Lee Davy sits down with the co-founder of Gaimerz.com. A global platform that allows video game enthusiasts to seek out like-minded individuals is create competitions that can take place for a financial reward.
When I was in my early twenties, my friends and I hosted a games day at my home. Every participant had to bring their own game, and we set up tournaments for each of them. The entry was £20 and it was a winner takes all format. The games we played were all video games with FIFA Football, Rugby, and Track and Field proving to be the most popular.
We had so much fun.
I remember thinking, ‘wouldn’t it be great to be able to play video games for money on a regular basis.’
My guest on today’s show is trying to make that happen. He is Martyn Denney. The co-founder of gaimerz.com.
Describe gaimerz.com for the listeners.
“The aim of Gaimerz.com is to become the first true Esports peer-to-peer gambling and wagering platform for Esports players. We are looking to create a system whereby players can create any challenge they like and find other players on that platform to take part in challenges.
“We don’t think there is anything like this in the market. We have spent a long time trying to figure out how to make this into a viable product and we are very excited about it now.”
Can you compete on the multi-player level?
“It will be possible to play as a group and interact with as many people as you like via live chat and e-mail systems. You will be able to create challenges that will include numerous gamers, and last over several rounds, and not just one game. As long as you find someone willing to play the game you want to play, you can create the parameters of the challenge as you wish.”
How does it work?
“Gamers will be integrated with PayPal. If you wish to wager on any challenge you will need to have a PayPal account. As part of the process, when you create a challenge, you can indicate whether you would like to include a wagering component. When another competitor accepts it, you can lock in the parameters of the challenge. You can then find each other online, play the game and our automated system will present you with a ‘Challenge Complete’ form which needs to be completed within 30-minutes of the game being played.
“You can click “won” or “lost” but you can’t both click the same outcome. An error message would be created, if this was the case, and our customer’s services team would be alerted. If you lose, then you will immediately be diverted to your PayPal account to send the money to the winner.
‘We won’t hold any money on our end. You don’t have to deposit anything. You are not waiting for days on end for financial transactions to take place. Our designers and software developers have worked really hard to ensure that there can be no fraudulent activity. It’s a very transparent system.
“We will have a profile system based on a four star rating. We will build up a picture of how good each player is so you can pick and choose who you can play against.”
Where did the inspiration come from?
“We have been sat on this project for two years now. We were waiting for Esports to take shape. We think now is a pretty good time to launch the product and see how we get on.”
Do you need a gambling license?
“We won’t need a gambling license. We are talking about Esports, which is a skill-based activity. Therefore we won’t need to be regulated as we would if we were in the gambling sector.”
So you can’t play games of chance on your site?
“No, our system only caters for video games. We will be providing a list for all video games that have online functionality. There will be nothing on the site relating to games of chance or luck.”
Is there a protection method in place to protect young gamers from gambling?
“There is an age limit. That will be 18+ due to the nature of the content in terms of the potential to wager on the outcome of games. Our registration mechanism won’t allow minors to join the site and it’s something we take very seriously.
“We have thought about creating a social element for minors; competitive leagues and the ability for people to communicate whilst they play. This is something for the future.”
Could you potentially have leagues specific to certain video games in the future?
“We have thought about how we can take the concept further. We could host particular events for certain games. It could be really exciting. Hosting leagues that saw the top players competing, and then sharing it on Twitch, could be a great idea for the future. But presently we are just concentrating on how the platform works and customer uplift.”
How do you make money?
“Everyone who joins can do so for free. That will give you the basic functionality of the site. We will make money through any wagered challenges. We will take a small percentage from the winner. There will also be a premium profile that people can purchase for a one off fee. This will give them an increased profile on the site, and a reduction on the commission.
“I think it’s a really exciting concept. When there is the chance to potentially find people from across the globe to play your favorite games it’s exciting. There isn’t anything like this out there. I would like to stress that this system is as flexible as the player makes it. As long as you find someone willing to take up your challenge, and the odds you set, you are in business. You can give me odds of 5:1 on the outcome of the game and through negotiation we can change the odds in order for a challenge to be accepted.”
