Canada
eSports betting vs classic sports betting in North America, a hot topic at Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America
All major sports leagues have been postponed and most of the major sports leagues have been cancelled until further notice – more and more countries are banning major events, fewer and fewer sporting events are taking place. But how should sports betting providers react when enthusiastic betting customers, who want to pursue their hobby, no longer have an offer to bet on? What can you do as a provider who wants to remain relevant and maintain a corresponding offer for your players?
The answers are Virtual Sports (betting on virtual sports events) and eSports (betting on competitions in computer games).
Bets on popular online video games such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Starcraft 2 and CS: GO can hardly be ignored on today’s betting market. Especially in the target group of under 30s, eSports are becoming more and more popular and are now being broadcast 24 hours a day via channels such as Twitch. The worldwide turnover on eSports betting amounts to more than USD 1.8 billion, a figure that is all the more impressive considering the comparatively small fan base. But eSports are steadily gaining more fans, on the one hand due to an aging target group and on the other hand due to an increasing awareness.
The top players themselves, who are comparable in their professionalism and skill to professional soccer or tennis players, are now activating more fans than the Superbowl, for example. The Intel Extreme Masters eSports tournament in Katowice, Poland welcomed more than 173,000 spectators on site and 46 million online in 2019. With prize pools of up to USD 100 million (Fortnite World Cup 2019), player salaries are in no way inferior to those of many professional footballers.
Just like with traditional sports, bets are placed on individual teams and players in eSports. Due to the large number of different types of eSports, the resulting number of betting markets is enormous – the simplest and most suitable betting type for beginners, of course, remains the bet on the overall winner of the game.
The offer of eSports betting is growing steadily – and since it is already common in eSports to play without an audience (most of the season matches are held in small studios), eSports events are a great alternative to the sports events that are currently being canceled.
Depending on the legislature of the respective target market, eSports can complement their offer and are becoming increasingly important. Particularly during the current crisis, interest in eSPorts is likely to experience a rapid increase.
The top industry companies have all confirmed their interest to join the Sports Betting & Casino Summit North America (Virtual Conference), which will open its virtual doors between 23-24 June.
The virtual seats are limited, so hurry and register now to secure your seat(s)! REGISTER HERE
And among the many topics, we are putting together a special panel discussion which is titled “ESPORTS BETTING VS CLASSIC SPORTS BETTING IN NORTH AMERICA”
The panel discussion will be joined by leading experts such as J Moses (Investor & Board Advisor of Bet.Works), Grant Johnson (CEO at Esports Entertainment Group), David McDowell (Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at FSB) and Mark Robson (Co-Founder at Champion Sports). The discussion will be moderated by Marek Suchar (Head of Partnerships at Oddin.gg).
J Moses
Investor, Advisor at Bet.Works
I have nearly 40 years of experience in sports, entertainment, technology, betting & games as a CEO, Founder, Investor, Advisor, Producer & a Director for public & private businesses around the world.
Currently I am hyper focused on the confluence of Technology, Games, eSports, Sports, Betting and Entertainment. I serve as a Director at Take-Two Interactive (Nasdaq: TTWO), publisher of Rock Star, 2K & Private Division Games. I’m also an investor & Board Advisor of Bet.Works (sports betting), ReadyUp (eSports team building), Prize Payments Pro (eSports), and SimulMedia.
After Princeton, I had the dream job of working at ABC Sports where I worked on sporting events around the world, including 4 Olympic Games. I spent 2 years as Special Assist to Roone Arldege, President of ABC News & Sports.
Grant Johnson
CEO at Esports Entertainment Group
Grant Johnson, B.A., Chairman and CEO, Esports Entertainment Group
Grant has served as Chairman and CEO of Esports Entertainment Group since 2015, where he oversaw the Company from its’ inception as an esports wagering company long before most of the world knew of the existence of esports, to a successful NASDAQ IPO and $8.4M raise in April 2020.
His experience in online gambling came from 1996 to 1999 where has Vice President of Vancouver based Starnet Communications International, Inc. a recognized leader in the Internet gambling industry. As Vice President of Business Development, Mr. Johnson led Starnet’s sales team and was a driving force behind Starnet’s leading market position in the B2B sector of the Internet gambling industry.
Mr. Johnson was instrumental in the business development activities at Starnet and was directly involved in establishing many of Starnet’s strategic industry partnerships. A subsidiary of Starnet, World Gaming, still exists today.
David McDowell
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder at FSB
David is the co-founder and CEO of FSB. FSB was established in 2007 with the vision to build the industry’s first highly automated sports betting platform driven by live data. The company has become established as a leading B2B solutions supplier best known for its live sports betting technology and as a pioneer of delivering fully managed trading services.
Mark Robson
Co-Founder of Champion Sports
Mark Robson is the co-founder of Champion Sports, an innovative sports betting platform licensed by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. Over the last 15 years, Mark has held a number of high-profile positions within the iGaming industry, including the Head of eGaming for the Department of Economic Development on the Isle of Man.
