Esports in Nevada Get Greenlight, Become Betting Market

Esports in Nevada have received a formal approval by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and is now a viable market to bet on in the Silver State.

Nevada Gives Go-Ahead for Esports and Counter-Strike Wagers

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has given the go-ahead to stated licensed operators to start accepting esports bets on the ESL Pro League Season, a popular video gaming competition with a global footprint.

At a time when COVID-19 has shut down the Silver State for business, esports has been slowly gaining momentum. Formal approval from the state’s gambling regulator gives the esports community a further boost and the until-now modest esports betting industry – an opportunity to shine.

RT ESPN_Esports "Two #ESLProLeague events will be the first esports matches eligible for betting in Nevada. https://t.co/VLkRlsQTmi"

— BrodieGamerz (@BrodieGamerz) March 26, 2020

Sports and esports fans are welcome to place their wagers on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, part of the ESL Pro League Season 11: North American series with sportsbooks quickly adapting to the news and releasing odds for the teams. William Hill has become the first “bookie” to accept wagers on Counter-Strike in Nevada.

Hold on with Esports Live Betting

For the time being, the Nevada Gaming Control Board will not permit live betting on esports, but giving the go-ahead for esports as a whole is a significant opportunity for the segment to shine.

EveryMatrix has just recently boosted its esports offer and Puntt, an online sportsbook, has launched an esports market. Nevada does not allow online gambling, but in time when the novel coronavirus outbreak has forced all casinos and sportsbooks to shut down, this stance is up for debate.

COVID-19 has led to a spate of cancelled events with global sports coming to a complete halt. All major competitions in the United States have been suspended, including the NBA, MLB, and the NHL.

Coronavirus Affected Globally as Sports Falls Victim but Esports Soars

Across the Atlantic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have been both diagnosed with COVID-19. Meanwhile, the English Premier League and the Bundesliga have been suspended until further notice.

Commercial casinos in the United States have been closed completely while the Senate voted a $2 trillion relief bill which will also help the gambling industry – a move hailed by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and backed by casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who will however not claim any share of the money.

The passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has been hailed as an important landmark in bolstering the response to COVID-19 which might put as many as 100 million Americans at risk of losing their jobs.

In the meantime, esports has also taken a hit with a spate of canceled and suspended events globally. However, unlike the Tokyo Olympics, esports are more flexible and can rebound quickly even if physical venues have been suspended.

While some video gamers have been more cautious, franchised esports such as the Overwatch League have decided to return and continue business as usual, the only exception being no live audiences on account of the league shifting online.

A number of mainstream competitions have shifted to esports, including Formula 1 which has canceled the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and NASCAR which has turned to its esports series for an opportunity to bounce back.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has long been running a digital league, making the shift fairly easy, with the NBA 2K drawing in some solid viewership as well. Admittedly, soccer players haven’t had much to do, but this hasn’t stopped many LaLiga players participating in FIFA 20 tournaments for charity.