# Tech overview

<figure><img src="/files/hyplCuIwHYdcnoglU7wM" alt=""><figcaption><p>Overview of the PokerDAO Protocol</p></figcaption></figure>

PokerDAO draws upon a select group of blockchain technologies to power our mental poker solutions. The protocol runs on the Optimistic Virtual Machine (OVM), which runs as a Layer 2 system on the EVM, reducing gas fees to between 1% and 10% of typical Ethereum network fees and improving efficiency. This layer handles all transactions during a hand of poker – from deposits and betting to payout – using smart contracts.

The encryption and all card interactions (drawing, folding, and revealing) are handled by a dApp, which users can interact with through a user-friendly web interface. Card encryption utilizes elliptic-curve cryptography. The dApp manages all non-transactional game actions, relaying outcomes to the OVM protocol layer, which are then evaluated according to the terms of the smart contract. Smart contracts are implemented according to the ERC-20 standard, which facilitates using all ERC-20 compatible tokens.


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