Payments in a flash: Strip club in Las Vegas now accepts Lightning

The Crazy Horse 3 gentlemen’s club has announced it has become the first major entertainment venue in Las Vegas to accept Bitcoin using the Lightning Network.

The nightspot will implement the layer two Bitcoin scaling solution enabling punters to make payments in a flash. It has integrated BTC payment processor OpenNode which will initially allow guests to securely purchase VIP bottle packages using BTC through the venue’s website.

According to the announcement, the Bitcoin payments rollout includes plans to accept the digital asset for admission, food selections, craft cocktails and the club’s signature “dance dollars” which are used for tipping entertainers. In other words, Lightning for lap dances.

Crazy Horse 3 publicist, Lindsay Feldman, said that the club is embracing the opportunity to accept Bitcoin as a way to deliver convenience and an additional level of anonymity for its guests, adding:

“The club’s partnership with OpenNode allows us to cater to our tech-savvy customers’ needs by offering an innovative form of payment that’s both seamless and secure.”

OpenNode is a Lightning Network-powered BTC payments platform that operates in 126 countries and has more than 8,000 users. The platform will allow the venue to receive BTC payments directly without the involvement of third-party payment processors or associated fees.

The adult industry has embraced cryptocurrencies over the years as much through necessity as choice, with payment processors either banning such businesses or charging them exorbitant fees for being “high risk”.

Bitcoin’s leading layer two scaling solution has seen steady growth over the past year. Since the beginning of 2021, LN nodes have increased by 56% to a record high of 12,844 at the time of writing according to BitcoinVisuals.

The number of unique channels connecting nodes for the first time has also seen impressive growth this year with an increase of 54% since January 1.

Bitcoin and crypto acceptance in Sin City is also showing growth. In May, the Resorts World Las Vegas casino-resort announced a partnership with crypto exchange Gemini to allow patrons to make payments using BTC and cryptocurrencies using their exchange wallets.