Blockchain.Poker Closed December 12, 2022: Time to find a new home for poker
Crypto focused online poker site Blockchain.poker is the newest of the online poker sites out there close your doors. All play is suspended on Monday, December 12, 2022. According to Blockchain Poker, “the draws will remain open for an extended period of time.”
More information about the closure
Players visiting the blockchain.poker domain now see a message similar to the following:
Message displayed to visitors to the Blockchain.Poker siteEveryone is encouraged to claim their rakeback and affiliate points due to them. You can do this by clicking the “x” to dismiss the close notification. Then from the menu in the upper right corner select “Rewards” or “Partners” as appropriate and follow the instructions. Don’t forget to do this for every currency you have a Blockchain Poker balance for.
A little note
First, users were told that the site was shutting down via a Reddit post by user u/BlockchainPoker who is the developer of the project. He wrote on December 8:
The game ends on December 12th
When we came up with the concept of Blockchain Poker, we hoped that it would have an impact on the adoption of Bitcoin as it is used in the world.
It is now clearer than ever that crypto is here to stay and we feel we have achieved our goal.
With this in mind, we are announcing that the entire game will end on December 12, 2022. Please withdraw your balances as soon as possible. This includes claiming any rakeback and affiliate points you’ve earned.
We deeply appreciate the support we have received throughout the life of the project. It was quite a journey.
If you need help withdrawing your balances, please use the feedback form in the upper right corner.
This explanation, unfortunately, doesn’t really make much sense. The poster hints that the site’s goal is to drive bitcoin adoption worldwide.
He continues by saying, “We feel we have accomplished our goal.” However, blockchain.poker has never been more than a niche site that has been dwarfed by several other crypto card rooms, not to mention the big Bitcoin focused businesses. It’s hard to see how this poker site has made more than a minor contribution to Bitcoin adoption.
It’s also unclear why only four days’ notice was given to customers that the game was shutting down. Most online poker rooms that close are scheduled, giving players weeks or months to prepare.
The OP is specifically dealing with Bitcoin, but what about the three other crypto coins that Blockchain.Poker has accepted: Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV), and eCash (XEC)? They are far less popular than Bitcoin, which was, after all, the original cryptocurrency, and /u/BlockchainPoker has nothing to say about its quest to increase adoption of these smaller coins.
The programmer disappears
Overall, the information provided raises more questions than it answers. Unfortunately for those looking for answers, the lead developer seems to have disappeared from social media.
u/BlockchainPoker has not made any other posts since the closure announcement on Reddit, and it appears that this user has deleted all other Reddit posts he has made in the past. Blockchain Poker’s Twitter account (@BlockchainPoker), meanwhile, has a pinned tweet linking to the December 8 Reddit post.
More information about BlockchainPoker
Blockchain.Poker launched in late 2016 as a crypto poker site that opens directly in users’ browsers with no download required. Initially transacting only in Bitcoin, it eventually added Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Satoshi Vision and eCash to its portfolio. New users could request a small number of chips for all supported crypto coins and could get more if they run out, making this site great for building a bankroll from scratch.
Blockchain.poker hosted cash games and NL Hold’em format tournaments. Each table or game was denominated in one of the supported crypto coins. It was not possible to purchase a specific game with a cryptocurrency other than the one it was denominated in. Similarly, deposits and withdrawals could be made in each individual cryptocurrency and users held balances in all coins simultaneously.
Blockchain Poker Ring Gaming TableOne of the most notable features of blockchain.poker was the ability for regular users to create their own cash games and tournaments. Blind levels, action timers, bays, graphics and more were highly customizable and games could be password protected.
Although it has never been among the most prominent online poker sites, even in the niche of crypto-based card rooms, Blockchain.poker has amassed a small but loyal following. Fans appreciated the free chips, low rake (except for the lowest nano bets) and high rakeback. For the last year of its existence, Blockchain Poker has seen a modest but steady traffic of around 20-30 concurrently active cash game players.
Need help finding a new poker site?
If you’re a former BlockchainPoker player looking for a new place to play, then we’re here to help. Our online poker guide for Americans lists the most reputable and popular internet poker sites for US customers. It is completely safe from a legal point of view to play on the sites we recommend. For more information on this topic, go to this page on the legal aspects of online poker in the US.