GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 35 - June 2016

Video games may be the next big thing in online gambling The rapidly growing eSports industry gives affiliates an opportunity to reach new audiences and tap into new revenue sources. by Gary Trask T he numbers are staggering, yet authentic. Convincing and real. And to online gambling affiliates, they signify a burgeoning mar- ket with the potential to generate enormous revenue. Many experts are bullish about the future of eSports as the phenom- enon spreads across the globe — and for good reason. The global eSports market is worth $748 million, according to Super Data Research, and will reach $1.9 billion by 2018. South Korea is the birthplace of eSports, but it has proliferated into oth- er countries rapidly. Super Data Research claims the European market makes up almost one-third of total worldwide eSports revenue and more than one-fifth of its consumer base. In the U.S. alone, the eSports audience was 37 million in 2015. In January, ESPN.com launched a new eSports section delicated to the industry after publishing the first “eSports Issue” of ESPN The Magazine in 2015. Furthermore, the University of California, Irvine announced in March that it will become the first public university to offer a League of Legends eSports scholarship program, beginning in fall 2016. Land-based casinos are taking notice. InApril, the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas was at near-capacity when it hosted the North American League of Legends Championship Series Spring Finals, between stalwarts Counter Logic Gaming and Team SoloMid. The five-hour online broadcast on Twitch.tv and YouTube drew an audience of more than 500,000 worldwide, which is no surprise since 21.3% of all Twitch viewership — about 475.5 million hours’ worth — from July to December 2015 was eSports content. “It’s undeniable that the landscape of gaming is changing, along with every other industry, because of advanced technology and consumer behavior,” says Seth Schorr, owner of Fifth Street Gaming and chairman of Downtown Grand Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, which earlier this year opened a dedicated eSports lounge and is serving as a residency for the LA Renegades. “It is my duty to my company and its investors to keep Nevada relevant by changing with the Photo by Adam Ziaja / Shutterstock.com 31 Video games may be the next big thing in online gambling

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