eSports
Unibet talks to Abios about the Future of Esports Betting
The esports market is the fastest growing sports vertical with the betting market following suit. The betting market for esports is expected to grow with a CAGR of 13.1% between 2020 and 2025 according to MarketWatch, showing a great potential for future opportunities. Unibet has offered markets on esports since 2014 and has used Abios widgets to deliver an enhanced customer experience for punters.
We decided to talk to the Esports Product Manager at Unibet, Filip Kristersson, to get his take on esports betting, how they’ve enhanced their betting offer and their predictions for the future.
What are your thoughts on the future of esports and betting?
Esports will continue to grow and become increasingly important for bookmakers. Within 3 years, it will be a top sport for most sportsbooks and continue to grow. Together with American sports, it will drive new innovations such as betting types, widgets, and ultra-live. The rise of eSoccer as a filler product paints an intriguing picture, are we seeing the beginning of a new paradigm? I foresee interesting times ahead.
What esports games are most popular among your customers?
The big three still rule supreme: CS:GO, LoL, and Dota 2. With the Nordics as some of our core markets, we see a lot of CS:GO activity. Hopefully, The International will be able to go forward as planned in Stockholm this summer, so we can see some proper Dota 2 action as well.
Do you see any growth in interest in other esports games? Are there any new-/upcomers we should keep track of?
While not really being traditional esports, we have seen an increase in eSoccer. The product currently has a filler-role, but can become a proper esports with the right infrastructure and fanbase. Other games of interest are Call of Duty, Valorant, and Rainbow 6, though it’s too early to say anything yet. I’m interested to see the Battle Royale genre getting cracked, as it’s slightly awkward to watch and place bets on now. The growing trend of mobile esports should also be followed, though it will take a while to grow big as an esports in Europe.
Have you seen any changes in the esports betting market related to Covid-19?
The rise of eSoccer was one thing we didn’t see coming, it was an unexpected surprise. In hindsight, it does make sense. Almost everyone has played the game, it’s recognisable, quick, and fun to bet on. The other esports saw an increase, even if the more prestigious LAN-tournaments were canceled. We have also seen an increase in activity from many of our competitors as well as suppliers. I believe the increased esports awareness benefits us as we have a strong esports product.
Thank you for bringing these great insights on the esports market. You have used our products to enhance and develop the customer experience across your platforms.
How do you use our widgets and value stats?
In short, we use the Abios widgets to enhance our customer experience. Whether you are a frequent bettor or it’s your first time, we want it to be easy, smooth, and understandable to bet at Unibet. The pre-match widgets give you an understanding of the teams’ latest performance, without having to leave Unibet.
The value stats have been a great way to help players try types of betting they aren’t used to, as well as showcasing how you can use data to improve your betting. It’s also nifty to use on external sites together with promotions.
What value has Abios products brought you?
The compliance checks made us one of the few bookmakers who could have most of our esports events available on site after the Swedish re-regulation. The mapping of streams makes sure it’s possible to view every esports event on our website. Abios continuous service helps us ensure we have all the content available for all markets, something becoming increasingly important with different regulations.
What value has Abios brought to your customers in terms of user experience?
As can be understood from the above answers, they have been a great addition to our customer experience, prolonging time on site and helping to drive both pre-match and in-play betting. At Unibet, we want our players to feel in control and feel good about their bets. By providing additional information in a well-packaged way, we promote the expert feeling.
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8Bit Creatives, India’s leading esports consulting and talent management agency, has announced its partnership with NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, as the exclusive Talent Partner for DreamHack India 2024.
With this partnership, 8Bit Creatives will leverage its significant reach in the Indian gaming, esports and youth communities through its prominent and talented roster of creators. These creators will create content leading up to the festival and also host meet-and-greet sessions.
India’s biggest gaming festival, DreamHack India, is set to take place from 15th to 17th November at the Hitex Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, marking its fifth edition. For half a decade, the India edition of the global festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the Indian gaming ecosystem. Bringing together a plethora of events, including esports tournaments, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) events, cosplay competitions, music concerts, and stand-up comedy, DreamHack India is the celebration of gaming, esports, pop-culture, and entertainment.
8Bit Creatives, CEO and founder Animesh Agarwal said “DreamHack India is one of the most prominent events in the Indian gaming and esports calendar and we’re proud to be the exclusive talent partners for it. This is further recognition of 8Bit Creatives’ ability to meaningfully engage the gaming and youth audiences across the country. Our belief in working with the right creators who create experiences that resonate with the youth audiences distinguishes our offerings and we can’t wait to share what we have in store for DreamHack India 2024 with our audiences!”
This is not the first time that 8Bit Creatives will partner with DreamHack India. The organisation was also the talent partner for the event in 2022.
Commenting on the partnership, NODWIN Gaming, Co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee said “Our vision at NODWIN Gaming is to create unforgettable experiences for the youth, and DreamHack has proven to be the ultimate platform to realise that vision, bringing together gaming, entertainment, and community in an immersive celebration. We’re thrilled to have 8Bit Creatives as our exclusive Talent Partner for DreamHack India 2024. It’s especially exciting to welcome iconic creators like Mortal, who joined us in our very first edition, back for this landmark fifth year, alongside fan favourites like Snax, Kaashvi, Thug, and Payal. These creators bring a unique energy that connects deeply with our fans and elevates every moment. Their presence underscores our commitment to crafting electrifying experiences year after year, building on the momentum of events like BGMS and past DreamHack editions. Together with 8Bit and this powerhouse lineup, we’re setting the stage for an unforgettable event that will bring fans and creators closer than ever before!”
