Gareth Crook, the Senior Vice President of Sports at Pragmatic Play, says esports betting is the ‘next big thing’ and that sportsbooks should be ready to capitalise on audience appeal and potential revenues from the competitive video game phenomenon.
Crook believes operators cannot afford to ignore the rapid growth of an industry that is now estimated to be worth $4.8 billion worldwide, with games such as League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2 spawning professional teams and world championship events which are watched by huge global audiences.
Popularity has grown to such an extent that there is even an Olympics Esports Games set for Riyadh 2027, launching a new chapter in competitive gaming.
The 2025 Esports World Cup
The recent 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, attracted 2,500 players and staff from 89 nationalities with overall prize money of $70 million to be won over a seven-week period through July and August.
Organisers revealed some staggering numbers at 2025 EWC, with the hours watched online reaching 340 million, the highlight being a peak concurrent viewing audience of 7.5 million for the League of Legends finals stage.
Crook says that the sports betting industry has to wake up to the fact that esports is an incredible area for potential growth within the sports betting industry.
“Ten years ago, betting on esports was little more than a curiosity,” he said.
“Limited markets catering predominantly to die-hard fans.
“Today, it’s a major player in the global betting scene.
“Just look at the recent Esports World Cup: millions of viewers, huge betting volumes, and proof that esports has stepped out of the shadows to challenge traditional sports for attention and revenue.”
That rise in popularity is thanks to a huge new audience traditionally not catered for by sportsbooks.
Cook said: “Esports fits perfectly with the latest generation of bettors aged 18 and over.
“Gen Z and Millennials, raised on interactive digital experiences, are drawn to the immediacy of esports betting.
“Micro markets – such as predicting the outcome of the next round in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) or whether a League of Legends team will secure a key objective – tap into that demand for real-time, rapid-fire engagement.
“To deliver this, operators not only need access to advanced technology and official live data, but also seamless integrations that ensure instant, reliable market updates.”
Pragmatic Play’s Esports Solution
Pragmatic Play is a leading supplier of online casino and sportsbook content to some of the world’s best-known gambling brands.
Partners include Entain, operator of Ladbrokes, Coral and BetMGM among others, plus Flutter, bet365, William Hill and 888 Casino.
The provider recently partnered with DATA.BET to take on board its entire catalogue of over 30 esports disciplines to become part of Pragmatic Play Sports customisable sportsbook.
“Esports isn’t a single sport,” Crook said. “It’s an ecosystem of very different competitive worlds.
“A tactical shooter like CS2 plays nothing like a MOBA such as Dota 2, which in turn has little in common with sports sims like FIFA.
“Even within genres, the nuances are significant.
“Treating esports as a “one size fits all” single vertical is the quickest way to miss its potential.
“Platforms such as Twitch and YouTube have fuelled modern esports, which is driven by streamers and content creators who often carry as much influence as the teams themselves.
“Add celebrity investors like David Beckham, Shaquille O’Neal, and Sergio Agüero and the lines between esports and traditional sport blur even further.
“For betting operators, this crossover offers huge opportunities, but only if they embrace content-led engagement: live stats, highlights, and community interaction.
“And of course, the tentpole tournaments such as the Esports World Cup, CS2 Majors, The International, and the League of Legends World Championship are golden moments for onboarding new bettors, showcasing features, and cross-promoting titles.
“At Pragmatic Play Sports we recognised this as one of the industry’s biggest product gaps.
“With the launch of six leading esports titles we have not only closed that gap but also positioned ourselves to help operators capture what is fast becoming a critical growth vertical.”
Esports Insight From Pragmatic Play
Cook revealed some interesting numbers that the provider had collected while monitoring early activity in esports betting.
- 89% of esports betting takes place in play, similar to tennis or cricket.
- Margins exceed 8%, challenging the idea that esports is a low margin product.
- Football titles dominate, currently generating almost three quarters of all esports revenue.
“For operators the challenge is not whether to offer esports; it is how to serve two very different demographics,” Cook says.
“Esports can act as a bridge for classic sports bettors.
“With more than 35,000 events traded every month and a 24/7 schedule the product is perfectly suited to sit alongside traditional sports and attract crossover activity.
“At the same time there is a separate “esports first” audience that expects an entirely different experience.”
The challenge for operators now is to see how bold they will be with their esports strategy to ensure they capitalise on the booming industry.
“This is the next frontier,” said Cook.
“The operators that embrace the challenge and experiment with solutions will be the ones that capture a generation of customers raised on gaming rather than television sport.
“At Pragmatic Play Sports we are committed to working with partners to solve this problem together and to help operators unlock the full potential of esports.
“Esports betting is still developing, but the trajectory is obvious: bigger audiences, sharper tech, and a market ready for long-term growth. From the joystick to the sportsbook, the journey has come full circle.”
