Time and time again, we see just how popular betting is in the world of professional competition. Professional video gaming spotted this trend as far back as the early 2010s, and once pro video gaming tournaments were selling out arenas and bringing in millions of people watching online, it was only a matter of time before betting companies started to aim at the sector.
As we move this dial forward a decade, eSports betting is a well-established market within the larger industry. While social media influencers who specialize in gaming and streaming are still the largest subsector within the industry, we could see a shift toward betting over the next few years, especially as eSports betting at Bovada and other sites begin to laser in on the enormous potential that not only eSports betting has, but the rise of cryptocurrency and blockchain in creating a betting niche that is both fairer, more transparent and equally secure.
To say betting will be able to overtake the size and scope of the gaming influencer space is a tough ask, though, but let’s take a deeper look at some of the factors that could result in it coming out on top over the next decade.
Capturing A Digital Audience
One of the main assets that eSports has been able to build on is its truly global nature. Unlike other professional sports and competitions, which set up paywalls and subscription services that can shut off the market from discovering its full global potential, eSports has leveraged social media sites, influencers, and streaming companies to maximize the scope of its market reach.
The best example of a US market that has been able to adapt to the rise of digital demand is the NBA, which has been putting plans in place for over a decade, allowing overseas fans to watch the sport for a reasonable price, and ensuring that every element of the season is easy to watch on social media or find information about it online.
The build-up in the 2025 NBA offseason is underpinned by a raft of gambling operators all looking to tap into the huge, growing international demand for the NBA. Without trying to sound too reductive or to relegate it to a basic point, this is the same essence that eSports has created.
It’s been clear for over a decade and a half that the world of sports and sports betting would be completely digitally driven. Professional video gaming companies have been able to capture this market and adapt to it, which has led to some incredibly impressive results, especially since the start of this decade.
The Importance Of Cryptocurrency
If betting is going to become the biggest subsector in eSports, then a lot of this relies on the growth of cryptocurrency and how widely adopted it is in the world of betting. Cryptocurrency prices have been soaring over the last 18 months, and this increase in action and the vast amount of money flowing into digital assets from traditional finance companies have created a demand that has never been seen before in sports betting.
Previously, online gambling innovations focused on the interfaces people would use, the whole market shifted from PC to laptop, and then to smartphones and tablets. Although payment methods started as VISA and MasterCard transactions before moving to more contemporary fintech innovations such as Apple Pay and PayPal, cryptocurrency changed the whole dynamic of the betting industry. In fact, PayPal is still at the forefront of innovation in fintech, but cryptocurrencies offer a different route
It is so revolutionary in its design as it removes the need for a third party to oversee the transaction, and the direct peer-to-peer nature of the design means that people can send money to each other from anywhere in the world.
Exploring The Market A Decade From Now
Nobody can say for sure whether eSports betting will become the main force in the market, but there’s still a huge number of influencers who are making money hand over fist with their affiliate marketing.
In addition to this, there’s also a growing demand in other areas of technology, including cheaper VR headsets saturating the market and starting to play a larger role in eSports. While AI will also have something to add to this interesting elixir of technological enhancements in the world of gaming, the appeal of betting is its universality.
It is ubiquitous, and those who bet on other professional sports and competitions can translate these markets quickly and efficiently into the world of eSports. For eSports, a market that relies on the interconnectivity of a global market, it’s going to take a few variables for it to reach its full potential.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are gaining traction in traditional finance, which appears poised to succeed and cross into the mainstream, and there’s a strong possibility that betting could emerge as the most significant subsector in eSports, if all of these positive contributing factors combine around the same time. It could be a decade from now, or it could be sooner, but it’s one of the most fascinating areas of the gaming world.
Could Betting Become eSports’ Biggest Subsector?
Time and time again, we see just how popular betting is in the world of professional competition. Professional video gaming spotted this trend as far back as the early 2010s, and once pro video gaming tournaments were selling out arenas and bringing in millions of people watching online, it was only a matter of time before betting companies started to aim at the sector.
As we move this dial forward a decade, eSports betting is a well-established market within the larger industry. While social media influencers who specialize in gaming and streaming are still the largest subsector within the industry, we could see a shift toward betting over the next few years, especially as eSports betting at Bovada and other sites begin to laser in on the enormous potential that not only eSports betting has, but the rise of cryptocurrency and blockchain in creating a betting niche that is both fairer, more transparent and equally secure.
To say betting will be able to overtake the size and scope of the gaming influencer space is a tough ask, though, but let’s take a deeper look at some of the factors that could result in it coming out on top over the next decade.
Capturing A Digital Audience
One of the main assets that eSports has been able to build on is its truly global nature. Unlike other professional sports and competitions, which set up paywalls and subscription services that can shut off the market from discovering its full global potential, eSports has leveraged social media sites, influencers, and streaming companies to maximize the scope of its market reach.
The best example of a US market that has been able to adapt to the rise of digital demand is the NBA, which has been putting plans in place for over a decade, allowing overseas fans to watch the sport for a reasonable price, and ensuring that every element of the season is easy to watch on social media or find information about it online.
The build-up in the 2025 NBA offseason is underpinned by a raft of gambling operators all looking to tap into the huge, growing international demand for the NBA. Without trying to sound too reductive or to relegate it to a basic point, this is the same essence that eSports has created.
It’s been clear for over a decade and a half that the world of sports and sports betting would be completely digitally driven. Professional video gaming companies have been able to capture this market and adapt to it, which has led to some incredibly impressive results, especially since the start of this decade.
The Importance Of Cryptocurrency
If betting is going to become the biggest subsector in eSports, then a lot of this relies on the growth of cryptocurrency and how widely adopted it is in the world of betting. Cryptocurrency prices have been soaring over the last 18 months, and this increase in action and the vast amount of money flowing into digital assets from traditional finance companies have created a demand that has never been seen before in sports betting.
Previously, online gambling innovations focused on the interfaces people would use, the whole market shifted from PC to laptop, and then to smartphones and tablets. Although payment methods started as VISA and MasterCard transactions before moving to more contemporary fintech innovations such as Apple Pay and PayPal, cryptocurrency changed the whole dynamic of the betting industry. In fact, PayPal is still at the forefront of innovation in fintech, but cryptocurrencies offer a different route
It is so revolutionary in its design as it removes the need for a third party to oversee the transaction, and the direct peer-to-peer nature of the design means that people can send money to each other from anywhere in the world.
Exploring The Market A Decade From Now
Nobody can say for sure whether eSports betting will become the main force in the market, but there’s still a huge number of influencers who are making money hand over fist with their affiliate marketing.
In addition to this, there’s also a growing demand in other areas of technology, including cheaper VR headsets saturating the market and starting to play a larger role in eSports. While AI will also have something to add to this interesting elixir of technological enhancements in the world of gaming, the appeal of betting is its universality.
It is ubiquitous, and those who bet on other professional sports and competitions can translate these markets quickly and efficiently into the world of eSports. For eSports, a market that relies on the interconnectivity of a global market, it’s going to take a few variables for it to reach its full potential.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are gaining traction in traditional finance, which appears poised to succeed and cross into the mainstream, and there’s a strong possibility that betting could emerge as the most significant subsector in eSports, if all of these positive contributing factors combine around the same time. It could be a decade from now, or it could be sooner, but it’s one of the most fascinating areas of the gaming world.
