In simple terms, the Bitcoin network is just thousands and thousands of individuals and companies running the same piece of software on their servers. That software enables bitcoin to exist, allows transactions to occur, and it prevents any one of those participants from manipulating the bitcoin rules or balances.
Over the last two years, there has been a growing disagreement between developers of the Bitcoin code. That disagreement is coming to a point on august 1st when a handful of participants will stop running the Bitcoin software and install a new unofficial version instead, which is incompatible with the existing network.
The result is what is called a “fork”. Two versions of Bitcoin will exist, one is the “official” Bitcoin, and the other is something brand new that has been termed “Bitcoin Cash.”
This kind of thing has happened before in the world of cryptocurrencies. Typically, one of the two variants remains dominant and the other vanishes into obscurity. The most likely outcome is that Bitcoin Cash will not hold much value in the long term, though that remains to be seen.
How this Affects Payments to Ace?
The fork is likely to cause some short-term market instability as well as Bitcoin network instability, so as a precaution, we are not accepting any Bitcoin payments between 12:00pm on July 31st (EST) and 12:00pm on August 3rd (EST).
After 12:00pm on August 3rd, we will resume accepting payments Bitcoin. We will NOT be accepting payments in Bitcoin Cash, though we may add support for that down the road if the new Bitcoin Cash network remains common and stable.
What does this mean for me, a Bitcoin user?
Generally, if you own 1 Bitcoin today, then after the fork you will own 1 Bitcoin (BTC) and also 1 Bitcoin Cash (BCC or BCH). Your 1 Bitcoin will only be usable on the official network, and your 1 Bitcoin Cash will only be usable on the new network. Think of them as different currencies, such as the Euro and the Dollar. Some vendors will only deal in dollars, others only in euros, some in both.
In specific terms, you should check with your website or exchange or wallet developer to see what they are supporting. Some will give you access to both coins, some intend to commit to only one network or the other.
More information, with some of the technical details, can be found here: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/bitcoin-beginners-guide-surviving-bip-148-uasf/
What Agents Should Take From Payment Disruptions
The 2017 Bitcoin hard-fork episode was a network event with practical fallout for anyone accepting crypto: uncertainty about which chain would settle, which wallets would support what, and how long to pause deposits. The technical details on this page stay as written. The durable lesson for bookmakers is simpler—payment rails need rules before they need hype.
AcePerHead has helped agents keep sportsbook operations steady since 1998, including periods when funding methods evolve. The book still needs clean tickets and clear balances even when a payment network is having an argument with itself.
Policy Beats Improvisation
Write credit rules in advance
Which asset you accept, when a deposit becomes playable, who pays network fees, and how you convert to account currency should be spelled out. Players tolerate strict rules; they do not tolerate shifting stories mid-deposit.
Reconcile in the same system you wager in
Map payments to player accounts inside your bookie software workflow. Side ledgers are how small discrepancies become weekend mysteries.
Keep the Sportsbook as the Center
Crypto is a funding topic, not a replacement for lines, grading, or support. If you are building or revising an agent operation, anchor on how pay per head structures the work, then layer payment options that you can support honestly.
New agents can also review how to start an online bookie business with managed infrastructure before they redesign wallets and settlement paths.
When you want a package that keeps the sportsbook solid while you choose funding methods carefully, Create Your Package and talk with Ace. Hard forks are rare; unclear payment policies are optional—and avoidable.
Communication During Payment Uncertainty
If you ever pause a payment method, say so in plain language with a start time and—when you know it—a resume time. Players handle temporary limits; they hate silence. The fork memo on this page is an example of that tone: specific windows, specific expectations.
Keep a backup contact path for players mid-deposit when a rail is unstable. A short FAQ link in your welcome message reduces repeat questions.
Internally, decide who can approve exceptions. One decision-maker beats five conflicting yeses. Payment chaos gets expensive when everyone improvises.
After the disruption passes, write what you would do differently. That postmortem is how a rare network event becomes a permanent upgrade to your operating manual.
Payment Resilience Beyond One Coin
Diversify thoughtfully. One backup rail you understand beats five you half-support. Document each method’s quirks in the same FAQ format so support is not reinventing answers.
Test deposits to yourself on a schedule. Broken instructions hide until a player finds them at the worst moment. Make finding them your job.
Remember that the sportsbook experience still closes the loop. A perfect wallet flow into a confusing bet slip is not a win. Keep funding and wagering quality on the same standard.
Operating Notes Worth Keeping
Stay honest with yourself about capacity. If you cannot answer players within a reasonable window, pause new boarding until you can. Growth that outruns attention creates the very chaos a managed sportsbook is meant to prevent. A smaller sharp book beats a larger neglected one.
Review one product surface each week—mobile ticket entry, live rules, or report exports—and fix the first friction you find. Continuous small repairs keep you from needing dramatic overhauls. Agents who maintain steadily rarely need emergency migrations.
Keep financial hygiene boring: reconcile on a schedule, separate personal and business flows, and write down figure changes when you make them. Clean books are easier to defend, easier to scale, and easier to hand off if you ever bring on help.
When you evaluate success, include calm metrics alongside handle: fewer repeat support themes, faster grading confidence, and players who return without bribes. Those signals say the operation is healthy. Healthy operations are what make long seasons sustainable.
Ace Per Head has been in the online bookmaking services business since 1998 running one of the top-rated and most trusted brands in the pay per head industry. We give our bookie agents the personalized dedicated service they deserve.