[toc]Esports and esports betting will get exposure at Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the premier conference for casino gaming, next week in Las Vegas.
The conference that attracts gaming interests from around the world starts on Monday and runs through Thursday.
Those attending will be able to take in the latest in gambling technology and innovation. They will also be able to learn about the industry of esports.
Esports events at casinos?
While Las Vegas has been busy trying to fashion itself as a hub for esports, the industry offers an opportunity for almost any casino.
A panel on Wednesday called “The Height Of Gaming: A Successful Live Esports Event” will tackle the logistics of hosting. Casinos are often readymade for esports events, which attract hundreds or thousands of spectators for games like Dota 2, League of Legends and CS:GO.
The panelists here will address how to “successfully scale and build integrated events to bring additional revenue streams” to a casino. The panel:
- Will Green, Senior Director of Research, American Gaming Association
- Kingsley Edwards, VP of Business Development, Unikrn
- Hai Ng, Co-Founder, Spawn Point North America Inc
- Sid Greenfeig, V.P. of Arena Booking, MGM Resorts International
Esports betting in focus
A panel on the conference’s first day will focus on esports wagering in particular.
Esports betting is becoming increasingly popular as a former of online wagering, but traditional sportsbooks have been relatively slow adopters, and have struggled with profitability without more in-house expertise.
This panel will take a birds-eye view of the esports betting segment of the industry. That includes regulatory concerns, mobile and in-play wagering, match integrity and virtual currencies.
The panel:
- Brett Abarbanel, Director of Research, International Gaming Institute at UNLV, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- Paris Smith, CEO, Pinnacle
- Ryan Morrison, Founding Attorney, Morrison & Lee LLP
- Stephen Crystal, CEO, Casino Scouts
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‘The integrated resort of the future’
One of the highlights of this year’s G2E is the Integrated Resort of the Future. That’s an experiential space on the trade show floor. There, next-generational services will be on display.
Esports will be the focus at this area throughout Thursday:
- Why Esports Matters to Casinos Now and in the Future: Esports is a global phenomenon, and casinos shouldn’t pass up the opportunity. But how and why should they involve themselves in esports?
- Esports: The Five Biggest Challenges in Monetizing Esports in a Casino Resort: How can casinos turn esports into revenue? That’s not necessarily an easy question to answer, but it’s one casinos need to start addressing or be left behind.
- Esports – The Kids are Alright: This session will address the key takeaways when considering esports as an attraction within an integrated resort.
- Betting on Esports & Building Successful Tournaments: If a casino is hosting esports, it certainly makes sense to take bets on esports, as well. How should casinos approach these two ideas in tandem?
- Esports Transforming the Resorts: Design Guidelines for a New Resort: Adding esports or skill-based gaming to a property isn’t just about adding new machines or ideas to old spaces. It takes more thought and a design commitment in order to make an esports attraction successful. Matthew Bogan, a graduate of the UNLV Master of Architecture program, will lead the session.
