Tech entrepreneur Roman Semiokhin has launched multiple betting and gaming products in the esports arena. This article will explore the global explosion in interest in esports and how tech is transforming the gaming and betting industries. For the latest statistics on esports in the UK, view the attached infographic.
The global gambling market currently has a value of somewhere in the region of $59 billion (USD). This figure is predicted to almost double by 2022, topping $92 billion.
Gaming is also a billion-dollar industry today, and experts predict it will only get bigger. Experts anticipate that, over the next five years, the gaming market will grow by around 10% annually.
Tech is transforming betting, enhancing the user experience. AI-powered chatbots are revolutionising online customer service, while virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are offering users a vastly more immersive customer experience. You can learn more about what AR is and its potential applications by viewing the embedded PDF.
What Is AR and What Is Its Potential?
Today, VR casinos replicate the experience of visiting a real-world casino, complete with sounds that recreate the atmosphere of a brick-and-mortar casino, as well as lifelike slot machines and in-game chats. Similarly, in the world of gaming, AR integrates the audio and video content of a game with the player’s real-world environment to make the experience more engaging and interactive.
Technology has changed the way consumers access the gambling and gaming markets, the most obvious example being an increase in the use of smartphones and digital devices to gamble and play games. Research by the Gambling Commission recently revealed that around half of all online gamblers place bets via their mobile phone. Meanwhile, growth of the gaming industry directly correlates with the popularisation of mobile devices.
Reflecting on the soaring popularity of esports today, Roman Semiokhin indicates that the key driver in attracting and keeping punters is technological innovation coupled with customer experience. Esports can provide accurate to the millisecond data points that are collected in an automated fashion. By contrast, in football today everything is inputted manually, which is not only incredibly labour-intensive but also culminates in a significant delay, with only very basic data points available in real time.
Although the esports market is in its relative infancy, the scope for future opportunities and growth in the sector is vast. With technological advancements occurring at lightning speed, it seems almost inevitable that esports will claim the lion’s share of bookmaker revenues in the comparatively near future. You can find out more about the rise of the esports market by viewing the embedded video.
