Betchain is an online casino launched in 2013. Owned and operated by Dama N.V., it is one of the oldest and best-respected international Bitcoin gambling sites. All other common payment methods are welcome as well.

Operating on the SoftSwiss platform, slots and other games from more than a dozen providers are available for instant play on any device with a web browser.

Players from most countries are welcome to deposit and win real money, however, players in the US, Uk, Spain, and the Netherlands are not allowed to deposit.

Look for a generous welcome package with huge max match limits for crypto depositors. Instant payouts are available for most methods.

Fortunately, when an operation has been around this long we have a lot of history to draw on in order to form an opinion.

After pouring over hundreds of posts we were unable to find a single incidence of unfair play or unfair application of terms from the operators.

Most complaints were in regard to document verification and players using multiple accounts in order to take advantage of bonuses. Others were country-specific in regard to no-deposit bonuses.

We find a few players who demand nearly unlimited bonuses who rarely or never deposit without a bonus. All operators have to limit their exposure or they wouldn't be able to offer generous incentives to other players.

Others were minor tournament configuration problems, etc. All were handled in a timely manner and resolved satisfactorily.

Software and Games

The SoftSwiss gaming platform handles all of the nuts and bolts behind the scenes and delivers right to your web browser.

The mobile version doesn't require an app to run. Simply go to the site and the software will read your browser information and deliver the most optimized solution based on what you are using.

The interface is nearly identical for desktop/laptop or mobile with a few minor tweaks to make mobile use more convenient for smaller devices.

The menus are essentially the same in either version and navigation quickly becomes second nature even if you've never played on this platform before.

You can search for a specific type of game by the title, enter a category such as slots or video poker, or use the filters to only display games from certain providers while hiding those from others.

Go straight to the jackpot games if you want to take a shot at a life-changing win.

Go straight to the live dealer offering to find unique games from Ezugi like Andar Bahar and 32 Cards Live along with classics played all over the world.

The games

Look for distinct suites of popular games in categories such as:

• Slots
• Roulette
• Poker
• Video Poker
• Casual
• Card Games
• Live
• Lottery
• Craps

Video slots

When you enter the slots library the games will be sorted by their default values. Once there, you can sort alphabetically or by popularity.

When we visited, the top of the list was populated by Aztec Magic, Elvi Frog in Vegas, Book of Pyramids, and other BGaming titles prior to sorting. BGaming is the in-house SoftSwiss game development studio.

Not all of the providers will be instantly recognized by players, but you may know some of their games anyway.

When you open the Microgaming list the name changes to Quickfire, so you know there will be slots from many different developers there.

Under Quickfire, we find Microgaming classics, games from official studio partners, and simply titles from Quickfire partners who use the aggregator for distribution. NextGen's 300 Shields is one of the latter.

Gameburger Studios is a studio partner. You'll find 9 Masks of Fire and other games created exclusively for Microgaming here. 108 Heroes Multiplier Fortunes is made just for Microgaming by Triple Edge Studios, as was Absolootly Mad (Mega Moolah). Agent Jane Blonde Returns is an exclusive Stormcraft revamp of the popular MGS game released many years earlier.

If you're not familiar with Spinomenal games, give this Asian-centric developer a try. The selection runs from silly titles like Fluffy Slot and Farm of Fun to intensely serious games like Four Horsemen and Lilith's Passion.

The themes, maths, mechanics, and artwork on some of these games are simply phenomenal.

Jackpot games

Betchain pays out huge amounts in a single transaction. However, we still prefer to play Microgaming jackpots because they come straight from the Isle of Mann company.

These can also be some of the biggest paying progressives available.

Most of the Mega Moolah jackpots across all of the casinos that carry the games are pooled - this makes them grow very large, very quickly.

Low rollers can get in on the action in this section too with small bets on Tunzamunni.

If you prefer newer games, look for Wheel of Wishes by studio partner All41, or one of the most exciting titles in a long time, Neon Valley Studios' exclusive Microgaming progressive, Aurora Wilds.

Players in most areas can also play NetEnt progressives, including their pooled jackpot games like Divine Fortune.

Look for branded progressive games from iSoftBet in this category like Basic Instinct, Platoon, and Jackpot Rango.

If you like 3D games with 'host' characters, Betsoft provides quite a few jackpot slots. Just be sure to check the paytables on any progressive slot game - sometimes max coins is not enough to qualify for the prize - you might have to bet using the largest coin size as well.

Poker Games

There is a good mix of house-banked RNG table poker games in this category as well as a few live dealer offerings.

Betsoft weighs in with Pai Gow, Triple Edge, and more. BGaming provides Texas Hold'Em, Trey, and Caribbean titles in their Provably Fair games library.

