Pllay, a skill-based, peer-to-peer, video game wagering platform, has closed a $3m seed funding round led by Screen Play Ventures.
NBA All-Star Bradley Beal highlights the list of investors, with the company using the funds to further enhance its user experience, expand technology development, add people to its team and accelerate user acquisition.
In June, Pllay launched its app in the Apple iOS store with 50,000 pre-registration sign-ups. The company said its platform allows players 18 years or older to compete in a video game and place a wager on the action, with the winner taking home 100% of the prize money.
The esports betting operator said it is aiming at what it estimates to be 800 million “casual gamers” worldwide.
“Wagering in video games is not new, but before PLLAY it always came with some risk,” Shawn Gunn, Co-Founder and CEO, said. “There was no match oversight, no real-time data monitoring, and no guarantees you would even get paid. We are legitimizing the entire process, making those concerns a thing of the past, so gamers can focus on the competition at hand.”
Beal added: “I am a gamer, both on and off the court, so it felt like the right fit."
Players can wager on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Madden 21, FIFA 21, NBA 2K21, and Fortnite across the Xbox and PlayStation consoles.