esports: the rise of competitive video gaming
TRANSCRIPT
eSports – The Rise of Competitive Video Gaming
Brett Abarbanel, Ph.D.UCLA Gambling Studies Program
University of California, Los Angeles
What are eSports?eSports = “electronic sports”
Competitive video gamingVariety of styles
Team v. Team, 1 v. 1, individual performanceCore of eSports is similar to the industry from which it derives its name
Industry GrowthTotal eSports industry is estimated at ~US$325M
~67.4% YoY growth from 2014Biggest markets: US and China
North America, China, and South Korea make up ~61% of eSports revenues
(Newzoo, 2015; Eilers Research, 2015)
Estimated US$315M wagered in 2015Projected US$23.5B by 2020
eSports are Pinnacle’s 7th biggest market in terms of volumeOccasional eSports viewers and eSports enthusiasts are twice as likely to gamble in online casinos and/or on real-time sporting events
Industry Growth
Broadcasting on regional and national channels in South Korea, Germany, UK, France, US
“Heroes of the Dorm” on ESPN2 in April 2015January 2016 – ESPN adds eSports to front page newsfeedBlizzard buys MLG for US$46M2015 League of Legends World Championship Viewership: 36M viewers
Full Tilt PokerFTP available on Steam platformSponsorship of G2 eSports
(LoL eSports, 2015 Newzoo, 2015)
Industry Growth
Gambling on eSportseSportsbook
Daily Fantasy eSports
Game-mediated betting
Head-to-head betting
Gambling in eSports
Image Courtesy of Dr. Daniel King, University of Adelaide
Gambling themes in-game - Slot machines, Borderlands 2
Gambling in Video Games
Professional teamsLevels of training
Tournament OrganizationSport PsychologyEthics in eSports
Performance-enhancing drugsEtiquette and BM-ing
Competition – Sport and Gaming
Defining gamblingRisking something of value on an event whose outcome is in doubt
RNG functionsProcCritDeal rand([x y]) damage
Game Mechanics - Gambling
HearthstoneTransform into a random minion Discover mechanicAttack/Damage a random minionDeal randomly-distributed damage
Game Mechanics - Gambling
“Wizard Poker”Skill transference
Competitive strategy gamesSometimes with randomness involved
Bluffing (and calling bluffs), going “all in”
Negative behavioursTilting/Getting Salty
Poker branding already appearing in Hearthstone
Gaming and Poker – the Example of Hearthstone
BlizzCon Hearthstone Exhibition – Poker Player Match-up
Potential LiabilitiesNo universal/standardized rules or oversightAverage salaries lower than most sportPlayer ageAdvertisements - Twitch
Integrity ConcernsTournament self-reporting Match-fixing
General CSR and HealthTime on device, Time spectating
Integrating RG Practices
Unikrn Competitive Integrity Certification programPlayer code of conductStandards for investigating possible violationsSpecific rules tailored to both LAN and online-based events
Integrating RG Practices - Unikrn
eSports and gambling are convergingIndustries meet…and explodeGame components overlap
Gambling components in video gamesGaming components in gambling games
Needs a unique approach to responsible gaming/gambling
eSports contains both old and new RG issues
To sum it all up…
Questions? Comments?
Brett [email protected]
310-206-9942
Cover Images Courtesy of LoL eSports and Intel Extreme Masters
