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Esports Betting: Redefining the Future of Digital Gambling

Published

3 months ago

March 21, 2025

Esports, until recently popular mainly among teenagers, has become a truly global phenomenon, rivaling traditional sports in scale. Tournaments for League of Legends and CS:2 attract millions of viewers, while Twitch streams break viewership records. Following the rise of esports, a new industry is rapidly emerging — betting on gaming tournaments.

What’s more, esports betting appeals not only to gamers but also to fans of traditional sports betting like football, hockey, and others. The team behind the 888STARZ Partners affiliate program recognizes the potential of this niche, so we’re breaking down what this industry entails, the types of bets available, and what the future holds for esports.

Esports Growth: A Market on Fire

The numbers don’t lie. The esports tournament market is already valued at $3 billion, with 57% of the audience in Asia, 16% in Europe, 12% in North America, and 15% spread across other regions (Demandsage). By 2025, over 318 million people are expected to follow esports tournaments and streams regularly.

What’s driving this surge? At least two key factors: games are evolving into highly strategic, visually spectacular experiences, and developers are pouring money into professionalizing the scene. For example, Riot Games invested $10 million to launch the Valorant Champions Tour, transforming the shooter into a full-fledged esports discipline with clear rules and seasonal schedules.

Chart of esports popularity by global region
Source: Demandsage

Technology also fuels this growth: cloud services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW make gaming more accessible, while streaming platforms erase borders between players and viewers. In 2023, the League of Legends World Championship match between T1 and Weibo Gaming drew 6.4 million concurrent viewers — surpassing the NBA Finals. Such an audience is impossible for bookmakers to ignore.

Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025 (25-26 March)

Forecast of esports market growth until 2032
Source: Demandsage

How Esports Betting Works

Unlike traditional sports, esports isn’t influenced by weather conditions, physical fatigue, or external factors. Instead, the game itself is constantly evolving. Developers release updates every few weeks, tweaking mechanics and balance. A slight buff to a Dota 2 hero or a minor nerf in CS2 can tip the scales and decide a match. That’s why successful esports bettors don’t just track team stats—they stay on top of game patches and meta shifts.

Let’s name most popular esports bet types:

Classic — Predicting the winner of a match or tournament.
Totals — Wagering on total rounds (e.g., in CS:2) or kills in VALORANT.
Exotic — “First blood” in League of Legends, exact map score, or real-time live bets.

Live bets add extra adrenaline — for example, during a Rainbow Six Siege final round, you can bet on whether a team will plant the bomb in the remaining 30 seconds.

Why Esports is So Captivating

The psychology of esports betting differs from classic sports. Games unfold dynamically, and every pro player’s decision can sway a match or tournament outcome. This creates hyper-engagement, amplified by real-time stats, interactive charts, and live stream chats where fans dissect every move. Gaming culture and fan interactions also play a key role. Discussions on Reddit, predictions in Telegram chats, and group watch parties turn esports into a vibrant subculture.

Risks of Esports Betting

The flip side includes risks inherent to gambling, amplified by esports’ unique traits. First, the illusion of control: bettors often overestimate their analytical skills, attributing wins to expertise and losses to “bad luck”. This breeds overconfidence. Second, the youthful audience: 60% of esports viewers are under 34, increasing the risk of impulsive decisions.

Fraud is another threat. In 2021, a scandal rocked the Rocket League community when two teams colluded to rig a match for betting profits. Such cases are rare but underscore the need to choose licensed platforms. Experts advise verifying licenses (e.g., Curacao eGaming, UKGC) and avoiding bookmakers with suspiciously high odds.

How to make a profit bet in esport?

Success requires discipline and deep analysis. Professionals recommend beginners:

Focus on 1-2 games — mastering mechanics boosts winning chances.
Manage your bankroll — never risk more than 5% of your deposit per bet.
Keep a betting journal — log every wager with notes on reasoning and factors considered.

For example, in Dota 2, analyzing hero synergy is critical, while in Counter-Strike, tracking weapon purchase patterns matters. This turns betting into a learning process, not a chase for quick wins.

The Future of Esports

The industry is evolving fast. AI tools like OpenAI already analyze thousands of matches, predicting outcomes with 72% accuracy. By 2025, VR broadcasts could let viewers “enter” virtual arenas, and blockchain promises transparency via smart contracts for automated payouts.

Legalization is also accelerating: in 2020, only 15 countries regulated esports betting, but by 2023, this jumped to 40. In India, where esports is officially recognized as a sport, a state lottery now offers bets on BGMI (PUBG Mobile) tournaments.

Conclusion

Esports is undeniably one of the most promising betting niches, unlikely to stagnate soon. As traditional sports gradually lose traction, esports could dominate the betting world. While most bettors still focus on football, basketball, or hockey, you can capitalize now by promoting betting offers through 888STARZ Partners. Our affiliate program features 100+ GEO-targeted betting and hambling offers, including exclusive in-house deals with some of the highest rates on the market. Join 888STARZ Partners and start earning just right now!

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GGPoker Hosts Exclusive Online Satellites To WSOP Circuit Montreal

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Prestigious live poker event to run August 18 through September 2 at Playground, in Kahnawake

GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, is excited to announce the launch of online satellite tournaments for the upcoming WSOP Circuit Montreal live poker festival, which runs August 18 through September 2 at Playground.

The online qualifiers launched across Canada on Sunday, June 15, with satellites expected to be made available in Ontario later today. Players can win their way into the WSOP-C Main Event for free, with multiple freeroll tournaments hosted at GGPoker.

