Esports Entertainment Group To Accept Esports Bets In N.J.

• On Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement granted the Esports Entertainment Group authorization to accept wagers on all esports events.
• The Esports Entertainment Group authorization will make the group New Jersey’s first dedicated esports sportsbook, significantly broadening the state’s sports betting offerings.

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey sports bettors will soon be able to wager on nearly every major esports event after the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement granted the Esports Entertainment Group authorization to accept wagers on esports events on Monday.

Esports are essentially professional video game contests, often played for a cash prize which can reach upwards of $1 million. These contests vary in which particular game is played, with some of the more common games including League of Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and Fortnite.

While these events are among the most popular for participants and viewers, esports has proliferated to the point that nearly every major release has its own dedicated esports contests. These contests are growing rapidly in popularity internationally – several events regularly generate over 10 million viewers, with the largest events topping 75 million viewers.

With Monday’s authorization, the group will become the first operator in New Jersey dedicated to accepting wagers on esports. Esports Entertainment will be associated with Bally’s Atlantic City, though it will only accept esports wagers.

After the completion of a soft launch beginning Tuesday, the company will launch its VIE.gg esports betting platform. The soft launch is anticipated to last five days, which likely places the full launch over the weekend or early next week.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to be the first esports-dedicated operator to be granted the right to commence business in New Jersey,” said Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group. “We are thrilled to be playing such an important role in this fast-growing market with the launch of our first esports wagering offering in the United States.”

According to Johnson, his company projects esports’ betting handle to reach over $200 billion by 2027.

Prior to Esports Entertainment Group’s authorization, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement had granted sportsbooks authorization to accept wagers on certain esports events at their discretion. Monday’s authorization is the first to be granted to an entire company, which should expand New Jersey’s slate of esports betting options significantly.

Esports Entertainment Group’s esports bookmaking services will certainly serve to broaden the offerings of legal sports betting in New Jersey. Moreover, it may even attract an entirely new demographic to the world of legal sports betting, potentially recouping a portion of the lost income from New York’s recent mobile sportsbook launch.

If the upcoming launch is successful, it may not be long before New Jersey begins to approve other niche sportsbook operators, possibly even bringing more esports-focused sportsbooks to the New Jersey market.

News tags: Bally's Atlantic City | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | eSports | ESports Entertainment Group | Fortnite | Grant Johnson | League of Legends | New Jersey | New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement | New York | VIE.gg