Sports lovers around the world enjoy getting involved in the game by placing bets on their favourite teams and players. So much so that the sports betting industry was recently valued at 1 trillion dollars.
In 2013, the US recognized the League Championship Series as a fully professional sport by the U.S. State Department. This change allowed players from outside of the US to obtain work visas in the same way as professional athletes.
Many sports clubs and television networks have no problems taking sponsorship money from Betting websites that offer odds on the sport. Should eSports embrace the gambling culture or try to distance themselves from it?
Like other sports, there have been controversies of ‘Match Fixing’ and Gambling Scandals in the eSports industry. There are also issues with some fans of eSports being minors coupled with the very real problems that gambling can cause if not done responsibly.
Gambling websites are expanding their reach into the gamer space by providing odds and betting opportunities on big eSports tournaments across multiple games.
In this respect, is it ok to treat eSports just like any other sport when it comes to gambling?
VOTE!
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.Is it ok for gambling sites to take bets and offer odds on video game tournaments? Let us know in the comments below.
Remember boys and girls, this is an opinion poll. Stay civilised when discussing the finer points of your gaming experience.
If you’ve got a suggestion for a Poll, let us know in the comments. As we’re just finding out feet with this we’d love some input!
