Betting companies have created opportunities in the esports market. Today, it keeps demonstrating rapid growth. As a result, bookmakers decide to change the sponsorship landscape, similarly to how betting partnerships are controlling most traditional European sports.
In traditional sports, the appropriate betting sponsorships are still the topic of discussion. This has encouraged minimal allowances for betting companies to promote sports. Nevertheless, the sports betting sector does encourage valuable sponsorship opportunities for many sports clubs.
The international scale of competitive gaming tournaments is required to make gambling sponsorships much more difficult. The esports betting environment has already demonstrated instances of uncertainty. For example, the betting company GG Bet left its sponsorship of Heroic after the Esports Integrity Commission forbade a CS:GO coach for integrity complications in 2021.
When iGaming companies entered the sponsorship market, esports has reached a dramatic growth in commercial revenues. This could also be an indicator of the wider public perception of competitive gaming, with operations getting more and more serious.
With sponsorship deals coming in throughout CS:GO and Dota 2, this market is here to stay for a while. The bookmakers like gg205.bet are about to assist in this prospect.
How Does Esports Betting Work?
Similar to traditional sports, there are endless esports titles to bet on. It’s important to know which titles are rated as “tier-one” games within the esports betting sector. The “big three” include CS:GO, League of Legends, and Dota 2. Organizations related to these titles are the teams that get the most attention from iGaming companies.
Sports simulation titles, such as FIFA, have also demonstrated an uplift in betting activities. Some operators stated that this was probably prevalent during the pandemic when other traditional sports couldn’t be accessed.
Dota 2
A variety of Dota 2 esports organizations have focused on betting sponsorships. In 2021, PSG Esports started the cooperation with Betway for its Dota 2 team PSG.LGD. This is probably one of the more striking sponsorships.
Dota 2 tournaments like The International are looking for financial coverage. They require a lot of equipment to address the needs of all participants. All those expenses are going to be paid off by the end of the event. The finances coming from live streaming are incredibly high.
The organizers of The International claim allow fans to “engage even closer” with teams. The deal involves a variety of branded content generated with OG and Fun88, which has become the norm within esports partnerships.
League of Legends
When it comes to betting sponsorships, League of Legends is one of the strictest titles. The local scene has betting partners involved. The competitive rulebook restricts the display of gambling brands. Most of these partnerships are focused on the organizations’ teams like Fnatic’s partnership with Parimatch.
CS:GO
The members of the CS:GO ecosystem have amassed a volume of betting partnerships throughout the years. Among the top 10 CS:GO teams, only Team Vitality, ENCE, FURIA Esports, Cloud9, Copenhagen Flames, and Heroic don’t have betting partners.
Valve, CS:GO’s developer, approaches its esports titles. This allows them to keep CS:GO less restrictive and more focused on the financial benefits of betting sponsorships. The CS:GO’s community is getting older compared to other titles, which makes betting sponsorships more prolific. After all, the game involves aggressive themes that might push some potential sponsors away.
Bottom Line
Esports gambling sponsorships demonstrate the potential to be a good thing for the industry due to the financial benefits. The sensitivity of the esports’ audience will always be the subject to serious concerns.
The main concern for the industry is that it could rely on the revenue from betting sponsorships. Any regulation against that could lead to a rapid cause for alarm as teams and leagues try to replace sponsors. Let’s see how the situation will be developed in the next few years!