Marek Suchar
Head of Partnerships at Odding.gg
Marek Suchar, Head of Partnerships at Odding.gg started his career in financial services where he held senior and managerial roles in various areas including business development and sales. His passion for esports brought him to the industry, specifically to the betting vertical. Leveraging the newest technologies at Oddin, Marek aims to significantly improve the engagement within esports betting and build partnerships that will shape the future of esports and esports betting.
Do not miss this unique opportunity to attend a virtual conference that gathers all North American gaming industry experts for 2 days of discussions and networking. Register your seat now!
Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app
Bally’s Interactive Launches the New Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino App in Ontario
Bally’s Interactive, the digital and sports betting division of Bally’s Corporation, has launched the all-new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app in Ontario, Canada. This latest release marks another significant milestone for the company, following the recent app update in New Jersey and a series of successful app launches in the past year, including the introduction of Bally Bet Sportsbook across multiple states and Bally Casino in Rhode Island.
The updated Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app represents a major step forward, as it combines the functionalities of the existing Bally Casino app and Bally Bet Sportsbook app into one comprehensive platform. Powered by White Hat Gaming, this new app allows players residing in or traveling to Ontario to conveniently place wagers on both sports and casino games using a single app, account, and universal wallet.
“We are thrilled to introduce the new Bally Bet Sportsbook & Casino app, marking a significant milestone for Bally’s. This integrated platform merges the features of our previous apps, providing players in Ontario with a seamless experience for both sports and casino betting. Our commitment to enhancing the player experience remains at the forefront as we strive to personalize the enjoyment of playing Bally Bet,” said Robeson Reeves, CEO of Bally’s Corporation.
BCLC
Be #GiftSmart: Scratch the Idea of Gifting Scratch & Win Tickets to Kids
BCLC reminds adults to gift responsibly this holiday season
With the holiday season in full swing, BCLC is reminding British Columbians to gift responsibly and scratch lottery products from their shopping lists for kids.
“Scratch & Win tickets can make great stocking stuffers for the adults in your life, but they’re not for kids,” said Ryan McCarthy, BCLC’s Director of Player Health. “The research shows that children who have early encounters with gambling are four times more likely to develop riskier gambling behaviour as they grow up. While people are out shopping for those last-minute gifts, BCLC wants adults to be aware of the potential risks associated with gifting lottery products to children and to consider safer alternatives.”
While Scratch & Win tickets are among the most common ways kids can be introduced to gambling, children are increasingly exposed to various online forms, such as gambling streams.
“With the convergence of gaming and gambling, youth are becoming more exposed to gambling content in online spaces like streaming sites, where creators are able to live-stream their own gambling, usually while playing online slots and instant games,” said Dr. Luke Clark, Director for Gambling Research at UBC. “Our research at the UBC Centre for Gambling shows that a higher frequency of watching online gambling streams is associated with a more positive attitude towards gambling and a high intention to gamble in the future.”
In B.C., it is illegal to sell lottery products to anyone under the age of 19 and BCLC encourages adults to have conversations with the kids in their lives about the risks associated with gambling.
“Open and honest conversations are crucial when it comes to navigating childhood exposure to gambling,” said McCarthy, who shared the following tips to adults:
- Monitor for gambling-related lifestyle changes. For example, developing a positive attitude towards gambling or a preoccupation with video games or streaming sites.
- Be a positive role model. Exhibit safer gambling behaviour and talk about the risks.
- Limit exposure. Monitor kids’ online activities and discourage engagement with gambling content. Explain how gambling is based on chance.
AGCO
Jackpot Digital Receives Approval from AGCO as a Registered Gaming Supplier
Jackpot Digital Inc., a leading provider of innovative dealerless electronic poker gaming solutions, has announced that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has approved the Company to be licensed as a registered Gaming Related-Supplier (the “Supplier License”) under the Gaming Control Act in the Province of Ontario.
This significant achievement allows Jackpot Digital to enter one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing regulated gaming markets in North America. The Supplier License authorizes Jackpot Digital to supply its electronic table games to Ontario’s gaming venues, including casinos and other regulated gaming facilities.
Jackpot Digital’s flagship product, the Jackpot Blitz electronic table game system, offers a modern, dealerless, player-friendly solution that integrates traditional multiplayer poker games with cutting-edge digital technology. The Supplier License will enable the Company to offer its innovative gaming solutions to operators throughout Ontario, driving new revenue opportunities and enhancing player experiences.
“Receiving AGCO’s approval is a major milestone. This approval provides us with the opportunity to offer our top-tier electronic gaming systems to operators throughout all of Ontario, positioning us for further growth in one of the world’s most robust gaming markets. We are excited to bring our innovative products to Ontario’s gaming community and continue our commitment to providing exciting, technology-driven entertainment experiences,” said Jake Kalpakian, CEO of Jackpot Digital.
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