Blockchain technology and gaming have merged into one of the fastest-growing areas of crypto. From play-to-earn (P2E) economies to NFT trading and crypto gambling, Web3 gaming is no longer niche. As we enter 2026, the interesting question comes up: Can blockchain casinos surpass decentralized finance (DeFi) in total revenue and influence? Let’s break it down with verified numbers, emerging trends, and data-backed forecasts.
Looking back at 2025: Key numbers and trends
If 2024 was about experimentation, 2025 was the year blockchain gaming and DeFi started showing real staying power. Both sectors demonstrated consistent usage, higher transaction volumes, and clearer business models. The gap between hype and actual economic activity narrowed, making 2025 a useful benchmark for comparing which sectors were winning users, capital, and attention.
Blockchain gaming growth in 2025
The global blockchain gaming market continued its rapid expansion in 2025. Estimates place industry revenue around $21.6 billion, with projections showing explosive growth toward the rest of the decade. Gaming titles dominate on-chain activity and often outperform DeFi in daily wallet engagement. P2E models still account for roughly 62% of blockchain gaming revenue, even as overall venture funding has cooled compared to previous boom years.
How crypto casinos took off
Crypto gambling, a vertical within blockchain gaming, also expanded aggressively. Industry reports indicate the crypto gambling market reached approximately $81 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2025, driven largely by offshore platforms that accept crypto payments. These figures represent real revenue — wagers minus payouts — and reflect high levels of engagement and frictionless cross-border activity.
The growth is also evident in modern Bitcoin casino platforms, which combine instant crypto payouts, provably fair games, and blockchain-based verification to attract players who care as much about transparency as they do about speed.
DeFi revenue and activity
DeFi revenue in 2025 remained strong but less headline-grabbing than crypto gaming. Trackers estimate roughly $14 billion in revenue, mainly from lending, staking, and exchange fees.
DeFi still dominates in total value locked (TVL), with more capital parked in protocols than in gaming platforms. However, gaming and gambling are winning in terms of daily user activity and transaction velocity, highlighting where engagement is highest.
Comparing casino profits and DeFi returns
It’s important to clarify that crypto casinos do not operate like yield-bearing DeFi protocols. Casinos generate revenue through wager volume and house edge, not interest or staking rewards.
Still, crypto gambling generates tens of billions of dollars annually, thanks to high user activity and transaction throughput. DeFi remains the primary yield engine of crypto, with returns typically ranging from 2% to 10% APY, depending on risk and incentives. Essentially, DeFi dominates capital deployment, while casinos and gaming platforms are becoming the main engines for transactions and engagement.
Why blockchain makes casinos more trustworthy
One of the major advantages blockchain casinos have over traditional platforms is transparency. On-chain systems allow provably fair games, with every bet and payout recorded on immutable public ledgers. This eliminates the risk of tampering or hidden results. Smart contracts also enable near-instant payouts, reducing the reliance on operators. These features build trust and make crypto gambling platforms attractive to users, especially compared to some DeFi products, which can still feel complex and opaque to new participants.
India’s role in crypto gaming expansion
India has become one of the largest growth markets for blockchain gaming. By 2025, global blockchain gaming users had surpassed 100 million, with India among the top three countries by player count, alongside the United States and China.
India’s mobile-first, youthful population is particularly receptive to P2E games, NFT marketplaces, and crypto casinos. Regulation remains complex and sometimes uncertain, but adoption continues to expand, especially outside major metro areas. Gaming and gambling platforms onboard users faster and more emotionally than traditional finance products like DeFi.
What to expect in 2026 and beyond
Forecasts for 2026 are aggressive but credible. Crypto gambling is projected to exceed $65 billion, growing at approximately 12-15% annually. Blockchain gaming more broadly could expand into the tens or even hundreds of billions by the early 2030s, depending on mainstream adoption. Meanwhile, P2E is evolving away from pure token farming toward skill-based and utility-driven economies that emphasize gameplay depth. Upcoming AAA game releases and improved infrastructure could trigger another wave of adoption, even if it is more sustainable than the speculative peaks of 2021.
DeFi remains strong in capital depth and infrastructure, but blockchain gaming and crypto casinos are outpacing it in user engagement, transaction volume, and daily activity. If current trends continue, gaming and gambling will increasingly complement and compete with DeFi, becoming crypto’s main consumer gateway.
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