Bridging the Remaining Esports Betting Gap on Consoles

eSports titles have long shaken off their early limitations in the mainstream space. Today, some of the biggest eSports offer prizes greater than famous physical tournaments, such as we see in The International’s dominance over Wimbledon.

Yet, despite the fame and fortune on offer, eSports can still suffer when it comes to integration with the betting market on consoles. This final step of wide-ranging access is an important component of consolidating many sports into the public zeitgeist, so what holds video games in particular back?

An Open and Closed Environment

The biggest issue that eSports faces on consoles is born from the limited forms of online access two of the big three systems offer. Of the Xbox Series, PlayStation, and Switch, only the Xbox has access to a feature-complete web browser. Workarounds for PlayStation and Switch exist, but these are extremely limited in scope and functionality.

To understand why this form of limited access is such a concern, we need to measure it against the PC online betting market. This is the most open form of online betting access, which shares access over smartphone operating systems. Free bet no deposit websites offer special features like free spins, bonus cash, and betting with no wagering requirements or difficult hurdles to jump through. Many of these services also provide wagering on eSports games, which allows the betting, playing, and streaming experiences to consolidate into one single open environment.

Compare this to a platform like the PS5. On a PS5, you can play an eSports title like Street Fighter 5, but the lack of a browser means you can’t use the same system to bet on matches. While it can be possible to stream matches on PlayStation through apps, these are never as flexible as browsers, which adds challenges. In other words, of the three crucial components for a full-fat betting experience, Sony and Nintendo only offer one.

Microsoft avoids these issues with the Xbox Series thanks to its ownership of Windows and the operation of browsers on the Windows platform. Microsoft has simply converted their PC browser, Edge, to Xbox, which has done great things for streamlining the eSports betting experience on its two current-gen consoles.

Consoles’ Aims for the Future

For consoles to measure up to what’s available on PC, they need to offer play, streaming for watching, and eSports betting all within the same space. The most realistic way this would be possible is for the release of an official browser for the Switch and PS5.

Sony and Nintendo are aware of this necessity, as Microsoft’s recent acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard give the company enormous power over platform exclusives. To compete with the growing threat that Microsoft represents, improved functionality for the other consoles will be a must, so what’s holding them back?

Both Sony and Nintendo have stated that a browser on consoles isn’t necessary, but to tech insiders, this reads more as an excuse than a legitimate reason. Without a browser, the companies can maintain a stricter hand on exactly what is released on their platforms, providing more control. More importantly, access to a web browser introduces a range of security risks. Security risks could range from bricking a console to allowing pirated games to play.

Despite the challenges of integrating browsers, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for consoles to ignore the potential they produce. While we’ll appreciate them in terms of eSports betting, the advantages for general usability will also be immense. Combined with smartphones, cloud computing, and wireless mouse and keyboard access, browsers on consoles could be another nail in the coffin of PC dominance. Consoles taking that final step, however, is proving more complicated than many players and bettors would like.