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We are building an online game and planning to enable our players to play for bitcoins. Therefore, we need to enable players to deposit and withdraw bitcoins.

Which way is the easiest to start accepting bitcoins from users? Use the bitcoin API call list (https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Original_Bitcoin_client/API_calls_list) or use Blockchain.info's "receive payment API" (http://blockchain.info/api/api_receive)?

On Blockchain.info's page for "receive payment API", it gives a PHP example near the bottom of the page. The example enables your website to prompt the user to send bitcoins to us, via Blockchain.info. I like to test this out. Which way is the best way to test it out? Send real bitcoins or send testnet bitcoins?

If the best way to test is to use real bitcoins, I'm assuming that we should send one Satoshi (0.00000001 BTC) each time? But how much transaction or network fee will I have to pay (since it is likely that I'll need to send BTC many times)?

If the best way to test is to use Testnet coins, then how does one use them? I cannot find good information on how to use them to answer questions such as: Can we use testnet coins to test out the bitcoin API call list or Blockchain.info's "receive payment API" and their PHP example?

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Blockchain.info service will not accept testnet coins so you can only test with regular coins. As you can see in their site the minimum transfer amount allowed by their system is 0.0005 BTC so that's the minimum and no fee is required for that amount.

As you will be on the sender and receiving ends you can send any amount, if everything go as it should nothing will be lost.

On the other side I have heard about problems and delays using blockchain.info services, I don't know if they are fixed by now but probably if you are going to be using a bitcoin payment service usually you can go and check other commercial services out there.

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    Thanks for your reply. The Blockchain.info service seems straighforward. Which commercial services are better and that you would recommend?
    – JLP
    Commented Jan 11, 2014 at 5:28
  • I did not use any payment receiving service but most of the biggest site accepting bitcoins are using Coinbase
    – frisco
    Commented Jan 11, 2014 at 10:41
  • We are providing skill based games, but because players will be competing for money and there is still an element of chance, it will deemed to be gambling. Therefore, Coinbase will not help us. Any other suggestion, by chance?
    – JLP
    Commented Jan 11, 2014 at 13:56
  • Also, using the PHP example from Blockchain.info's "receive payment API", it shows Blockchain's receiving address, not mine. So, the user is supposed to send bitcoin to Blockchain, who will in turn send it to me. I assume that we should be able to trust Blockchain to relay the bitcoin to me. Also, do you think it's easier to use Blockchain.info's "receive payment" API, then to figure out and use the bitcoin API call list?
    – JLP
    Commented Jan 11, 2014 at 19:48
  • Umm I am not sure then what is the best service that you can use, I think that there are several as blockchain.info but I dont if they are better or not. About the process you are right, the receive payment API will provide a bitcoin address and then forward anything received to your address and call your callback, so you must trust their service. For using bitcoin client API you need a fully working client and that is a bit too much for an online service: full sync with the network, upgrade when needed, full chainblock downloaded...
    – frisco
    Commented Jan 12, 2014 at 17:01
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Blockchain.info launched its own testnet service, You can access testnet website in this url. https://testnet.blockchain.info/

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  • Your link redirects to their Block Explorer. Any updates?
    – c00000fd
    Commented Jan 25, 2020 at 4:39

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