These aren't games, they're just random number generators. Things that hold peoples attention give the illusion of more depth than P(payoff).
The Bitcoin protocol already has a blockchain-validated (non-Turing) scripting language. You could probably write genuinely interesting games in it, that are financially self-enforcing, without any new protocol needed.
It would thence (uh, can i use that word this way?) be possible to e.g. implement three-party escrow using 2-of-3 signatures (second bullet point under Motivation, etc.) Two signatures would be enough to conduct a fund transfer from buyer to seller. If either buyer or seller defects (or there's some kind of a problem), there'll be <=1 signature present. The third mediating/escrow party would then choose whether to place their own signature or not (thereby validating or nullifying the transaction, accordingly.)
iirc there's also some BIP-level stuff (or an idea to implement it using bitcoin Script, anyway) to have things like NashX[1] work within bitcoin. Basically a Nash equilibrium based transaction scheme with no human 'escrow' party required - everything is formalized. If either the buyer or the seller fails (i.e.: if any of the two report 'failure'), all funds are burnt (e.g. sent to some provably bogus bitcoin address, whatnot.) Both parties have to chime in so that the risk is distributed accordingly/appropriately. There are nuances and gotchas here to be had, of course.
This is just another scam coin. Not decentralized at all: "Chancecoin uses New York Lottery Quick Draw numbers to resolve bets."
There's no reason you couldn't get randomness from the blockchain itself - the act of finding blocks is itself a random number generator. Using an external source is incredibly centralized, and advertising this as decentralized is scammy.
All the alt-coins - even the most legit sounding ones - have this incredibly scammy side to them. Dishonest claims, premines, etc. Yet people pump their money into them anyway. Apparently this coin raised $265,000. All you need to do to get rich in alt-coin land, is come up with a half baked, poorly implemented idea, and ... duck! because people are going to THROW money at you.
edit: their homepage states "There is no central point of failure." -- Uhm, how about violating the NY Lotto's terms of service? The client is just getting a http (not https) feed from nylottery.ny.gov, I wonder how long until they add a captcha? What happens to the value of your chancecoins then? :)
There's no question that gambling addictions are very destructive.
But that applies also to: alcohol, smoking, drug use, eating, sex, extreme sports, working out, investing in the stock market, climbing mountains, entrepreneurship, there are probably even a few people so addicted to HN it's ruining their lives.
If you seek to eliminate sources of destructive behavior, you're also going to eliminate a ton of genuine life experiences for those who are capable of moderation, maybe even until there's nothing left. Lives are ruined when people die climbing Everest after all.
I'm not interested at all in gambling, but I'm very concerned with where the slippery slope is headed.
"Studies show that though many people participate in gambling as a form of recreation or even as a means to gain an income, gambling, like any behavior which involves variation in brain chemistry, can become a psychologically addictive and harmful behavior in some people" Wikipedia
What next? Giving the homeless bitcoins for their iphones?
You're right. All casinos should be shut down. All games of chance should be illegal. Carrying dice should be punishable with 5 years in jail. A pack of cards is instant life sentence. Betting money on anything for any reason is a death sentence. Betting for fun is a gateway drug, and will be treated as if money were bet.
That is the only way to rid society of the ill of gambling.
Not so. I tried something similar to this with poker and it flopped. 4 months of coding down the drain. Turns out, gamblers are generally addicted to action, not profit. They don't really care about whether or not they have an opportunity to run a table and profit.
I would be very careful about hosting that website as the website itself is illegal. Sure it isn't a gambling website, but in the eye of the law, a website used to download a gambling application would be just as illegal as a gambling website. I hope you took the precautions necessary to ensure that you won't have legal issues incase of Chancecoin becoming popular.
I think the laws that banned online poker were mainly against Casinos, and now that they can be funded in btcoin, what prevents US residents from playing?
It actually looks pretty interesting and potentially fun. Only criticism would be to improve the site design and functionality. It could use a cleaner look and a more fun atmosphere.
