How esports betting became a sportsbook essential

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Short-form esports betting has transitioned from niche product to an established cornerstone of the sportsbook offering that drives consistent engagement. Peter Camden, Head of Competitive Gaming Product at SIS, shares how its growth was built on integrity, structure and the simple power of consistent play.

Previously used to fill the void left by the absence of live sporting events, esports is now firmly part of the sportsbook offering and valued by operators for delivering quick, dependable and consistently engaging betting entertainment.

Take a look at the homepages of major brands globally – a common theme sees the vertical feature prominently, illustrating its importance in grabbing bettor interest. The potential of esports betting has been discussed at length in recent years, and now the product’s importance is a reality because of its ability to drive business growth.

The question is: what turned the tide for esports betting? And how did a vertical that began as supporting content become one of betting’s most reliable formats?

The answer lies in how the industry, and its players have adapted. Confidence in the product has reshaped where it stands today, and that shift is clear to see in sportsbooks. What was once tucked away at the bottom of the sports menu now sits alongside the biggest sports, showing how visibility shapes perception, which is, after all, the true marker of progress. In the United States, for example, eBasketball often appears directly below the Big Four sports in the homepage menu. That speaks volumes as to how far the vertical has grown.

Its success comes from how naturally it fits the pace of modern betting. Sports simulated matches are quick, familiar and structured, offering a constant flow of action that is fair and transparent. Every game that we offer is properly refereed and monitored, which gives bettors confidence that what they see is fair and has integrity at its core. It is an experience that shows speed does not come at the cost of quality, proving that even the briefest contests can leave a lasting mark.

The format has also evolved with the audience. Popular sportsbook features such as player props, bet builders and live statistics have been incorporated to make the overall experience more interactive, giving bettors new ways to follow and engage with the action. They can now track rebounds, corners and assists just as they would with their favourite teams, blurring the boundaries between traditional sports betting events and simulated content. It is clear that the line between the sports sims and the familiar has never felt thinner.

Trust, once earned, is what turns a product into a permanent presence, and integrity has always been the key foundation on which we built and continue to build our product. Strong oversight and transparency have created lasting confidence among operators and bettors, helping transform short-form esports from an emerging concept into one of the sportsbook’s most stable and respected products.

SIS Competitive Gaming has been instrumental in defining the journey of esports betting to becoming an established fixture, delivering more than 140,000 eSoccer and 85,000 eBasketball events each year to the world’s biggest sportsbook brands within a framework designed for precision and control. It shows how scale, when managed with care, can sustain the highest levels of quality and engagement across every match.

The story of short-form esports betting is one of steady progress. It may have found its place, but its evolution is far from over. The next chapter will introduce new sports, richer markets and even greater scale, reinforcing its position as a permanent fixture within the sportsbook.

As technology continues to advance and data insights deepen, the product will only grow more sophisticated – giving operators innovative ways to engage their audiences and bettors even more reasons to return.

Its future, like the matches it delivers, promises to move fast and stay exciting.

The post How esports betting became a sportsbook essential appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.