New report says eSports could hit US$12.9bn by 2020

The report indicates that more online casinos will hop on the trend in order to complement the growth of eSports.

US.- A new report from betting consultant NJGames.org has revealed that eSports online betting is set to hit US$12.9 billion by 2020. The report’s estimates set market capitalisation for worldwide sports betting at US$250 billion.

Information by Statistica shows that licensed online sportsbooks account for more than US$40 billion of the pie. Online gambling on eSports’ share of the market was valued at US$5.5 billion in 2016, South China Morning Post details.

“The growth of eSports is based on overall viewership and the amount of money that curiosity generates is huge. Sponsorships, larger prize money, advertising will all be larger as the interest in eSports increases,” said Onur Unlu, content manager at NJGames.

“People bet on eSports the same way they would bet on traditional sports – through a sportsbook or online casino. As eSports grows and becomes more popular, casinos will begin to see the opportunity of offering eSports betting lines and inviting that volume of interest to gamble on tournaments.”