The world of e-sports was up on its feet mid-November as the finals of the League of Legends World Championship took place in Paris. However, the reason goes beyond the event, and to the action happening behind the scenes, across the FanDuel online sportsbooks servicing US players.
Officially, sportsbook operator FanDuel has been able to take the first bets from their US-based players on e-sports competitions. This event marks a significant achievement for online legal sports betting in particular, across the US.
News Highlights
- US bettors place first wagers on e-sports through their FanDuel mobile sports betting apps.
- Players were able to bet on the League of Legends World Championship finale in Paris.
- E-sports is continually growing as a whole new market in global interactive gambling.
E-Sports Betting in the United States
FanDuel is currently servicing enthusiastic bettors from several US states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Indiana. They achieved the newest milestone in their operations when they opened the possibility to bet on e-sports competitions to their respective player pools.
The event in question was the League of Legends World Championship finale, where gamblers were generally able to bet on who they thought would win. The match saw Funplus Phoenix play against G2 Esports, and win 3-0 according to the final score.
According to the latest updates, e-sports should soon be a part of the legal New Jersey online gambling marketplace. Their respective regulatory body, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, has approved the launching of e-sports betting in retail sports betting locations across the Garden State.
Video Games Bringing Revenues to Online Sports Betting
New Jersey’s move is only one of the more recent in a line of events supporting projections made back in 2016 by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, a gambling research company. They found that the global e-sports industry would be worth nearly $13 billion by 2020.
And with the introduction of this vertical in the US, such an outcome is all the more likely. Video games are one of the most popular pastimes in the States, with more than half of players also gambling in the past, e-sports betting is bound to catch on pretty fast.
Concerns Regarding Integrity
There are still severe concerns regarding the regularity of the industry. The president of the e-sports production company Estars Studios, Jeff Liboon, made a statement for an interview at SportTechie that raises awareness on the matter of the operators’ and players’ integrity.
If you look at e-sports’ past in betting, there’s a checkered past. For us to really embrace a fully regulated betting market, the integrity of these operators and players has to be held at such a high level.Jeff Libon
Sticking with reputable, proven operators such as FanDuel, as well as reliable licenses provided from strict bodies, is the best combination for any eager e-sports betting punter. With this segment still rising to its full potential, you can expect more developments soon.
