iGaming Industry
Where sports fall, eSports rise
eSport enthusiasts utilize apps and online sites to connect with eSporting communities and forums.
It used to be that a sports team was comprised of neighborhood friends; now it would be quicker and easier to hop on a computer or PlayStation and connect with a gamer in South Korea faster than it would be for the average person to find a soccer ball in their garage. And that is the world we now live in, thanks to eSports.
But what exactly is eSports?
Imagine professional sports mixed with competitive video gaming. According to Owen Good at Kotaku.com, eSports’ humble roots began at Stanford in 1972, as students were invited to an “Intergalactic Spacewar Olympics,” whose grand prize was a year’s subscription for “Rolling Stone.”
Even though the physical talent might be a little relaxed on the eSports side, the competitiveness doesn’t slack off in the slightest.
“Everyone has a great time with it, but there is constantly a lot of competitive talking,” Pensacola State College (PSC) Intramural Coordinator Doug Rogers said.
Who could have imagined that it would only take 45 years for eSports athletes to go from competing for a magazine subscription to battling it out for millions of dollars in tournaments watched by millions of people? One of these million dollar tournaments,“The 2016 League of Legends Championship,” had more viewers than the NBA Finals.
With recruitment scholarships going out to top high school athletes countrywide, it was only a matter of time before colleges started recruiting for eSports. Schools such as Boise State, Columbia and Georgia State have started awarding scholarships to their eSports clubs and the clubs’ top recruits.
With the only requirements being a student’s gaming console of choice and lot of skill, it’s no wonder that eSports is gaining popularity across the globe.
One eSport that the world has seen take off on a very mainstream level is Fantasy Football.
ESPN has a week dedicated to it every year, and you’ll see advertisements for it everywhere (Yahoo, ESPN, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
With NFL ratings going down and the eSports side of the NFL growing rapidly, it’s hard to definitively say the NFL would still be around without Fantasy Football.
According to Sports Illustrated, “Monday Night Football is down 24% from last year at this time, Sunday Night Football is down 19% and Thursday night is down 18%. ”
This in contrast to fantasy football which has seen skyrocketing numbers. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association’s Industry Graphics website, usage started at 500,000 users in 1988 and has jumped to 59.3 million in 2017.
Skill and time spent is a big part of the prerequisites, even for eSports such as Fantasy Football.
“I spend a few hours every weekend looking at certain matchups, even height differences, between positions like cornerback and wide receiver to choose who to bet on. I even look at kicker matchups, and I usually pick the kicker who is playing indoors and is used to that,” said former-PSC student, Charles Marek, when describing a method that has worked quite well so far for him.
Even PSC is getting in on the fun by offering Fantasy Football leagues and College Pick ‘Ems to students and faculty.
“Our leagues and picks are open to all students, faculty and staff. Each week the winner of our Pick ‘Ems gets a reward, and the overall winner gets a gift pack at the end of the season,” said Rogers.
It’s not only Fantasy Football and other athletic-based eSports that are taking off. Many video games have also developed their own eSports communities.
“League of Legends” even has different leagues for different regions of the world in addition to having world wide tournaments known as “World Championships.”
Another video game, Counter-strike: Global Offensive has tournaments around the world. Sponsored by the company Valve, majors for Counterstrike have become such a big deal that they are defined by having over one million in their prize pools.
One of leagues, known as the eLeague, is televised. eLeague features production values rivaling ESPN with its own announcers, hosts and experts.
This abrupt change in the definition of sports has come from traditional sports’ lack of acceptance when it comes to athletes.
Someone who stands six feet tall would never make it in the NBA due to their size and lack of athleticism. If that same person wanted to spend the majority of their time playing video games, chances are that they could make a professional eSports team once they became proficient.
With eSports, it doesn’t matter how you look or how fast you run — all that matters is what you can do.…
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Source: EEGaming.
