Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is due to go fully live in the Garden State after the company completed its ‘soft play’ phase, an essential regulatory step set forth by New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement that must happen prior to gaining an operating license.
The company – which has offices in the UK, Malta and New Jersey – will now be the first operator to have full license to operate an esports platform, not just in the state, but across the entire North American continent.
New Jerseyites will have access to Esports Entertainment’s VIE.gg platform, thereby enabling players to place bets in real time on such games as Call of Duty, Overwatch, CS:GO, League of Legends and DOTA 2.
Company management struck an upbeat tone when commenting on the development. Said CEO Grant Johnson: “We are pleased with the completion of the soft play period, which is a testament to all the hard work by our team over the past year.
“As the first licensed esports-focused betting site in North America, we’re thrilled to fully launch the VIE.gg platform in New Jersey, one of the largest and most promising jurisdictions for sports wagering in the country.”
Esports – betting on the outcome of video game competition – is a side of the gaming industry with huge growth potential. Some players in the industry even predict that, in a matter of years, it will surpass traditional sports betting in terms of handle.
Companies such as Esports Entertainment predict that the rise of esports will come alongside demographic shifts, as younger generations reared on video games come of age.
