06
US : A new wave of bettors State of play : Esports betting report 2021
US : A NEW WAVE OF BETTORS
BY REVENUE , the US is the second largest esports market in the world , with $ 252.8m in revenue generated in 2020 ( Newzoo ), made up mainly of sponsorship money .
This should come as no surprise , as the US has the second-highest number of gamers in the world at 244 million , meaning as many as three out of four people in the nation are gamers . 1
With most professional and collegiate sports put on hold during the 2020 pandemic , esports took the spotlight , garnering mainstream media attention . This in turn caused a significant rise in viewership ( 10.6 %) and awareness during the pandemic year .
The increased attention on esports , and the lack of traditional sporting tournaments , caught the gaze of non-endemic brands looking for ways to engage young people . US-based companies and organisations that made their foray into esports in 2020 include Levi ’ s , Duracell and even the US Navy .
Technology consulting firm Activate estimates that the US will have 84 million viewers of esports in 2021 . The country is also home to a significant number of the world ’ s active esports competition players ; they number more
than 19,000 and enjoy total player earnings of $ 169.4m .
A wave of betting regulations is currently making progress through state and federal legislative bodies . Many betting operators consider the US a top priority for 2021 expansion .
STATE OF ESPORTS BETTING IN THE US
The striking down of the
Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act ( PASPA ) in May 2018 helped pave the way for legalised esports betting in the country .
However , like sports betting regulation , each individual state across the US has been given free rein on how to regulate the activity . Some states have specifically ruled out esports wagering , while others have not mentioned it in their legislation .
States including Nevada , New Jersey , Colorado , Washington , Tennessee , Virginia and West Virginia have deemed esports betting to be legal . Maine even has legislation that specifically allows for esports wagering under discussion .
The states where esports betting is
1
NPD Group
State of play : Esports betting report 2021