eSports

Unibet talks to Abios about the Future of Esports Betting

Published

4 years ago

April 12, 2021

Unibet talks to Abios about the Future of Esports Betting

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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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eSports

IESF and ITTI Open Applications for Scholarships in Esports Management

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The International Esports Federation (IESF) and the International Institute of Technology and Innovation (ITTI) are thrilled to announce the launch of the IESF x ITTI Scholarships, an initiative designed to empower the next generation of Esports leaders. This scholarship program brings together the industry’s best resources to select young talent ready to make their mark in Esports management and gaming.

Four scholarships are available for promising students who will join ITTI’s Master’s in Esports Management and Gaming program. This scholarship opportunity opens on November 4, 2024, and closes on November 20, 2024. The project is also part of IESF and Busan City’s World Esports R&D Center Program, supporting education and development in the Esports industry.

Scholarship Allocation:

One student who is a Resident of Busan, aged 18 – 24.
Three international students, aged 18-24.

How to Apply:

Open to applicants aged 18 to 24, the program invites candidates to submit a completed application form and an introduction video addressing specific questions about their goals, interests, and vision for Esports. With support from NASEF, IESF’s educational partner, the selection committee will evaluate each applicant’s creativity, dedication to Esports, and unique ideas to shape the industry.

Applicants can access the Application Form and should complete both the form and video submission by the deadline.

The IESF x ITTI Scholarships offer a great path into Esports management, and recipients will gain access to ITTI’s advanced curriculum designed to equip students for impactful roles in Esports. We invite all eligible young enthusiasts to apply and join this exciting journey with us. Let’s help shape the future of Esports!

eSports

SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024

Published

18 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Wladimir P.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

eSports

Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2025 season

Published

4 days ago

November 1, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), founded in 1984, is the national federation for Board games, Card games, Esports, and Wargames.

MSSA promotes all the different disciplines equally, although each school may pick-and-choose which discipline it wishes to promote at its school. Some schools will promote the whole gambit, while others will concentrate on only one discipline, and/or even just concentrate on one specific title.

The choice is ultimately up to the school.

The various games offer unique opportunities to many South African learners. Many learners have been able to earn Regional, Provincial, and National Colours which have allowed them to earn bursaries and obtain first-class educations.

MSSA has sent teams with full Protea Colours to international events since 1991 for wargames, 1996 for Morabaraba, 1997 for Checkers, and 2005 for Esports. Many members of the national teams have been scholars, and all have benefited from their involvement in the national Protea Team.

With the above in mind the MSSA has streamlined the process for schools to affiliate to the MSSA.

There is still the option open for a school to start a full-blown sub-club on its premises, but bearing in mind the tight regulatory conditions under which accredited schools have to operate in the Republic, the MSSA no longer deems it necessary for a school to start a sub-club.

As long as the school club has the approval of the school, and has an Educator-in-Charge, a school may affiliate by merely completing the Application for Affiliation Form and submitting such to MSSA.

In order to affiliate, the completed Application for affiliation Form must be submitted to the MSSA.

Once the Board has approved a school’s affiliation, the school then needs to complete the Google Registration Page allocated to the school for the players and make payment.

All school members may participate in all events for which it qualifies. Such events include meetings, championships, courses, and so forth.

Advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club: There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:

Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding – MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding
Being able to get assistance from your local government
Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers
Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.
Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for Regional, Provincial, and National colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.

MSSA’s Constitution

The Constitution forms the foundation of the MSSA. It guarantees members rights and governs the way that the MSSA operates. It can only be amended by a two-thirds majority at a Council Meeting. Please remember that Associations only have two (2) votes each, whereas member clubs have a representational vote, being:

Private clubs: one vote per every five registered players, and
School clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.

MSSA’s General Regulations
The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed. Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.

MSSA’s Discipline Specific Regulations
The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.

Application for Affiliation form
When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.Fee note for 2025
The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.

Player Registration Form
The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.

MSSA’s Letter of Undertaking
The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.