More and more iGaming sponsorship in eSports

What do you think: When did the first official eSports duel take place? In the 2000s or maybe in the late 90s? Far from it, because the first documented match is in 1972! At the Intergelactic Spacewar! Olympiad, which took place in October, 24 game enthusiasts have already come together and competed for the overall victory of the video game tournament. With consoles such as the Playstation, X-Box or even the SEGA, video games found their way into more and more living rooms. And measuring with other players has always been extremely popular. It is therefore hardly surprising that over time the number of publicly held tournaments has increased and more and more companies are appearing as sponsors of eSports. Today, in the calendars of many gaming fans, there are crosses on the tournament days and the fever is high.

What big tournaments are there?

By far the most watched video game tournament in recent years was The International Tournament for Dota 2 , in which more than a million viewers from all over the world watched the stream at times. So it can rightly call itself a virtual mega-event.

But also the League of Legends World Championship is a real crowd puller. Other major events are the CS: GO tournaments , which are always attended by numerous fans.

And one hope still burns in the hearts of the eSports community: eSports could soon become Olympic. Because there has long been a fight for the recognition of eSports as a discipline in its own right at the Olympics. With this move, video games could suddenly find themselves in one of the most important sporting events in the world. pic: lol-turnier.pngpic:cs-go-spiel.pngalt:The LoL Tournamentalt:The Game CS:GOtitle:The LoL Tournament Halltitle:CS:GO is one of the most popular games in the worldThe attention generated by such online tournaments is enormous, which of course does not go unnoticed by potential sponsors. Many gaming-related companies are therefore already on board at one of the many eTournaments. And many fans diligently use the sponsors' offers because they bring comfort or advantages in their own matches or because they just make the tournaments more interesting. But to make the matches even more exciting, many go one step further: They trust their instincts and hope to build up a small fortune through cleverly placed bets. Because exciting games and hot-blooded fan camps have always brought with them the desire to maximize the thrill. And that is exactly what is causing an increasing demand for iGaming offers for eSports tournaments.

iGaming companies play this role in the eSports scene

The typical iGaming companies offer their own online casinos, as well as betting offers on the outcome of various sporting events and, to an increasing extent, also for the eSports scene. But the betting providers are by no means only passively active as bookmakers in the big tournaments - many are also actively involved as sponsors in the game. But which providers have already sponsored tournaments - and what exactly do they expect from it?

Which iGaming companies are currently sponsoring tournaments

The number of iGaming providers and online casinos that can call themselves proud sponsors of eSports competitions has now reached a fairly high level. There are some big players in the betting industry as well as lesser-known newcomers. In the following list you will find some of the biggest eSports tournaments and their sponsors from the sports betting world. SponsorTournamentsBetwayLeague of Legends European Championship, Overwatch LeagueUnibetDream Hack, CS:GOGG.BetDota 2, StarSeries i-League1xBetFortnite World Cup, League of Legends World ChampionshipDie

List of the supposedly best providers

shows what the eSports industry can expect. It also remains to be seen whether sports betting providers and online casinos will also focus on games like Fifa and the like in the future. However, it can be assumed that there would also be thousands of enthusiastic fans who would be happy about such an offer.

What are the benefits of sponsorship deals for tournament organizers, players and fans?

The windfall that comes from the numerous sponsors is of great importance for the development of the eSports industry. Because if you have a high budget at your disposal, you can make your tournament even more exciting. Be it through higher quality and more stable streams or higher prize money which attracts absolute world-class players. In order to make the biggest advantages clear to you, which come about through sponsors from the iGaming industry, you have a short overview again:

• Higher prize money
• Faster streams
• More tournaments
• Better known players
• Better entertainment
• Better location
• New Tournaments

The exact sums that the tournament organizers collect from the betting providers are usually not known. But compared to other major events with a similarly high level of attention, it can be assumed that it could well be in the high six figures - if not millions. Thus, iGaming companies have a strong stake in eSports events can be made so exciting.

What advantage do betting providers derive from this?

However, the sports betting providers and online casino operators are anything but altruistic. Because not only on the monitors of the tournament participants is fought hard. Betting providers are also in competition with each other to see who can claim the most players. For this reason, the operators promise the following things above all: reach, attention and the development of a good image. Because iGaming companies are often criticized, especially when it comes to player protection. But many reputable betting providers prove that you shouldn't lump the whole industry together because of a handful of black sheep again and again. Because the reputable operators are in possession of valid EU gaming licenses, which are associated with many conditions and regulations. Thus, with every registration with a betting provider or online casino, an age check is carried out and it is ensured that the person concerned is of legal age. In addition, of course, the organizers of the various eSport tournaments also make sure that all sponsors comply with the applicable rules of the game. Because disregard would also be very bad for the image of tournaments.

The future of sponsorship lies in eSports

The sponsorship money, which eSports tournaments can book for themselves, is definitely positive for the future development of the scene. The fact that iGaming companies are among them is not only logical, but also enormously helpful for development due to the large sums of money that are sponsored. This means that the way is clear for action-packed matches and interesting final rounds in the future, in which only the best of the best will compete. In addition, it remains exciting to see which path the iGaming providers will take in the eSports scene. Will they maybe run their own tournaments one day?