The world’s most interesting observers of eSports and gambling will be paying a visit to the Royal Gordon Hotel, London, for the first-ever eSports Betting Summit, May 18.
What’s the future of eSports betting?
That’s one of the questions a panel of experts will try and answer when they convene at the first-ever conference to be held on eSports betting at the Royal Gordon Hotel, London, May 18.
The rate of growth in this niche market is astonishing. It’s still a baby. It’s going to be a pleasure watching it grow. I have been a gambler ever since my father opened up the tabloids and asked me to pick a horse for the Grand National back in the early 1980s.
Growing up, if I played a video game with a friend, there was always an added incentive for the winner. It might not have been cash, but we were always gambling on something. The stakes on the line when I competed with my sisters was our place in the washing up roster.
It’s a different kettle of fish these days. Ours was full of trout. Today’s video games industry is all salmon. It’s professional. It has a name – eSports. According to data crunchers Newzoo, eSports revenues came in at $194m in 2014. They are expected to reach $23.5 billion by 2020.
The importance of these types of conferences cannot be understated. Rapid growth brings opportunists, especially when there’s a chance to make money from those that like a flutter. We want our industry to be transparent, not grey.
Gambling and eSports Industries Will Attend
Bigwigs from both the gambling and eSports industries will attend. The likes of Rahul Sood, CEO of Unikrn, one of the earliest eSports betting organisations, will be in attendance. Sood recently wrote on his company website about the perils of ‘skin-betting’, and he’s in luck because that’s one of the topics up for discussion during the conference.
James Dean (no, not that one), founder of the UK Electronic Sports League, will also be in the house, as will Harry Lang, Marketing Director, Pinnacle Sports, and Seth Schorr, owner of the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas, and CEO of Fifth Street Gaming. Representatives from Paddy Power, Betfair, and Betway will also be in attendance. As will 888 Holdings, PokerStars, and Facebook.
The Talk of the Town
Panellists from BetRadar, Electronic Sports, and Fifth Street Gaming will discuss the integrity of eSports including match fixing and doping scandals. What safeguards does the industry have in place? What more needs to be done?
Rahul Sood, CEO, Unikrn, will take the stand to talk about driving market penetration, user acquisition and growing the community. What strategies can be used to drive growth? How to convert avid eSports streamer to your odds lines?
Panellists from Betcade, Pinnacle Sports, and Win Technologies will debate the crossover between eSports and traditional sports betting. How do the two products compare? Do the same bonus schemes work in the same markets?
Earlier I mentioned the controversial grey market area of ‘Skin Betting’. Moritz Mauer, Head of eSports, Betgenius, will discuss whether trading virtual goods is a more suitable alternative to cash, and understanding the risks and opportunities this highly profitable business holds.
Harry Lang, Director of Marketing, Pinnacle Sports will be talking about how to build a betting brand that appeals to eSports fans as he discusses the pluses and minuses for betting industries joining the eSports market.
Panellists from Hitbox Entertainment, GosuGamers, and Dojo Madness will help viewers better understand the eSports customer. What content do they engage with and why? What are their playing habits?
Finally, David Sargeant, Innovation Consultant, iGaming Ideas, will be front and centre to give those with any energy left a review of the latest eSports regulatory news and legal matters.
As you can see, it’s going to be a power-packed day of information, on what promises to be a huge cog in the powerful eSports machine.
Full access passes are priced between £599 and £699, with leagues, managers, and players trumping up £199 for entry. You can apply e-mailing Jonny Clegg, Senior Director, Bullet Business.
