Gambling with bitcoin has become extremely popular over the last couple of years as a growing number of major poker rooms, casinos and sportsbooks add the crypto-currency as a cashier option for their players. Major brands like Bovada, Americas Cardroom, 5Dimes and BetOnline now all encourage their players to use bitcoin instead of traditional banking methods like Visa/Mastercard and bank wires. Since bitcoin is a decentralized peer-to-peer currency, real-money gamblers from the United States are free to make deposits and withdrawals without interference from the U.S. government.
In bitcoin there are two distinct types of wallets – Custodial and non-custodial. Coinbase and Xapo are good examples of “Custodial” wallets because they retain full control of your bitcoin the entire time you use their service. They are basically the “PayPal” of the crypto-currency world. Allowing a third party to hold your bitcoin can be useful for newbies who do not want the responsibility of keeping their bitcoin safe. For example, companies like Coinbase have customer support teams that you can contact if you forget your password. The biggest drawback is that these companies have to abide by the same anti-gambling laws as any other financial institution and will be forced to close your account if they suspect that you are using it for the purposes of online gambling.
When sending bitcoin to and from a bitcoin betting app, it is always best to use non-custodial wallets where you have total control over the crypto in your wallet. Here is a list of the best non-custodial Android and iOS wallets that are suitable for making online gambling transactions.
Blockchain.info is the most downloaded bitcoin wallet on the planet and is perfect for gamblers who need an intermediary wallet to hide their gambling transactions. One of the biggest benefits of Blockchain.info is that it is cross platform. Not only does it work on your Android or iOS device, but you can also run the software on your desktop. Blockchain is one of the oldest bitcoin wallets and has to date processed over 100,000,000 bitcoin transactions.
Mycelium is probably the most popular bitcoin wallet for users of Android smartphones. It has a slick, easy to use interface that makes storing, sending and receiving bitcoin really easy, even for the biggest to technophobes. The Mycelium app is free to download from Google Play and allows you to interact with your favourite gambling site without fear of censorship. With Mycelium, you retain full control of your bitcoin at all times. A version of Mycelium has also been developed for iOS but it is generally regarded as being a poor imitation of the original Android version.
Breadwallet is a hugely popular bitcoin wallet that has attracted a loyal following on both Android and iOS devices. Breadwallet developers have created the most easy-to-use wallet for newbies thanks to the simplicity of their design. Breadwallet only has two screens: “send money” and “receive money”, which makes it easier to use than PayPal. Breadwallet is the perfect wallet to use for online gambling because it connects directly to the bitcoin network. There are no central servers that might get hacked or blocked by governments trying to censor your gambling transactions. Hardware encryption ensures that your bitcoin remain in your full control and are kept secure at all times. Breadwallet made its name as the most easy to use bitcoin wallet for iPhone, however, an Android version is now also available that offers all the same great features.
Airbitz is another Android compatible bitcoin wallet that has attracted a loyal following thanks to some unique features. Airbitz have zero-knowledge of what their customers do with their funds so you are free to deposit and withdraw at your favourite poker room or sportsbooks without the possibility of interference for governments or law enforcement officials.
U.S. and Canadian citizens can even activate a Buy/Sell feature that allows users to trade bitcoin for dollars without having to leave the app. Another unique feature is their bitcoin business directory. If you need a break from the roulette or Texas Hold’em poker tables, the app will find the nearest bar or restaurant in your area that accepts bitcoin.
IMPORANT NOTE
A growing number of fake bitcoin wallets have been appearing in both the Google Play and iTunes App Stores. To avoid having your bitcoin stolen, please always ensure that you are downloading the official version of any bitcoin wallet.
