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Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

bitino.com

31–40 of 64 posts

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#31
post #8

I don't really understand why "provably fair" would be so big deal. The house is winning always, no matter what. But I don't gamble myself, so perhaps I don't uderstand that world that well.

Provably fair means the shuffle and order of the cards are verifiably random and also that they cant be changed once the game has started. Provably fair means you know exactly what you are dealing with before you start. Game payout odds are clearly displayed in the payout table.

My gut feeling is that since it's using a repeatable number-generator (without which it wouldn't be "provably fair" as you have described), it might be possible to game by client-side pre-evaluation of the sequence. Even if the whole sequence isn't finalized until the initial bitcoin transfer is made (I only have the information provided on the site to go on...), it might be possible (for example) to strategically transfer/commit, at a known/manageable cost, but simply not play the hand (abandon the transfer) unless the payout is greater than your expenses, circumventing the game's long-run behavior entirely. We don't have server code to look at (github?), but we all have access to python's libraries and can seed our own PRNG after the transfer in order to evaluate the hand/sequence.

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#33
I'm wondering about the security of the generators and hashes you use. SHA-256 is to my knowledge fine, however the Mersenne twister used by Python isn't (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersenne_twister, although there may be modifications in Python). You have little plaintext, so I can't really find anything obvious, but given the nature of the site, you may want to use something cryptographically secure.

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#35

I'd be concerned about running an online casino with a .com domain. The US government has a track record of seizing domains. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/feds-seize-foreign-...

But this is what is really interesting about it. If the US government moves to shut this casino down, are they admitting that bitcoins are money?

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#37
post #35

I'd be concerned about running an online casino with a .com domain. The US government has a track record of seizing domains. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/feds-seize-foreign-...

But this is what is really interesting about it. If the US government moves to shut this casino down, are they admitting that bitcoins are money?

we are not a casino. this is a tiny side product built by a couple of guys over a couple of days to explore bitcoin.

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#38
post #35

I'd be concerned about running an online casino with a .com domain. The US government has a track record of seizing domains. http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/03/feds-seize-foreign-...

But this is what is really interesting about it. If the US government moves to shut this casino down, are they admitting that bitcoins are money?

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#39

"Bitino is a games company based in London." Then you are breaking the law. UK-based gambling companies have to ensure that customers are over 18. Running a gambling game that uses anonymous payments goes against this principle!

Oh no, somebody call the bitcoin police, quick.

Re: Show HN: My friends just built a Bitcoin casino

#40
post #37
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But this is what is really interesting about it. If the US government moves to shut this casino down, are they admitting that bitcoins are money?

we are not a casino. this is a tiny side product built by a couple of guys over a couple of days to explore bitcoin.

Why are you not a casino? People gamble with bitcoins and can win more bitcoins. Your site describes itself as "Win Bitcoins playing classic exciting gambling games at our Bitcoin Casino. Fair and Verified Games. Instant Withdrawals."

My apologies if I've mischaracterized you, but a casino is "a public room or building where gambling games are played." bitino seems to clearly be an online variant of that.

(Edit: can't grammar)

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