As eSports and cryptocurrency become more popular, they continue to merge their markets
Betting on eSports matches is already possible in online sportsbooks; however, the experience can always get better. A Bitcoin-based casino and sportsbook has just announced the launch of a new feature that promises to enhance the customer’s experience on games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) and FIFA 20. Cloudbet customers will be able to place bets in a wide variety of eSports games while in-play by using cryptocurrency.
“Our figures indicate clearly that there is strong demand and we will continue to invest in making our platform the best place to bet on eSports with crypto. Our aim as a responsive and innovative operator is to recognize what our customers want and deliver it to them,” said a Cloudbet spokesperson. Crypto and eSports are both gaining in popularity, and joining the two follows a trend that sees gambling platforms embracing digital currency more often.
Another feature the gambling company is introducing is a Discord channel to promote customers’ engagement with the site. Discord is a platform used daily by gamers to communicate, just like a social media platform. This channel will bring users the possibility of exchanging tips for betting and also find which operators get the ‘Bet of the day’ title.
An estimate made by consultants Eilers and Krejcik Gaming says that the amount wagered on eSports could be around $13 billion a year – it has doubled since 2016. It is worth mentioning that these figures were given before the coronavirus pandemic started, which caused more attention paid to eSports since the world of real sports is still on hold.
According to Cloudbet, these new products will really boost the number of offerings in the eSports section so that they can meet the customers’ demands. The sportsbook confirmed that, out of all bets placed in April, a fifth were made on FIFA 20, CS: GO and Dota 2.
