The eSports market segment is growing and is full of opportunities, pushing many online casinos to embrace the sports betting niche in order to diversify and grab a slice of the profit.
Lately, the world of online casinos has started to pay more attention to eSports. The online sports betting industry is large and growing, with the potential to absorb existing online casino clients, and casinos are all too aware of this scenario.
In their attempt to avoid losing players and diversify their current offering, many online casinos have undertaken to integrate eSports betting into their repertoires. Nonetheless, this new trend does come with bottlenecks, with some industry traditionalists believing that fads that experience a short boom often quickly grind to a halt.
So, why are online casinos embracing eSports, and what do they stand to benefit from, especially when it comes to financial gains? Here is to lowdown:
1. Availability of Divergent Betting Options
There are plenty of options when it comes to sports betting, such as draws, match winners, total rounds and correct scores. By integrating these options into existing games, online casinos can offer their clients more betting options.
Additionally, licensed online casinos usually have the platform infrastructure to support these betting options. Ultimately, players have found it more rewarding to use online casinos as their bookmakers while simultaneously having access to a range of other non-sports betting games. Also, all eSports games at registered casinos are regulated and audited, unlike bookmakers’ services.
2. The Rise of Online Gaming
While in-house casinos were all the craze a decade or two ago, online casinos are steadily taking the primacy in the world of gambling. Online casinos offer a broader range of games, as well as enhanced privacy and anonymity. With eSports being online-based, many existing online gamblers are branching out and adding these games to their list of preferences.
Online sports betting offers an excellent opportunity for gamblers who are less into games of luck and more into skill play. To remain relevant, online casinos are actively embracing all that the eSports market segment has to offer. In return, they provide their clients with a better gambling experience and greater choice.
3. Growing eSports Viewership and Publicity
Although eSports used to be niche, the situation is rapidly changing. Growing publicity of eSports has been drawing a steady stream of new adherents to its fold. Asides from this, there has been an upward number of TV deals and sponsorships that involve eSports.
Online casino operators have been monitoring these trends and have been developing strategies on how to cash in on these, especially knowing that heavy advertising and coverage will increase sports betting. Most eSports fans enjoy games via live stream, and casinos are using this to their advantage. Currently, most eSports enthusiasts are based in North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim regions.
4. Involvement of eSports Fans in Betting Action
Lots of sports fans enjoy watching games such as the NFL, NBA and MLB. For many, betting on their favourite teams is the next step in enjoying their favourite sport. These punters use their knowledge of the games and the teams to win bets, like PVP wagering. So, instead of heading over to a sportsbook, these punters can now bet at an online casino, which is a win-win for both the casino and the punter.
As gamblers continue to enjoy their favourite games and sports events, so too will eSports betting continue to expand. When we look at the rapid global digitalisation, paying attention to the eSports market segment is crucial. With the best online casinos taking the effort to integrate eSports into their systems, this relationship is bound to be lucrative, with notable returns to the online casino operators.
