Video games and eSports events attract a lot of youth, and their user base has reached a size that is difficult to ignore by marketers. So it’s quite common for brands or companies to try and have their brand displayed during eSports tournaments. At one point, the Dutch blood bank created a campaign to inspire people to donate blood, through League of Legends.
Now it seems that casinos are also trying to become closer to esports, which is to be expected. There are lots of users ages between 18 and 30, and casinos are somewhat struggling to attract that demographic. Furthermore, it seems like there is already a plan in place, so let’s discuss what we can expect in 2021 and 2022.
Esports Betting
Given how there are lots of fans that cheer for different teams or professional gamers, it makes sense to offer betting on eSports in a casino. However, even sportsbook operators are facing challenges when it comes to the implementation of these betting options. The eSports are relatively new, and games undergo lots of changes every year, along with eSports teams. This makes it difficult to provide reliable odds for the players.
As far as betting in casinos goes, it really depends on the jurisdiction. The real goal is to have more users on a gambling site, and chances are they will try different games while they bet on eSports. A lot of top casinos that offer amazing casino games, slots, and live dealer games, are interested in adding sports betting.
However, laws for sports betting were written way before eSports were a thing, which is why it’s simply not possible for those casinos to add these options just yet. That being said there are a handful of online casinos with sports betting options that actually include eSports as well.
Esports and Casinos
Right now casinos are actually trying to bring eSports fans into their physical establishment. One such famous example is HyperX Esports Arena that is located in Las Vegas as a part of Luxor Hotel. The idea is to host these gaming events there and promote their brand. Of course many will likely give casino entertainment a try since they already paid for the whole trip to Las Vegas.
As far as online casinos that don’t offer eSports betting go, they are still trying to attract the audience that grew up playing video games. If you are to look at some of the popular real money online casino Canada platforms, you will see gambling slot games with cartoonish designs.
Users can actually play games that resemble those from their childhood and win real money. They are trying to make some of these casino games feel more like video games that people who were kids during the 80s’ and 90s’ grew up with.
What’s Next
The way things stand, online casinos are not the option for a lot of eSports bettors. However, that can change in the upcoming year, as more and more countries are re-evaluating their position and laws on gambling. That being said, operators are still trying to attract this same demographic by adding cool features like VR games, and even arcade slot machines.
It’s also possible they will create slots that are themed after some famous eSports titles, given how these reskins don’t cost too much.
Conclusion
Casinos definitely want to get more brand exposure or presence by piggybacking off of other trends. It’s not one of those cases where it just seems like too much trouble for a marketing campaign since the gambling industry, in general, has a hard time when it comes to ads.
Given how casinos can be generous sponsors, it’s likely that some of the teams at local competitions will start to accept these sponsorship deals.
