NetBet has announced that they will accept Bitcoin for bets on their sportsbook and casino products.
The UK bookmaker and online casino operator has become the first licensed operator in the UK to embrace the virtual currency. NetBet customers will now have the option to use Bitcoin to load their accounts via the Neteller and PaySafe payment methods.
Alexandre Mangaud, NetBet spokesman, said: “We have been looking at digital currencies for some time now; it has a growing user-base and was something we wanted to offer our customers.
“Since Bitcoin is new to the regulated gambling industry in Europe, we’ve worked closely with our payment processing partners to ensure that the addition of this new payment method meets the UK Gambling Commission regulatory requirements.”
Bitcoin is now accepted by a number of major retailers including Expedia, Microsoft, Virgin Galactic and Dell and now NetBet joins their ranks in a first for British bookmakers.
The virtual currency has returned into the spotlight after the value of the crypto-currency hit a two-year high. In July, Bitcoin-only sportsbook Sportsbet.io celebrated a successful first month, as the operator saw average daily stakes increase by more than 20% during the first two weeks of UEFA Euro 2016.
