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US-based sports bettors are ready to start wagering on eSports and that time is likely to come by summer’s end, Gambling911.com can report. Some of the US-facing online sportsbooks are already looking into the phenomenon.
Bookmaker.eu, the oldest of the North American offshore sportsbooks, is likely to take the lead.
That’s because in the past two years, Bookmaker has revolutionized both the Bitcoin and Live Betting platforms in online gambling.
Their live betting takes place in a state-of-the-art dedicated space within their own 7-story San Jose, Costa Rica complex (one for which they built themselves).
Earlier this year Bookmaker also introduced the anonymous digital currency Bitcoin, one of the first full service sportsbooks to do so.
Live betting now accounts for more than half of Bookmaker’s business. Bitcoin at time accounts for nearly 20 percent.
But what is most likely to prompt Bookmaker to begin offering eSports wagering is the fact that Curacao-based Pinnacle Sports already does. Pinnacle, while no longer accepting US customers, has long been considered a “bookies bookmaker”, a leader in the industry and one of the sharpest on the planet (if not THE sharpest).
Pinnacle is not just dabbling in eSports betting, they are promoting it as if it’s the second coming of Christ.
Dennis Kaohane of Pando.com writes:
Whether it’s an enormous League of Legends tournament at the Staples Center with millions of dollars in prizes up for grabs, or a head-to-head competition between friends on a mobile device, eSports appeals to wide swath of potential users. As crowdsourced data from website E-Sports Earnings shows, almost $130 million in eSports prizes have been paid out to gaming participants.
Australia-based Unikrn, which only recently entered the eSports space with grandiose plans for domination, has so far raised over $3 million, with another $5 million plus committed. The company has also signed an exclusive deal with Australia’s $5 billion wagering firm Tabcorp. Unikrn wants in on the US market, already noting its potential, though they are a bit more reluctant due to perceived grey area laws.
Bookmaker still takes bets from U.S. citizens but with some state restrictions.
Any other sportsbooks considering offering eSports betting? Contact us and let us know.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
