountability, Bitcoin is a far superior form of payment for the gambling industry. Moreover, various cryptocurrency casinos have opened their doors in the past few years, most of which have been quite successful.
But even brick-and-mortar casinos are showing an increased interest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency as of late. Even though it is still not possible to spend Bitcoin in an official capacity when playing at a casino, Bitcoin ATMs are starting to make their presence felt. Two of Las Vegas’ most respected casinos had a Bitcoin ATM installed in November, which is an exciting development.
Both of these machines were installed by Coin Cloud, a company which has made a name for itself in Las Vegas throughout 2015 and 2016. With over a dozen of their machines scattered across the city and its suburbs, the demand for Bitcoin has become quite apparent. Although it is unknown how successful these ATMs are regarding volume, the sheer amount of machines getting installed in Las Vegas tells an interesting story.
Now that both The Plaza Casino and the Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino are installing a Bitcoin ATM on their premises in the coming months, things are getting even more exciting. Both venues want to provide tourists and locals with an option to digital transfer funds with a few clicks.
Coin Cloud Owner Chris McAlary told the media:
“We are thrilled to add both Lucky Dragon Hotel & Casino and The Plaza Hotel & Casino to our lineup of properties that provide the convenience and ease of digital currency to its customers. In partnering with Lucky Dragon specifically, Coin Cloud will be able to provide our services to bitcoin’s top market, which is China. Asian Americans are also Lucky Dragon’s primary guest demographic with a strong focus on the Chinese market. We’re pleased to continue to provide the Las Vegas casino marketplace with the highest quality of product and bulletproof compliance.”
It is impossible to deny the success of Bitcoin in the gambling industry as a whole. Although it seems unlikely brick-and-mortar casinos will accept deposits in Bitcoin any time soon, the possibility remains on the table. With a cryptocurrency ATM installed on the premises, interest in Bitcoin is sure to spike over the coming years.
Header image courtesy of Shutterstock
