The Emergence of Esports
eSports originated decades ago as a competitive form of video games. In recent years, it has become a phenomenon with a huge following around the world.
The history of eSports began in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when early video game enthusiasts competed on home consoles and arcades. Later, this led to small competitions within the same computer club, where players played over a local network.
Currently, eSports has really become a significant industry with professional leagues, tournaments and large prize pools.
Below Are the Top 5 Popular eSports States
1st place – USA (2375 professional eSportsmen);
2nd place – China (652 eSportsmen);
3rd place – Russian Federation (625 eSportsmen);
4th place – Germany (615 eSportsmen);
5th place – South Korea (553 eSportsmen).
The most popular eSports games in 2023 are:
Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Dota 2
Fortnite
League of Legends
eSports and Betting
Modern eSports athletes have become highly paid and popular professionals. It is officially recognized as a sport and occupies a strong position in many countries. In Europe, teams from Denmark and Sweden have had huge success, especially Swedish CS:GO players are considered among the best. eSports betting is also on the rise.
The US has its own masters who win games like LoL, Call of Duty and Fortnite. South Korea, the birthplace of eSports, continues to play a major role in the field, although it may not be as strong financially as other regions. China is a huge market for eSports, with millions of active players and viewers, especially in League of Legends and Dota 2.
The popularity of eSports is also growing in Eastern Europe. A good example is Monaspa, one of the oldest and most popular eSports organisations in Georgia. Additionally, large sponsors have become involved with eSports, which demonstrates its popularity. Earlier this year, Monaspa and Setanta Sports, the largest regional media, announced a strategic partnership.
The traditional sports community also supports eSports. As a result, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Zuriko Davitashvili, the famous Georgian football players, founded the eSports organisation KZ ESPORTS. This year, the team placed third in Pubg Mobile at the Winter Cup, Georgia’s largest eSports event.
Overall, eSports continues to evolve and expand its global popularity, attracting talented players and big investments from companies and brands.
Many eSports enthusiasts don’t want to become professional gamblers but can get the thrill of participating by betting on their favourite teams. The regulation of this activity varies from country to country. With the growing demand for gambling in eSports, there are more and more opportunities for betting in various regions of the world.
Rapid Growth and Innovation: What the Future of the eSports Market Looks Like
The eSports betting market is rapidly expanding. According to the latest research data, the global eSports betting market was worth $682.63 million in 2022. It is projected to have a CAGR of 24.92% between 2028 and a market size of US$2,594.51 million.
Experts also note that more than 50% of people who are passionate about the gaming industry and eSports will be from the regions of the Far East, North America and Western Europe.
As for prize pools in various eSports competitions in popular disciplines such as Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone, StarCraft and others, we can expect a significant increase in their size.
Let’s Look at the Betting Rules in Some Countries
USA
In the United States of America, eSports betting is not legal in all states. The online gambling industry is regulated at the state level, which creates differences in legislation. As the legal environment improves, US eSports gambling sites continue to evolve, offering access to popular tournaments and a variety of bets.
Great Britain
In the UK, eSports betting is legal and under the control of the Gambling Commission. For the safety and legality of eSports betting in the UK, you must choose sites licensed by this authority, even if they are overseas sites. This ensures that betting activities are carried out in accordance with the law and are controlled by supervisory authorities.
Canada
In Canada, due to gambling laws and regulations, there are no local eSports gambling sites. However, Canadians are allowed to bet on games through overseas bookmakers. Various electronic games and betting markets are available to residents of the country, which contributes to the prosperity of the eSports industry in Canada, where eSports gambling is a common and popular form of entertainment.
Germany
eSports in Germany is experiencing an upswing in popularity, with over 11 million fans. The country hosts several international tournaments, including the PUBG Global Invitational and the League of Legends European Championship (LEC). German bettors can legally bet on eSports on sites that are controlled by local regulatory authorities in Germany, which contributes to the development of this industry in the country.
Georgia
In the countries of Eastern Europe, including Georgia, the sports betting market is actively developing. Here, players can choose between legal bookmakers and European companies that have licences from offshore zones;
(Isle of Man and Curacao, etc.). Local and European bookmakers follow the same standards, such as reliability, variety of events, website friendliness and cashout options.
For their activities, bookmakers receive a licence from the Ministry of Finance, which must be renewed annually.
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