8Bit Creatives’s content and esports division S8UL became the only organisation in the year to win ‘Content Group of the Year’ award for the third consecutive year at the Esports Awards 2024. Additionally, they are the only organisation from India to ever win an Esports Award in any category. Earlier this year, gaming content creators from 8Bit Creatives including Naman Mathur, Payal Dhare and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal were invited for a meet and greet session with the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The organisation has been at the forefront of India’s gaming and content ecosystem with its extensive range of services, including talent management, campaign curation and execution, brand activations and more.
The post 8Bit Creatives partners with NODWIN Gaming as the exclusive talent partner for DreamHack India appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
1 November 2024 – Esports has experienced explosive growth in Q3 2024, doubling turnover compared to the previous quarter. The average bet on cybersports increased by 17.6% quarter-on-quarter. SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience providing innovative iGaming solutions, shares the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Q3 2024 report.
The top five sports by Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) remain consistent: Football, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, and eFootball. For the second consecutive quarter, eFootball has outperformed Counter-Strike 2, indicating a shifting interest within the esports sector. Nevertheless, football continues to dominate, contributing nearly half of the total GGR.
The average live bet grew by 10% quarter-on-quarter, a positive development for operators as live bets hold 78.6% of turnover. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook team is actively enhancing the live betting experience, aiming to capitalise on this trend and provide operators with even greater revenue opportunities.
The average bet grew by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2024, and the number of bets increased by 18.7%. GGR saw a modest growth of 1.5% quarter-on-quarter.
Despite the large number of projects launched for the UEFA Euro 2024, month-on-month statistics show that with the right promotional strategies, projects continue to operate successfully even after such massive events.
Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, adds: “Aligning a launch with a major sporting event can be a successful strategy, but football is not the only sport that can be leveraged in this way. The growth of cybersports presents new opportunities; for specialised projects targeting specific audiences, esports events can also serve as an effective starting point.
We continuously focus on product growth and development, enhancing features and user experience to drive further engagement and profitability for our partners.”
The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is expanding its global presence. The product team is on track to secure certification in Brazil, conducted by an authorised testing laboratory. Furthermore, for the South African market, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has recently integrated a Horse Racing Module. This addition offers operators new business opportunities by covering over 2,400 international and local races monthly. The solution engages players with race cards, silks, and multiple bet types while providing operators unique skins and configurations to align with various brand identities.
The SOFTSWISS team is working on The iGaming Trends Report 2025, which offers a deep dive into key industry developments based on over 50,000 media headlines and insights from industry experts. Covering areas like regulation, marketing, technology, and business growth, this report provides a data-driven perspective on the trends shaping the upcoming year. The SOFTSWISS team shares the possibility of joining the waiting list.
All SOFTSWISS products will be showcased at the final major industry event, SiGMA Europe, at stand 2145.
The post SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025
Esport entertainment company BLAST has announced an expanded Global Partnership with Blacklyte for 2025. The landmark partnership marks a significant milestone in esports history, being the first of its kind to encompass five leading esports titles.
As a Global Chair & Desk Partner, Blacklyte will play a pivotal role in supporting the world’s best esports players by providing custom-made esports desks and chairs for the competitive landscape across these five popular esports titles: Rainbow Six Esports (Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege), BLAST Premier (Counter-Strike), BLAST Slam (Dota), RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series), and FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series).
This partnership not only showcases Blacklyte’s commitment to the esports community but also emphasises its dedication to elevating the industry by providing players with the best equipment possible to compete at the elite level.
Last month, BLAST announced Blacklyte as the first commercial partner for Fortnite Competitive for the FNCS Global Championship 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
The expansion of the partnership means Blacklyte will cover all esports titles BLAST operates in 2025. The partnership will focus on delivering unique and immersive experiences for fans and players alike. Alongside Blacklyte’s products being used by streamers and players across more than ten arena events and many more studio events in 2025. Blacklyte will also be integrated physically into these events and within broadcasts.
Blacklyte produces desks that set a new standard for quality and durability. These state-of-the-art desks are designed to withstand everything. They will be showcased at the BLAST Premier World Final in Singapore for the first time.
Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue for BLAST, said: “We are proud to expand our partnership with Blacklyte to encompass all five of our esports titles heading into 2025. This marks a landmark moment for BLAST. We work across a number of leading esports ecosystems, which gives us the ability to leverage these different communities and tournaments. This partnership is testament to harnessing that network to create best-in-class partnerships.”
Alexander Liu, CEO at Blacklyte, said: “We are excited to enter into this unprecedented partnership with BLAST, which will enable us to reach a broader audience and create a lasting impact across multiple titles. This collaboration signifies a new era for esports, where we can unify diverse gaming communities under one strategic initiative, providing equipment to help esports players compete at the top level.”
The post BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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