Can gambling on eSports ever rival sports betting?
Simply put, you are asking if esports betting will be as popular as traditional sports betting. And the answer is yes. Esports gambling will be as popular as sports betting.
Getting Started with Esports Gambling
Believe it or not, sports betting is not a recent invention. History has it that the Greeks created the Olympics over 2000 years ago, and gambling on events that took place during the competition started around the same time.
In contrast, esports betting doesn’t have a history that spans two millennia. The earliest concept of esports started with arcade games in the 1970s. So, it is easy to assume that e-sports betting might not catch up with sports betting in our lifetime. However, this is far from the truth. Below is a comparison between sports betting and esports that shows why esports stand a chance against conventional sports betting.
Popularity across different regions
Despite being around for over 2000 years, sports betting is still more popular in some regions of the world than others. Also, note that sports betting is most popular in countries that are passionate about a particular sport i.e., the case with India and Cricket or West African countries with football.
As earlier mentioned, esports has been around for about half a century. The internet and advancements in streaming technology have made esports popular in developed and 3rd world countries alike. For this reason, we believe it is just a matter of time before esports starts regularly attracting large crowds such as popular conventional sports.
Popularity across different demographics
Sports betting is most popular with players in their young and late adulthood years. These ages range between 18 to 25 and 25-35 years old, respectively. On the other hand, esports gambling on games such as CSGO, is popular with players from 18 to 44 years old. Also, remember that esports viewership attracts players who are as young as 12 years old.
As you can see, esports has the potential of attracting a larger audience when compared to conventional sports betting. More advancements in streaming and internet technology stands to make esports betting more people in the foreseeable future.
Popularity because of laws and regulations
Government policies, laws, and regulations might promote or deter esports gambling as we can see with the case of sports betting. Jurisdictions like the United Kingdom, Canada, and China have esports-friendly gaming policies and regulations. For these reasons, esports gambling is popular in other countries.
Players who are interested in indulging in esports gambling should opt to set up accounts with platforms that operate in jurisdictions with friendly esports-gambling policies. It is also worth mentioning that friendly esports laws and regulations will play a significant role in making esports gambling popular.
Reasons why esports gambling might be as popular as sports betting
Here are the top five reasons why esports gambling will be as popular as sports betting.
Players are treated to a unique gambling experience
You will discover that esports betting platforms allow players to wager on different sports. While esports offerings resemble sportsbook offerings, these platforms will treat you to a unique gambling experience as you wager on betting markets that are not available on conventional sportsbooks.
Most players who wager on esports events are in search of new or unique betting experiences. Fortunately, these gamers don’t have to look past esports titles since most of them allow players to enjoy unique variants of their favourite sportsbook games.
Lucrative, friendly, and regular bonuses and promotions
Top esports betting sites have tailored bonus perks for their customers. Some of these bonuses and promotions are designed for new customers while others can only be claimed by existing players. It will help to opt-in for esports bonuses and promotions if you want to walk away with regular and lucrative real money prizes. What’s more, esports player perks have friendly playthrough conditions. Consequently, expect to claim various offers without breaking a sweat.
Esports offerings are entertaining and fun to watch
You don’t need experience to wager on esports. Additionally, you can watch esports games for entertainment or to improve your gameplay. The best part is watching esports games since it is as entertaining as betting on your favourite esports players or teams.
Remember that you can stream these games on various platforms irrespective of your age. However, you can only place real money bets on esports offerings once you reach the legal gambling age in your country.
Esports betting is legal
You might not know this, but esports betting is legal across numerous jurisdictions of the world. Therefore, more sites are setting up shop and their goal is to meet the growing demand of esports offerings.
The government’s involvement in the esports gaming scene through policies, regulations, and laws affects the growth and popularity of esports betting platforms. The great news is that esports betting is legal in most countries of the world. Consequently, it is only a matter of time before esports gambling becomes as popular as sports betting.