Crypto casinos generated more than $81 billion in revenue in 2024, even as regulators in key jurisdictions continued to block access to the platforms, according to a new report.

Citing data from the anti-online-crime platform Yield Sec, the Financial Times reported that wagers paid in crypto in 2024 generated $81.4 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR). This metric refers to the difference between bets taken and winnings paid out.  

Yield Sec data also showed that the annual revenue for crypto casinos has increased five times since 2022, despite gambling sites being blocked in the United States, China, the United Kingdom and the European Union. 

Crypto casino Stake rivals traditional betting platforms

Betting platform Stake reported that its GGR in 2024 was around $4.7 billion, up 80% since 2022. This puts it on a par with some of the biggest gambling groups, such as Entain and Flutter. Entain reported $5 billion, while Flutter reported $14 billion in revenue in 2024. 

Stake offers traditional casino games, including blackjack, roulette and slots. The platform also allows users to bet on sports. Users on the betting platform generally transact in crypto, with account balances being deposited and withdrawn directly into crypto wallets. 

In 2023, the crypto betting platform was hacked, with $41 million withdrawn from its wallets. On Sept. 4, 2023, security firms flagged suspicious outflows from the platform. The company then confirmed the hack through social media, saying there were unauthorized transactions from its Ethereum and BNB Chain hot wallets. 

On Sept. 7, 2023, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said the $41 million hack was executed by the notorious North Korean hacking group Lazarus. 

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Gamblers access illegal sites through VPNs

Even though crypto gambling sites are officially blocked in many jurisdictions, users can access them by bypassing geo-blocking restrictions with VPNs, which allows users to place bets on sites blocked in their country. 

Former players and crypto users told the FT that many online guides show people how to bypass geo-blocking restrictions to access a crypto gambling platform. Cointelegraph confirmed that some influencers offer online tutorials that teach people how to access blocked gambling sites. 

“Ready-to-gamble” crypto casino accounts are also reportedly being sold on social media platforms, according to Sanya Burgess, journalist at The i Paper.

Users sell accounts that have already passed through betting sites’ registration processes. On Jan. 31, Sky News reported that some users sell pre-verified crypto casino accounts for as little as $10. These ready-to-gamble accounts are reportedly sold on social media sites like Facebook.

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El Salvador, the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, is working with the computer chip giant Nvidia to implement artificial intelligence for national development.

El Salvador signed a letter of intent to collaborate with Nvidia on “sovereign AI to drive innovation and economic growth,” the National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC) of El Salvador announced on X on April 21.

As part of the collaboration, El Salvador will benefit from Nvidia’s AI tools, resources and expertise, enabling the development of sovereign AI capabilities targeting priorities related to culture, language, environment and economy.

“El Salvador will focus on building domestic AI infrastructure, upskilling the workforce, and creating solutions to address local challenges such as improving healthcare delivery, advancing education, and boosting economic productivity,” the announcement said.

AI training for state officials and developers

El Salvador’s latest collaboration with Nvidia marks the country’s commitment to encouraging AI usage to optimize multiple processes within the government and society.

With its new AI push, El Salvador intends to establish AI training programs for developers, researchers and government officials to “ensure the nation has the talent to sustain its AI ambitions.”

One example includes the creation of AI-driven models to forecast weather and rainfall, which would support emergency response, protect residents in landslide-prone areas and optimize hydroelectric power management.

Not the first AI initiative for El Salvador

El Salvador’s Nvidia partnership adds to a growing list of AI-focused initiatives.

In March 2025, the ONBTC announced Salvador’s university-level public education AI program CUBO_ai, touting it as the “only national education program bringing in top-tier field experts.” The program was announced with support from major Bitcoin bull Cathie Wood, who is expected to give the first lecture as part of the program.

Last year, Wood predicted that El Salvador’s Bitcoin (BTC) and AI plans may boost GDP tenfold by 2029.

Related: Only 11% of El Salvador’s registered Bitcoin firms operational

While El Salvador has been aggressively introducing AI initiatives, its Bitcoin ambitions have been somewhat deterred.

In early March, the International Monetary Fund moved to restrict further Bitcoin purchases by El Salvador as part of an extended $1.4 billion funding arrangement with the country. However, the government has continued stacking 1 Bitcoin a day, raising questions about the implications of the deal with the IMF.

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Major cryptocurrency firms, including stablecoin issuer Circle and crypto custodian BitGo, are reportedly considering applying for bank charters or licenses.

According to an April 21 Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter, Circle, BitGo and others are considering applying for some form of banking license. Other firms cited include the publicly traded US-based crypto exchange Coinbase and the stablecoin issuer Paxos.

The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted a preliminary conditional approval for a US bank charter to Paxos in 2021. The report comes as the US continues to reshape stablecoin regulations.

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently said that as digital assets gain mainstream adoption, establishing a legal framework for stablecoins is a “good idea.” Speaking at a recent event in Chicago, Powell recognized that after a “wave of failures and frauds,” the crypto space delivered a consumer use case that “could have wide appeal.”

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A stable genius

The US House Financial Services Committee passed a Republican-backed stablecoin framework bill earlier in April. The bill approved by the committee is the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act.

This bill is moving forward alongside the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. The STABLE and GENIUS bills differ in how they would regulate the stablecoin industry.

The latter was introduced first and made its way past the US Senate Banking Committee in mid-March. While the STABLE Act emphasizes strict federal oversight, the GENIUS Act seeks a more flexible path that includes state and federal regulation.

The STABLE Act enforces a two-year moratorium on issuing collateralized stablecoins backed by self-issued digital assets. It also mandates that stablecoin reserves be held separate from business funds to ensure that customer deposits are not used for operations.

The GENIUS Act would establish a legal framework for stablecoin payments and aims to support US-based stablecoin issuers to reinforce the dollar’s global dominance. The bill also includes stricter rules, such as enhanced Anti-Money Laundering (AML) safeguards, reserve and liquidity standards, and sanctions checks.

Under the GENIUS Act, stablecoin issuers would be considered financial institutions covered by the Bank Secrecy Act and falling under strict AML rules. User verification and reporting of suspicious activity would also be required.

Related: Crypto’s debanking problem persists despite new regulations

Why a bank charter?

The companies cited in the report had not responded to Cointelegraph’s inquiries by the time of publication.

A bank charter potentially would allow crypto firms to operate like traditional lenders, taking deposits and making loans.

Still, crypto firms that obtain banking charters would be subject to stricter reporting and regulatory oversight. One example is Anchorage Digital, a crypto firm holding a federal bank charter that reportedly spent millions to comply with regulations.

Despite this, recent reports indicate that the US Department of Homeland Security’s El Dorado Task Force has reportedly launched an investigation into Anchorage Digital Bank.

The news does not come as a complete surprise. In late March, reports indicated that cryptocurrency and fintech companies were increasingly seeking bank charters to expand their businesses under the Trump administration.

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