The growing link between eSports and casinos

eSports are big business in the online gaming world. Think of them like normal sports but played completely online - with virtual characters and leaderboards. In 2021, it was reported that there was now around 234 million eSports enthusiasts all over the world - a figure which had grown hugely since 2019. What's more, it's not just players. Data shows that there are also a further 200 million occasional eSports viewers around the globe.

As popularity and interest in eSports grows, games manufacturers need to be quick-thinking and innovative to ensure that they can keep up with changing consumer demands while tapping into a new network. This area has also seen side industries rise up alongside it as betting and gaming peripheral manufacturers have taken advantage of this growth by building up their offerings ti satisfy the demands of this audience.

eSports and casinos

Popular eSports titles range from RTS (real-time strategy) titles and MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas) to fighting games and shooters. Major titles such as DOTA, League of Legends and CS:GO are increasingly featuring as markets in eSports betting as part of the range of features that brands in iGaming offer.

However, it still pales in comparison to the size of the online casino industry due to it being established for a much longer time. The sheer amount of competition in this area means that welcome bonuses are a must to attract new customers along with other key aspects such as top-notch customer support and a wide range of payment methods.

Bonuses are also being used to attract customers to eSports betting, but we are yet to see much crossover between these two separate entities at major brands. This could change in the future though as companies look to boost their influence in this rapidly growing industry.

Here are some of the recent, interesting developments in this space:

Strategic alliances

Sports tournaments bring in a lot of custom betting shops. And now, we’re seeing even more online betting platforms sponsor teams and events which is further blurring the lines between eSports and traditional gambling.

Improved data and exciting advancements

Data giants all over the world including Nielsen and Newzoo have partnered with eSports businesses to share and compile data in order for them to set more appropriate odds. AI is also being used to ensure live betting odds are realistic.

eSports as a whole is still relatively new - even though it does have some exciting updates. Despite this, we are seeing more eSports titles being available every year and we've even seen the resurgence of old titles such as Halo, as well as potential changes for established giants such as Call of Duty due to Activision Blizzard being bought by Microsoft. As we head towards a world and society that’s even more online, eSports are likely to be a huge part of that.