Las Vegas Gaming Control Board takes a gamble on esports betting
The Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas finally received permission to take wagers for esports matches on Nov. 17, following months of unsuccessful attempts. It's the first casino in the U.S. to legally do so, but was it a one-off?
London-based bookmaker William Hill partnered with the hotel in seeking permission to take bets on League of Legends matches during IEM Oakland, a tournament held earlier in November.
Downtown Grand has already taken steps to establish itself as the go-to for esports events in Las Vegas. The hotel opened a first-of-its-kind esports lounge early 2016 -- which it compares to a nightclub opening -- and has been actively fighting to make esports betting legal in the state of Nevada.
Mashable got a chance to speak with Angela Abshier, the hotel's director of resort marketing, about future opportunities to place wagers on esports.
"We tried for months but didn't get permission from Nevada until the day before [IEM Oakland], which didn't give us time to properly promote," she said, adding that the hotel continues to look for opportunities that will bring esports wagering into the mainstream.
"This is the first time it was done," Abshier continued. "I don't know how many times we will get permission, I don't know if we'll get it again. There is more to come regarding future bets, but no details as to which matches or a criteria by which decisions will be made."
Despite the uncertainty, Abshier has reason to be hopeful. Downtown Grand's William Hill partnership makes for an important ally, and the Nevada Gaming Control Board -- which oversees the state's gaming regulations -- is clearly receptive.
Though betting in esports is not new, sites like William Hill and Daily Fantasy have been taking esports bets as early as 2014. They operate outside of the U.S., due to restrictions imposed by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act of 2006.
The legality of online esports betting in the U.S. is decided on a state-by-state basis. According to The National Conference of State Legislatures, only Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey and the U.S. Virgin Islands allow it. Fans may check with their state legislation on the current status.
Downtown Grand's IEM Oakland wagers marked the first time U.S. fans were able to walk into a casino and legally place bets on their favorite esports teams. A small step forward for esports gambling.
The teams that fans could place wagers on were: Team SoloMid, Longzhu, Flash Wolves, Unicorns of Love, INTZ e-Sports, and The Chiefs Esports. The odds were determined by William Hill, which has had experience with esports wagering in the United Kingdom.
"William Hill has been booking esports wagers in the U.K. -- both online (www.williamhill.com) and in our 2,371 betting shops for a while now," a spokesperson told Mashable.
"Our Nevada Trading team got initial guidance from the team in the U.K. and then we adjusted odds based on the Nevada wagering activity."
Los Angeles based eSports reporter. Former New Yorker. Life long gamer. Lets play Overwatch? Follow me on Twitter @thatOnegirlTV and Facebook
