Blaine Graboyes, founder and CEO of GameCo and the inventor of Video Game Gambling™, believes esports betting will become a “top five sport” in at least one US state.
The prediction is one of many made by the CEO ahead of 2021.
Graboyes' other projections covered the likes of online gaming, skill gaming and the casino floor.
However, his most striking is that of esports wagering, a vertical that has risen sharply across the world during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many believe the return of major sports leagues earlier this year will have curtailed the growth of esports betting.
But Graboyes, a keen advocate of video game and esports betting, is betting big on the vertical.
In quotes sent to Gaming America, the GameCo CEO said: "For sportsbooks in and Europe who have been offering esports betting for many years now, it is not uncommon that esports is one of their top five 'sports' in terms of betting handle.
"This is derived from their expertise in offering strong markets, particularly with in-play betting, which often constitutes 60%-80% of all betting handle. In fact, if CS:GO were considered a 'sport' unto itself, it would possibly be the sixth or seventh largest sports betting vertical for many of these sportsbooks.
"With the legalization of esports betting across the US, often tied to traditional sports betting, it is reasonable to assume that at least one US state will see esports as one of the top five sports betting opportunities."