Video Poker

If you know your paytables, it's easy to pick your favorite games here. There are plenty of Microgaming titles along with Betsoft games.

iSoftBet video poker games can have fairly complicated and even seemingly nonsensical pay tables so we only suggest those games to experts who know how to create their own bespoke betting strategies. All other games can be played with standard strategies such as those found at Wizard of Odds.

Live dealer streams

Attractive and professional live dealers are ready to serve up your favorite games around the clock on desktop or mobile.

Ezugi deals blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and Hold'em. NetEnt offers Blitz Blackjack and more. Look for roulette live from the Portomaso Casino in Malta.

There are plenty of specialty games as well. Native tables with multilingual croupiers and dealers offer a personal touch.

Players in India and elsewhere may enjoy Namaste Roulette, Teen Patti, Andar Bahar, 32 Cards, and 6+ Poker along with all the classics.

Bonuses and Promotions

Look for a high roller bonus of epic proportions especially if you use BTC.

There's also a welcome offer for nearly everyone (excluding Sweden). When we visited the site it consisted of three separate deposit matches along with 200 casino spins with the first deposit.

That's one great thing about this gaming site. They listen to player feedback and take it into consideration when they craft their offers.

One thing they have not budged on is the wagering requirement which is relatively or even quite high by some standards. The current welcome offer has a 50x bonus playthrough and most ongoing offers have a 40x rollover. These requirements only apply to the bonus amount and not deposit + bonus, the offers are beatable with some luck.

The deposit is played first, then the bonus funds. Be aware of the max bet rules while playing with an active bonus. That limit is currently 5 EUR/CAD/AUD.

Tuesday cashback

Make a straight deposit on Monday and get 10% cashback on Tuesday up to the limits. Wagering on cashback is only 3x.

Wednesday reloads on your first deposit of the day and casino spins are currently offered. Also look for tournaments, spin frenzies, and other promotions as they occur.

There is a list of slots that can't be played with a bonus, be sure to check the terms and conditions for that information. The list is a bit long but contains all of the usuals. When in doubt, please check it out.

Banking and Customer Service

We would definitely suggest depositing in Bitcoin here, simply because the minimum is so low and the max cashout is so high. Also, you may be able to maximize bonus offers if you use BTC.

All internal transactions and gameplay occur in EUR, so if you deposit in another fiat currency the amount deducted from your card or another device may be higher (50 USD does not equal 50 EUR) due to exchange rates.

In addition to BTC and alt-coins, you can also use Visa/Mastercard, prepaid cards, iDebit, and several different e-Wallets to deposit and withdraw.

The banking tables tell a tale of allowing up to $360,000 per transaction in today's exchange, however, the terms and conditions regarding bonus payouts divide that amount by 40 with a limit of .5 BTC rather than the 20 BTC stated on the tables. VIPs should be able to negotiate their own deposit and withdrawal limits.

Bank wires are processed within three business days and other payouts are stated as instant. The time it takes to receive your funds will depend on the method used.

European banks may charge up to 16 EUR to handle wire payments.

Customer care

The site is packed full of helpful guides. You'll find links to them at the bottom of the pages. Each software provider/game developer is introduced along with a brief background; each type of game is explained in good detail without bogging down so the guides stay interesting and engaging.

The Help section contains no less than 16 topics ranging from promotions and a FAQ to slot tournaments, and responsible gambling tools.

A Bitcoin gambling guide, as well as instructions on how to buy BTC with a credit card, are present along with a link to complaint resolution services. One of these is LCB Direct Casino Support.

In this forum, a representative answers all questions in full view of anyone who wants to read. The discussions remain online and easy to reach in perpetua.

Live chat, email, and an online contact form are all provided for players.

Pitfalls

• Potentially contradictory max withdrawal terms
• High playthrough requirement on some bonuses
• Many slots restricted from bonus play

The Final Word

Betchain is one of the longest-running cryptocurrency casinos online. Several years ago they opened the platform up for fiat currencies and now accept deposits in AUD, CAD, EUR, ZAR, JPY, NOK, and RUB.

The site has a reputation for fair play in all matters. However, some players who believe they are entitled to bonuses may be disappointed when they aren't offered. This appears to be based on the bonus ratio to straight deposits as well as how many bonuses have been taken recently.

We like the game selection featuring everything from Habanero to Belatra, Quickspin, and Pragmatic Play while still being anchored in Microgaming and NetEnt titles.

All progressives are paid in full, so it's safe to play games from any of the developers knowing you'll get your winnings.

The live dealer streams include NetEnt Live and Ezugi. Depending on your location there could be more providers. We were especially impressed with the wide selection of India-centric games in the live studios.

Special bonuses have been crafted for players in many areas. However, the wagering requirements can be quite high. We do like the low wagering (3x) on cashback bonuses.

The banking system works perfectly with dozens of deposit and withdrawal options. Bitcoin and eWallet payouts are instant and withdrawals to credit/debit cards and bank wires are quick.