William Hill has received approval from Nevada gaming regulators to accept bets on esports tournaments.
Betting started recently at the International Extreme Masters Oakland event, where top-tier League of Legends players competed for a prize pool of $100,000.
United Kingdom-based bookmaker, William Hill, who runs a successful online casino and sportsbook operation globally, has teamed up with Downtown Grand Las Vegas casino. This collaboration aims to pioneer esports betting in Nevada and the entire United States.
Sports betting and esports gambling in Nevada
Before the William Hill agreement, Nevada’s gaming laws permitted betting on athletic and traditional sporting events. However, there were distinct laws related to the burgeoning esports betting industry, which is expected to surpass $20 billion by 2020.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board has now announced that esports betting can be classified as sports betting. This means that only minor regulatory changes were required to permit esports betting in Nevada.
“Downtown Grand Casino Chairman Seth Schorr expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate closely with Chairman Burnett and the Governor’s Gaming Policy Committee. He emphasized their collective support for eSports wagering as a privilege and an honor,” Schorr said.
“We are proud to announce that the Downtown Grand will house the first regulated eSports wager in America. This is a sterling example of a successful collaboration between public and private sectors, resulting in an innovative gambling approach that will positively influence state revenues.”
About William Hill
Founded in the UK in 1934, William Hill stands as one of the world’s largest bookmakers, boasting a revenue of over £1.59 billion ($1.98 billion) in 2015.
In its betting shops and corporate offices based in Leeds and Gibraltar, William Hill employs 16,000 people.
Operating over 2,300 betting shops in the UK and Ireland, the company is the largest gambling operator in the UK with a market share exceeding 25 percent.
Recently, William Hill had engaged in talks about a potential merger with Canadian gaming titans, Amaya, who own PokerStars. However, these negotiations were unsuccessful and no agreement was finalized.
William Hill has stated its intent to continue concentrating on its online services. The company’s US CEO, Joe Asher, confirmed this by saying that their latest deal is part of this commitment.
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