Sam Buxton is Founder and Chairman of Damex, a payments infrastructure company focused on connecting traditional finance with blockchain-based settlement networks. Damex supports businesses handling cross-border transactions, banking access challenges, and the growing demand for faster, more transparent payments through infrastructure that combines banking rails with stablecoin and blockchain capabilities.
In this CasinoRank interview, Buxton discusses the growing need for iGaming operators to modernise payment infrastructure as expectations around speed, transparency, and global accessibility continue to rise. The conversation explores how stablecoins, blockchain settlement, and automated compliance systems are reshaping deposits, withdrawals, treasury management, and fraud prevention across the sector.
Damex operates at the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain-based payments. What key gaps in global payment infrastructure motivated the creation of the platform?
Sam Buxton: The original motivation behind Damex was the growing disconnect between traditional financial infrastructure and the needs of modern digital businesses.
Cross-border payments remain slow, expensive, and fragmented. Many industries that operate globally, particularly digital sectors such as iGaming, fintech, and creator platforms, struggle with banking access, settlement delays, and high transaction costs.
At the same time, blockchain technology introduced a fundamentally new payment rail: programmable, real-time, borderless settlement.
Damex was created to bridge these two worlds. Our goal has always been to combine the compliance, licensing, and reliability of traditional financial infrastructure with the efficiency and transparency of blockchain networks.
By doing this, we allow businesses to move value globally in seconds rather than days, while still operating within a fully regulated framework.
From your perspective, what are the biggest payment challenges today especially for online casinos?
Sam Buxton: The biggest challenges fall into three main areas: banking access, cross-border complexity, and withdrawal speed.
Many banks remain cautious about servicing gaming businesses, which can limit access to stable payment infrastructure. Even when operators have banking relationships, moving funds across jurisdictions often involves multiple intermediaries, delays, and high costs.
Another major issue is the player experience around withdrawals. Deposits are usually instant, but withdrawals can take hours or days depending on the payment method. That creates friction and erodes trust.
Operators today need payment infrastructure that is global, compliant, and real-time. That means offering multiple payment rails, traditional banking, cards, and increasingly stablecoins, while maintaining strong compliance and fraud controls.
How can modern payment infrastructure help operators improve transaction speed while maintaining security and compliance?
Sam Buxton: The key is infrastructure design.
Modern platforms should be built around real-time settlement rails combined with automated compliance layers. This means integrating instant payment systems, blockchain settlement, and automated AML monitoring into a single infrastructure stack.
Blockchain networks allow operators to settle funds almost instantly, while advanced compliance tools enable real-time transaction monitoring, wallet screening, and risk scoring.
When these systems work together, operators can dramatically improve the player experience by offering faster withdrawals and transparent transaction tracking, without compromising on regulatory obligations.
Ultimately, speed and compliance are no longer competing priorities, as operators continue investing in faster settlement systems and blockchain and fintech innovation.
How can stablecoin-based infrastructure help global iGaming operators manage international transactions more efficiently?
Sam Buxton: Stablecoins introduce a fundamentally different settlement model.
Instead of relying on a chain of correspondent banks, stablecoins allow value to move directly across blockchain networks. This reduces settlement times from days to seconds and significantly lowers transaction costs.
For global iGaming operators, this is particularly valuable because their customer base is inherently international.
Stablecoins allow operators to receive deposits from players globally and manage treasury operations more efficiently, while still converting into local currencies when required.
When combined with regulated infrastructure, licensing, custody, and compliance, stablecoins become a powerful tool for improving liquidity management and simplifying cross-border operations.
How can blockchain-based payment infrastructure contribute to greater transparency and risk management in financial flows?
Sam Buxton: One of the biggest advantages of blockchain infrastructure is transaction transparency.
Every transaction is recorded on a public ledger, which allows operators and compliance teams to trace the movement of funds more easily than in traditional banking systems.
This creates new possibilities for advanced monitoring, including blockchain analytics, wallet screening, and transaction pattern analysis.
At Damex, we combine these capabilities with traditional AML monitoring systems to provide multi-layered risk management.
Rather than reducing oversight, blockchain infrastructure can actually enhance compliance by providing better visibility into financial flows.
Player expectations around payment speed and transparency are increasing. Do you see stablecoins becoming a mainstream payment option within online gaming ecosystems?
Sam Buxton: Yes, we believe stablecoins will become a major payment rail for digital industries, including iGaming.
Players today expect instant deposits, fast withdrawals, and full transparency around their transactions. Traditional banking systems were not designed for that type of experience.
Stablecoins provide instant settlement and operate 24/7 globally, which aligns much more closely with how online platforms operate. However, adoption will depend on regulated infrastructure that makes stablecoins easy and compliant to use.
As regulatory frameworks such as MiCA mature in Europe, we expect stablecoins to move from niche adoption into mainstream payment flows across many digital industries.
Looking ahead, what developments in payment technology do you believe will have the greatest impact on how iGaming platforms handle deposits, withdrawals, and financial operations?
Sam Buxton: Several trends will shape the next generation of payment infrastructure.
First, stablecoins and blockchain settlement rails will continue to expand as global payment infrastructure.
Second, we will see greater integration between traditional banking networks and digital asset infrastructure, creating hybrid financial systems.
Third, advances in real-time compliance technology and AI-driven fraud detection will allow platforms to process transactions faster while maintaining regulatory oversight.
The long-term direction is clear: payments will become instant, global, and programmable. Platforms that adopt this infrastructure early will be able to offer significantly better user experiences and operate far more efficiently.
With a background in digital media and a keen eye for emerging technologies, Ronaldo bridges the gap between players and platforms through clear, insightful reporting to the iGaming industry.
