Mobile eSports is gaining traction, and with a substantial portion of the audience still under the age of legal gambling, the sector could yet emerge from the shadow of its more developed relative.
The reasons for the rise in mobile eSports revenue are numerous and varied. In developed markets, the majority of adults and adolescents own a smartphone, while smartphone penetration rates in emerging markets are rapidly increasing. According to Statista, there are currently 3.5 billion mobile users worldwide, implying that 44.85% of the world’s population – of all ages – owns a smartphone. This is a significant increase from the previous year’s number of 2.5 billion people, or 33.58 percent of the global population.
Technology also plays a role. When more countries deploy quicker, higher-bandwidth 5G networks, playing and watching games on mobile, even when you’re not connected to the internet, becomes a much more attractive proposition, providing high-definition videos and eliminating lag and latency problems.
For sportsbook owners, esports is a gold mine. Top bookies like Betway have hopped on the esports train with optimism, thanks to a steady stream of new titles and a continuously churning following that offers an opportunity unlike any other in conventional sports. Although the pandemic of 2020 slowed the industry somewhat, the next big thing in esports is already happening.
Mobile games are now one of the most profitable industries on the planet. Smartphones that can run high-definition games are becoming more popular in the global south, bringing billions of dollars into the phone gaming industry. Many phone apps, for example, the Betway app, have spawned competitive scenes with millions of fans and millions of dollars driving rivalry, inspired by their PC and console-based predecessors.
What can betting companies learn from mobile esports?
From the standpoint of a bookmaker, smartphone esports pose many of the same threats as PC or console esports. Their logistical challenges are compounded by the fact that they are so new, but the potential audience is enormous. Smartphone gaming is increasingly common in developing economies, so anyone with a smartphone is a potential bettor. And experienced esports operators will face new obstacles in accommodating mobile esports betting.
Since mobile esport data analysis and record-keeping are so fresh in the esports field, they can’t compare to League of Legends or Counter-Strike. Mobile esports isn’t a common option for the hardcore betting crowd, despite their massive player and fan bases. In comparison to more developed titles, they don’t have as many tournaments, and their secondary industries, such as coverage and sponsorship, are missing.
It’s difficult to tell whether or not investing in the new mobile esports betting industry is worthwhile. There are many logistical challenges to tackle, and the majority of the population is not of legal gambling age. With that in mind, only a few industries are growing at the same rate as mobile gaming. The special interest could one day rule the betting world, thanks to the proliferation of handheld devices and the rising scene for mobile games. Find a variety of esports on the Betway online casino.