This past November, William Hill made History as the first US sportsbook to legally take wagers on an esports event. The betting took place at the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas for the Intel Extreme Masters in Oakland. This weekend, history will be made again. With the launching of the Nevada Esports Alliance, the NVEA and the Nevada Gaming Control Board have come to an understanding regarding the upcoming DreamHack Las Vegas. William Hill will be taking legal bets on esports yet again. This will mark the first esports event in Las Vegas to legally take bets.
Why Has it Taken So Long for Las Vegas to Allow Esports Betting?
Betting on esports is already huge in other parts of the world. The US has been slower in adopting this, and probably for good reason. Unfortunately, we have seen some issues with esports betting in the past. Possibly the most notable case is the infamous match fixing scandal in Starcraft. Preventing match fixing is no small feat. However, as the NVEA and the NGCB have come to an understanding for this event, we can hope to see strides towards proper regulations in the near future.
Jennifer Roberts, one of the founders of the NVEA, tweeted the above photo with the message:
“What a great accomplishment with a memorandum of understanding between #ESIC and #NevadaGamingControlBoard @UNLVLaw for #esports integrity”
What Does This Mean for Las Vegas?
Legalized betting on esports events can only mean huge growth for the industry. With the launch of the NVEA and the experience of the founders and participating groups, Las Vegas esports is on the cusp of a breakthrough.