Supremeland Gaming, the emerging brand in American iGaming, announced the approval of an interim Supplier License in West Virginia, further solidifying its position as a key player in the rapidly expanding iGaming industry. This milestone marks the company’s third approval following the successful acquisition of the first approvals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Supremeland Gaming is approved to operate under this interim license and is now authorized to offer its cutting-edge innovation to the Mountain State.
Supremeland’s game portfolio has garnered international appeal since its debut in November 2023. The innovative brand promises cutting-edge slot play, combining immersive storytelling, state-of-the-art graphics, and impressive bonuses.
Rickard Öhrn, CEO of Supremeland Gaming, said: “The acquisition of our interim Supplier License in West Virginia is a pivotal step in our journey, reflecting on our dedication to delivering innovative experiences to a broader audience. As we expand our footprint, our commitment to excellence remains unwavering, and we look forward to contributing to the vibrant gaming landscape in the Mountain State.”
Supremeland is gaining traction for its emerging portfolio of top-notch games, including Red Panda Rising and the international debut title, Munition Mine, underscoring its commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the iGaming industry.
Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, is continuing its momentum in the Latin American market, after signing an agreement to take its three biggest products live with Betsala.
The agreement will see Pragmatic Play’s full portfolio of award-winning Slot content go live, including recently released Slot titles Loki’s Riches and The Big Dawgs in addition to familiar player-favourites such as Sugar Rush and Gates of Olympus.
Betsala customers will soon gain access to Pragmatic Play’s Live Casino products upon integration being completed. The sector has been a focus for the provider over the previous 12 months with releases such as the dynamic Treasure Island game show which complements Pragmatic Play’s comprehensive range of casino classics such as Roulette, Mega Roulette, and Blackjack which are also available on the platform.
Completing the product offering is Pragmatic Play’s cutting-edge 3D renderings of popular sports such as horse and greyhound racing, football, and motorsports.
The latest LatAm development for Pragmatic Play sees it further boost its profile across the region where it has cemented its status as a leading supplier of casino experiences.
Victor Arias, Vice President of Latin American Operations at ARRISE powering Pragmatic Play, said: “Proving LatAm is still a key source of growth, Pragmatic Play is delighted to now count Betsala as another valued partner in the region.
“Pragmatic Play’s three leading products will soon be on the platform, and we look forward to even more players discovering its robust and engaging offering.”
Albert Bellavista, CEO at Betsala, said: “Pragmatic Play has built a stellar reputation across Latin America for its high-quality experiences, and we welcome them as our latest partner to bolster our offering and provide more thrills than ever.
“Most iGaming enthusiasts worldwide are already familiar with Pragmatic Play’s titles and we know the upcoming addition of its content will come with a great response from our players.”
Pragmatic Play, a leading content supplier to the iGaming industry, is set to make another appearance at a Latin American summit, at SAGSE LATAM in Buenos Aires.
Taking place across two days from March 20th-21st, the event sees iGaming professionals gather at Buenos Aires’ Hilton Hotel for the 32nd edition of the iconic exhibition.
SAGSE LATAM marks the second summit attended by Pragmatic Play in Latin America in 2024, with its new immersive proposal Pragmatic Play Experience, after an extremely successful exhibition tour in 2023, which saw the provider make inroads across the continent and impress industry representatives.
The gaming provider will be at Stand 120 to showcase its diverse portfolio, including Slots, Live Casino, Virtual Sports and Bingo content, alongside its brand-new Sportsbook solution.
In addition, Pragmatic Play will be a platinum sponsor of the event, highlighting the importance of such industry exhibitions and the vital role the leading provider plays in them.
Victor Arias, VP of Latin American Operations at ARRISE powering Pragmatic Play, said: “Pragmatic Play is proud to be a platinum sponsor of SAGSE LATAM and to be influential in shaping the future of the Latin American iGaming market. With a comprehensive multi-product offerings and solutions, it is poised to capitalise on the immense opportunities that the region presents.
“With an exciting range of panel discussions and interactivities that the conference brings, it is set to be yet another momentous date in the LATAM gaming calendar.”
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