New Age VS Tradition: Should You Game Online With Crypto Or A Debit Card?

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Crypto has hit the world hard and - by some standards at least - fast. Yes, it’s had 16 years, but even so, its growth and the impact are beyond impressive. Crypto and the technology that enables it, namely blockchain, has touched on a lot of industries, but one of the biggest? Gaming.

Gaming is huge in its own right. How many gamers would you guess there are in the world? If you’re thinking over a billion - well, it actually sits at around 2.32 billion! We are therefore talking about really rather a large industry. Crypto has crept in, initially around the fringes, and now is having a huge impact on a lot of gaming options. But for those who want to game online and need to either make or receive payments, which is better? Crypto or debit/credit card? Let’s find out!

Debit/Credit 

Pros

First up, let’s start with the traditional option: debit/credit card. This is the choice most people will be familiar with and often, it’s the easy one. Who doesn’t have a debit/credit card in 2025? Well, there are a few people, but not many! That means it’s very easy to set this up, and pretty much all online platforms, including an online casino, will be set up to take debit/credit cards. 

You just enter the details from the face of the card, possibly go through security with your bank, and you’re all set. It couldn’t be much simpler. If you’re doing this at your favorite online casino, you’ll then be able to plunge straight into the games and start having fun directly. Just make your deposit, pick a title that sounds exciting, and go for practice play if you’re not sure what you’re doing to begin with! You’ll find a whole range of options, so remember to use the search function if you’re looking for something specific, or just check out the recommended games if you’re not.

Plus, once you’ve got everything linked up, you can usually set game platforms to remember your details so you don’t need to keep inputting them. You’ve also got the option to join up a payment platform such as PayPal if you don’t want to link your card to individual platforms.

Cons

Next up, the drawbacks! There are several to consider. One of the foremost ones? Security. Of course, banks do plenty to try to maximize security online and if you choose reputable gaming sites, everything should be okay. However, cybercrime is an ongoing risk, and everyone should be aware of it. That’s where cryptocurrency comes into its own - which we’ll get to shortly.

Plus, debit and credit transactions tend to be pretty slow! It can take hours, sometimes even days, for your bank to deal with transactions. That means when you’ve got a big win, you may have to wait around for it to get authorized and processed… which does put a bit of a damper on things. It won’t usually slow down your gameplay, but in an era when we don’t have to wait for much, it can get frustrating!

That leads us neatly to crypto.

Crypto

Pros

Crypto offers a ton of benefits to its users. First of all, while not all games will accept crypto, a huge number do these days - and playing with crypto gives you access to some special games that are entirely crypto-based, like The Sandbox. Games like this have unique mechanics and appeal to players who love to create and build. If you’re a Minecraft fan, this kind of option might perfectly scratch the gaming itch. There’s a lot of fun to be found here!

And we already mentioned security above; crypto’s great if you’re feeling anxious about putting your bank details online. Because cryptocurrencies are based on blockchain systems, they are far more secure than traditional finance options. All transactions are recorded on an immutable public ledger, making it almost impossible for fraudsters to mess with them.

Furthermore, you’ll find some platforms give you extra benefits for playing with crypto. Because there are no middlemen involved in cryptocurrency transactions, they tend to be a lot cheaper - and many gaming platforms pass that saving (or at least part of it) on to gamers. For example, if you check out a crypto casino, you may find you get better bonuses and rewards for playing with crypto. That’s a big point in crypto’s favor!

Cons

So, the drawbacks? Well, the biggest is that not every platform accepts crypto yet, although that’s changing rapidly. Crypto is making speedy gains, especially after Bitcoin hit 100k a couple of months ago. More and more places are opening up their payment options and adding crypto, although many still only accept certain coins.

The other issue is the volatility, which has long been crypto’s Achilles heel. It’s getting better in a lot of cases, but this is still a market that can go up or down fast, which may make it less attractive as a gaming currency for some folks!