Stake Casino Integrates Arbitrum for Faster Crypto Bets

Stake Casino has integrated the Arbitrum blockchain network to enable faster, lower-cost cryptocurrency transactions for its global user base. This upgrade, announced on November 17, 2025, supports deposits and withdrawals using ETH and USDT on Arbitrum's Layer 2 scaling solution, targeting players in crypto-friendly regions like Curacao, Malta, and emerging markets in Asia and Latin America. The move addresses growing demand for efficient on-ramps in online gambling, where high Ethereum mainnet fees have deterred high-volume betting.

• Operators gain scalable infrastructure: Arbitrum's optimistic rollup technology batches transactions off-chain before settling on Ethereum, reducing costs by up to 95% and boosting throughput to over 40,000 transactions per second—ideal for handling peak casino traffic without congestion.
• Players benefit from seamless UX: Instant confirmations (under 1 second on average) and minimal fees (fractions of a cent) enhance real-time gaming, such as live roulette or crash bets, while maintaining provably fair mechanics via blockchain verification.
• Regulators see improved compliance: The integration aligns with AML standards in jurisdictions like the UK and Estonia by providing transparent on-chain audit trails, potentially easing licensing for operators in these markets.

Arbitrum, an Ethereum Layer 2 protocol launched in 2021, uses optimistic rollups to process transactions off the main Ethereum chain before finalizing them on-chain. This hybrid approach—where transactions are assumed valid unless challenged—slashes gas fees and speeds up settlements from Ethereum's typical 15-second blocks to near-instantaneous execution. For crypto casinos like Stake, which processed $4.7 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2024 across non-US markets, this means supporting more simultaneous bets without network bottlenecks. Stake's implementation leverages Arbitrum's One network, enabling seamless bridging of assets such as ETH (Ethereum's native token) and USDT (a USD-pegged stablecoin) directly into casino wallets.

The technical rollout involved updating Stake's smart contracts to interact with Arbitrum's EVM-compatible environment, ensuring compatibility with existing Ethereum-based games. Players connect via wallets like MetaMask, where funds are bridged in under 10 minutes with negligible slippage. This contrasts with Solana's high-speed but occasionally volatile Proof-of-History consensus or Polygon's sidechain model, chosen here for Arbitrum's Ethereum security guarantees—critical for high-stakes gambling where fund safety is paramount. Transaction fees, which often exceed $10 on Ethereum during peak periods, drop to $0.01 on Arbitrum, directly benefiting users in fee-sensitive regions like Southeast Asia.

Compliance implications are significant for global operators. In Malta and Gibraltar, where crypto gambling licenses emphasize traceability, Arbitrum's immutable ledger facilitates automated KYC/AML reporting without compromising user privacy. Estonia's e-Residency framework, popular among EU-facing casinos, benefits from the network's standardized token standards (ERC-20/721), simplifying audits. The integration rolls out progressively: full ETH/USDT support is live as of November 17, with Polygon and Avalanche bridges slated for Q1 2026 to further diversify options.

Market impact extends to user adoption and operator margins. Stake anticipates a 20% uptick in transaction volume from Arbitrum users, drawn by reduced friction in high-frequency games like slots and esports betting. For players, this means more disposable funds for wagers, with settlement times shrinking from minutes to seconds—enhancing retention in competitive markets like Australia's licensed crypto hubs. Broader ecosystem effects include incentivizing game developers to build Arbitrum-native titles and fostering innovation in provably fair mechanics, where players verify outcomes via on-chain hashes.

As crypto gambling evolves, such integrations underscore a shift toward multi-chain architectures that balance speed, security, and regulatory alignment. Stake's move positions it ahead of the curve in serving a projected $10 billion in transaction volume by 2026, per industry analytics, while empowering operators to scale responsibly in non-US jurisdictions.

Sources: Stake.com Official Announcement, Arbitrum Docs on Gaming Use Cases