The online gambling industry has experienced monumental growth over past decade. With an estimated market value of $92.9 billion in 2023, online gambling continues its upward trajectory – projected to reach $127.3 billion by 2027 according to Data Bridge Market Research. Propelling this growth is the continuous innovation in financial technologies that make payments to and from online gambling sites faster, more convenient and more secure.
Steady Decline of Credit Cards
For years, credit cards have been the dominant payment method used on online gambling platforms like Ladbrokes. However due to the growing concerns over privacy, security and high processing fees, there has been a noticeable decline in credit card payments from 2020 to 2025. Below is a table outlining the decreasing credit card payment volume across major online gambling sites.
| Year | Total Credit Card Volume | % Decrease |
| 2020 | $18.2 billion | – |
| 2021 | $16.1 billion | 11.5% |
| 2022 | $12.3 billion | 23.6% |
| 2023 | $9.8 billion | 20.3% |
| 2024 | $7.9 billion | 19.4% |
| 2025 | $6.3 billion | 20.3% |
Many consumers have grown wary of exposing their financial information online and getting hit with interest rates upwards of 20% on cash advances and gambling transactions. These security and cost concerns have led customers to explore alternative digital payment solutions.
Growth of Cryptocurrency Transactions
Cryptocurrencies have emerged as a preferred online gambling payment method thanks to their pseudonymous transactions, elimination of third-party financial institutions and low fees. Bitcoin paved the way as the first widely adopted digital currency on gambling sites in the early 2010s. Fast-forward to 2025 and now a diverse landscape of coins exists, including Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple (XRP), Tether (USDT) and many more.
Below illustrates the rising volume of cryptocurrency payments on online gambling platforms from 2020 to 2025:
| Year | Crypto Volume | % Increase |
| 2020 | $7.1 billion | – |
| 2021 | $12.3 billion | 73.2% |
| 2022 | $18.9 billion | 53.7% |
| 2023 | $29.2 billion | 54.5% |
| 2024 | $41.1 billion | 40.8% |
| 2025 | $52.8 billion | 28.5% |
The increased trust and maturity of blockchain networks have made cryptocurrency payments more appealing. Top-tier online gambling operators like Bet365, Betway and 888 Casino now accept various digital coins – with Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether rising as the most prominent options.
Gambling with cryptocurrency also enables access to provably fair casino games. The transparency of blockchain technology allows players to independently verify game outcomes were truly random – adding an extra layer of security and assurance.
Rise of Stablecoin Adoption
While the growth of cryptocurrencies has expanded online gambling payment alternatives, the high volatility of crypto coins presents challenges. Values can dramatically swing by double-digit percentages day-to-day – impacting deposit and withdrawal amounts.
Stablecoins have emerged as crypto assets designed to provide price stability pegged to fiat currencies like the US dollar. Top stablecoins used for online payments include Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC) and Binance USD (BUSD) – all valued at $1 per token.
The graph below shows the rapid increase in stablecoin transactions for online gambling from 2020 projected to 2025 as players seek to avoid crypto volatility:
| Year | Stablecoin Volume | % Increase |
| 2020 | $1.2 billion | – |
| 2021 | $3.1 billion | 158.3% |
| 2022 | $7.9 billion | 154.8% |
| 2023 | $16.3 billion | 106.3% |
| 2024 | $26.1 billion | 60.1% |
| 2025 | $37.9 billion | 45.2% |
Major sites like Stake, Roobet and Cloudbet have added Tether and USD Coin integration – allowing instant deposits and cash-outs with fewer fluctuations. The convenience and stability stablecoins provide is expected to make them the predominant digital currency used on online gambling platforms moving forward.
Decentralization of Finance
At the core of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins is decentralized finance – allowing online gambling payments to shift away from traditional banks and financial institutions. Instead, transactions occur peer-to-peer powered by public blockchain ledgers.
Decentralized apps (dApps) will continue emerging that allow players to gamble directly with their cryptocurrency wallets while maintaining full custody.
The efficiencies of decentralized finance solve many of the recurring issues facing customers of centralized gambling operators:
- Eliminates account suspensions and funds being locked by payment processors
- Provides greater transparency through viewable public transaction histories
- Lowers fees through disintermediation of middlemen financial institutions
- Enhances privacy since KYC is not required to use most crypto and dApps
As blockchain and stablecoin technology continue maturing in 2025, decentralized finance will transform online gambling – shifting power from operators directly into the hands of players.
Frictionless Gambling Payments
The online gambling payment ecosystem in 2025 stands in stark contrast to the early 2010s reliance on credit cards and centralized banking controls. Players now hold the ultimate flexibility to deposit, wager and cash out funds effortlessly using blockchain-powered stablecoins and cryptocurrencies.
Increased adoption of decentralized apps removes middlemen while providing transparency into game fairness and player account histories. And with innovation in digital payments showing no signs of slowing down, consumers can expect online gambling transactions to become even faster, more secure and frictionless in the coming years.
