Over 50 percent of esports followers likely to bet on esports in the US - Survey
Interpret found the slight majority of 521 esports followers were likely to participate in betting on major tournaments.
Esports has continued growing, and with it, opportunities to bet on the outcome of matches has risen as well.
A survey from consumer insights group Interpret found that 52% of esports followers, or those who "regularly follow" professional esports, are likely to place bets on major esports tournaments.
21% were neutral on the subject, while 28% were unlikely to place bets.
Interpret's report notes that the Philadelphia Eagles recently entered into a partnership with esports tournament provider Esports Entertainment Group, or EEG, to host Madden NFL tournaments. Esports betting has also found its way into Las Vegas sportsbooks.
Interpret clarified to GamesIndustry.biz that its survey questionnaire reached a sample size of 9,000 U.S. residents age 13-65, with esports followers representing a sample of 521 people. It also specified using an online betting service, so it did not include in-client non-monetary bets or skin betting.
As esports gambling increases, companies have had to address tack-on issues with betting taking place on their matches.
Activision Blizzard entered a multi-year partnership with Sportradar last year to institute betting monitoring on both the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League.
Last October, several Counter-Strike players were banned for placing bets on themselves following a joint investigation from the Esports Integrity Commission and the Esports Entertainment Association, and in 2019, six men were arrested in connection with suspicious betting activity on Counter-Strike matches.