[+] [-] throwaway_yy2Di|11 years ago|reply
The Bitcoin protocol already has a blockchain-validated (non-Turing) scripting language. You could probably write genuinely interesting games in it, that are financially self-enforcing, without any new protocol needed.
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Script
(Digression: are there any technically-interesting protocols built on top of BTC script validation?)
[+] [-] wfn|11 years ago|reply
It would thence (uh, can i use that word this way?) be possible to e.g. implement three-party escrow using 2-of-3 signatures (second bullet point under Motivation, etc.) Two signatures would be enough to conduct a fund transfer from buyer to seller. If either buyer or seller defects (or there's some kind of a problem), there'll be <=1 signature present. The third mediating/escrow party would then choose whether to place their own signature or not (thereby validating or nullifying the transaction, accordingly.)
iirc there's also some BIP-level stuff (or an idea to implement it using bitcoin Script, anyway) to have things like NashX[1] work within bitcoin. Basically a Nash equilibrium based transaction scheme with no human 'escrow' party required - everything is formalized. If either the buyer or the seller fails (i.e.: if any of the two report 'failure'), all funds are burnt (e.g. sent to some provably bogus bitcoin address, whatnot.) Both parties have to chime in so that the risk is distributed accordingly/appropriately. There are nuances and gotchas here to be had, of course.
[1]: http://nashx.com/HowItWorks
[+] [-] chuckup|11 years ago|reply
There's no reason you couldn't get randomness from the blockchain itself - the act of finding blocks is itself a random number generator. Using an external source is incredibly centralized, and advertising this as decentralized is scammy.
All the alt-coins - even the most legit sounding ones - have this incredibly scammy side to them. Dishonest claims, premines, etc. Yet people pump their money into them anyway. Apparently this coin raised $265,000. All you need to do to get rich in alt-coin land, is come up with a half baked, poorly implemented idea, and ... duck! because people are going to THROW money at you.
edit: their homepage states "There is no central point of failure." -- Uhm, how about violating the NY Lotto's terms of service? The client is just getting a http (not https) feed from nylottery.ny.gov, I wonder how long until they add a captcha? What happens to the value of your chancecoins then? :)
[+] [-] jonnybgood|11 years ago|reply
So noble. A societal ill that's owned by people.
[+] [-] reitzensteinm|11 years ago|reply
But that applies also to: alcohol, smoking, drug use, eating, sex, extreme sports, working out, investing in the stock market, climbing mountains, entrepreneurship, there are probably even a few people so addicted to HN it's ruining their lives.
If you seek to eliminate sources of destructive behavior, you're also going to eliminate a ton of genuine life experiences for those who are capable of moderation, maybe even until there's nothing left. Lives are ruined when people die climbing Everest after all.
I'm not interested at all in gambling, but I'm very concerned with where the slippery slope is headed.
[+] [-] baddox|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ygmelnikova|11 years ago|reply
What next? Giving the homeless bitcoins for their iphones?
[+] [-] drivingmenuts|11 years ago|reply
While the government can't shut it down, it can make it onerous for people to get involved in it, which is generally the best way.
[+] [-] oh_sigh|11 years ago|reply
That is the only way to rid society of the ill of gambling.
[+] [-] ForHackernews|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nkuttler|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] arfliw|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] downandout|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Atroxide|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] EGreg|11 years ago|reply
I think the laws that banned online poker were mainly against Casinos, and now that they can be funded in btcoin, what prevents US residents from playing?
[+] [-] TylerE|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jds375|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sejje|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] freerobby|11 years ago|reply
> 0.01 CHA 1% 99X -0.01 CHA
[+] [-] tromp|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jabagawee|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bhaumik|11 years ago|reply
http://casinobitco.in/index.php
[+] [-] wwdz99|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MatthewWilkes|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] djyaz1200|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] djyaz1200|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] omilu|11 years ago|reply