If you’ve ever been to a land-based casino, then there’s a good chance you’ve used chips made by Gaming Partners International (GPI).
Specializing in creating casino currency with unmatched security features, GPI’s currency solutions is widely regarded as one of the best out there.
However, the Russian hacker group known as REvil claims to have its technical data and is threatening to publish it on the web.
How is This a Bad Thing?
A lot of people might not realize at first just how bad this has the potential to be, with its consequences being potentially very far reaching.
You see, the security features that make GPI’s casino currency some of the most secure in the world will be in these files and data.
That means that whoever has this secure and sensitive data has the knowledge required to create a perfect copy of its casino currency.
In the statement posted on the Dark Web, REvil claims to have a list of contracts as well, meaning they know exactly which casinos are using the currency and what the designs are.
REvil are requesting a ransom from GPI, otherwise they’ll auction off the data to the users of the Dark Web.
Imagine having the blueprints to create casino currency from some of the biggest casinos in Macau and Las Vegas.
Someone with this data could print their own casino currency that casinos can’t distinguish from their own real stock – it’s incredibly dangerous.
To Pay or Not to Pay
GPI is now facing the harrowing task of coughing up the demand in order to get their data back.
REvil claims that once the payment is received they will delete all the data they have for good, but how can you trust a hacker group that’s extorted you once already?
The other option is to let them go to town and sell the data online. Eventually the feds will be able to track down everyone that bought the data and bring them in.
There’s also a good chance that REvil are bluffing, given their recent history.
REvil recently hacked law firm Grubman, Shire, Meiselas & Sacks and claimed to have “damaging” material against Donald Trump.
The law firm refused to pay and REvil auctioned off the data, but, the files against Donald Trump failed to materialize.
GPI could take a gamble and decide to not pay out, risking everything in hopes that REvil don’t actually have anything useful.
A Dicey Situation
If the technical details of some of the most secure casino currency in the world hits the general public, we could see land-based casinos pulling any GPI chips from their casino floors.
This could potentially destroy GPI’s reputation and business.
While these events are sad and typically very dangerous, it highlights a distinct advantage that Bitcoin casinos have over land-based casinos.
There’s a finite number of Bitcoin in the world, meaning some hacker group can’t just print millions more and play with fake Bitcoin.
On top of this, any Bitcoin that’s tainted is immediately marked and confiscated when it’s moved to an exchange or 3rd party custodial solution – removing any risks that Bitcoin casinos have.
Chalk this up as yet another win for the Bitcoin casino world!
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