The WSOP Circuit is one of the biggest and most popular live tournament series in the world, with more than $225M in prizes won during the most recent 2024/2025 season.

WSOP-C Montreal will be hosted at Playground, the award-winning gaming and entertainment destination located just minutes from downtown Montreal. At least $5M in prizes will be won over the course of the festival, which will be headlined by the WSOP-C Montreal Main Event:

Buy-In: $2,500
Guaranteed Prizes: $2.2M
Day 1 Flights: Day 1A on August 28, Day 1B on August 29 and Day 1C on August 30
Day 2: August 31
Final Day: September 1

Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador, expressed his enthusiasm for WSOP Circuit Montreal: “I’m always pumped when WSOP events are held in Canada and the wonderful Canadian poker community gets to share in the thrills and excitement associated with the world’s top poker experience. Win your way in at GGPoker and take aim at at least $5M in prizes – it’s going to be great!”

“We are absolutely thrilled to host not only one, but two WSOP Circuit events at Playground this year!” said Playground’s Vice President of Gaming Operations, Ryan Bevens. “Playground has always been where poker dreams come true, and we look forward to welcoming players from across Canada and around the world to experience the excitement and prestige that only WSOP-C events bring. See you soon!”

Each GGPoker WSOP-C Montreal Main Event satellite winner will snag exclusive GGPoker-branded merchandise in addition to their $2,500 Main Event ticket.

WSOP Circuit Montreal will use the recently launched WSOP+ application to ensure that players enjoy the best experience possible. The application makes event registration, player tracking, and content sharing easier than ever before.

To register for WSOP-C Montreal Main Event satellite tournaments, please log in to GGPoker.

To learn more about WSOP-C Montreal at Playground, please visit: playground.ca/poker/tournaments/wsop-c-montreal-2025

Please note that all amounts mentioned in the above press release are denominated in Canadian dollars.

The post GGPoker Hosts Exclusive Online Satellites To WSOP Circuit Montreal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Evolution Launches First Live Casino Studio in the Philippines

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Evolution has announced that its first-ever live casino studio in Asia went live today.

Located in Cebu, the Philippines, the studio marks a significant milestone in Evolution’s Asia-Pacific expansion and serves the regulated Philippine online gaming market, which is the first licensed iGaming jurisdiction in Asia.

The new operation launches in partnership with One Visaya Gaming Corporation (OVG), an industry leading company which operates with strict adherence to PAGCOR’S (Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation) code of conduct. This collaboration allows Evolution to offer its trusted live casino content to operators licensed in the Philippines.

Evolution’s state-of-the-art live casino studio in Cebu will initially offer Baccarat tables. Lightning Roulette and other game shows — including Marble Race and the standout Super Color Game, designed especially for players in the Philippines — are due to launch later this year. This new studio marks a major step in Evolution’s commitment to delivering localised, fully compliant entertainment tailored to regional markets.

Gionata La Torre, Evolution’s Chief Executive Officer for Europe, said: “We’re proud to launch our first live casino studio in Asia in the Philippines and be part of its regulated online gaming market. This new studio is a major milestone in our long-term commitment to the region. Partnering with OVG allows us to deliver world-class live content tailored to local preferences through licensed operators.”

La Torre added: “With player favourites available from day one and more exciting titles on the way, our focus remains on quality, innovation, and localisation — the keys to building trust and lasting engagement in any market.”

For trade press and media enquiries, please contact:
Amy Riches, Head of Marketing, [email protected]

For investor enquiries, please contact:
Carl Linton, Head of Investor Relations, [email protected]

The post Evolution Launches First Live Casino Studio in the Philippines appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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iGP expands iGaming Deck portfolio with Popiplay integration

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

Reading Time: < 1 minute

iGP, the full-service iGaming platform and aggregator provider, has integrated Popiplay into its expanding content aggregator, iGaming Deck.

This partnership reflects iGP’s commitment to providing operators with scalable, player-focused content that drives performance.

Popiplay, a Scandinavian casino gaming brand, is dedicated to creating top-level slot entertainment. With a team of experienced industry professionals, Popiplay delivers premium slot games designed to offer players a unique and highly rewarding online gambling experience. The studio takes a player-first, streamer-focused, and mobile-friendly approach, ensuring its titles meet the demands of modern online casino players.

The integration brings Popiplay’s distinctive offering to iGaming Deck’s expanding library, which now includes over 10,000 games from 100+ providers, all accessible via a single API. Designed to crash the traditional aggregator offers, iGaming Deck supports multi-brand operations, promotional and player engagement tools, real-time data visibility, and a four-week time-to-market launch.

Jovana Popovic Canaki, CEO at iGP, said: “iGaming Deck is built to be a next-level aggregator that empowers operators with speed, scale, and control. Popiplay brings the kind of punchy, mobile-ready slots that today’s players love, and we’re thrilled to have them onboard. With every new provider, we’re making iGaming Deck stronger, sharper, and more valuable for the operators who count on us to succeed.”

Almir Kudic, CCO at Popiplay, added: “Joining iGaming Deck is a big step forward for Popiplay. It puts our games in front of a wider, high-quality operator network and does it through a platform that shares our obsession with speed and performance. iGP’s approach to aggregation is fast, flexible, and future-focused. This is what we look for in a partner.”

The post iGP expands iGaming Deck portfolio with Popiplay integration appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.