How Long Will It Be Until Major Esports Titles Have Branded Slot Games?

It may already feel like competitive gaming is now fully legitimized alongside traditional sports, but there's still a long way to go before esports competitions rival the global dominance of the Super Bowl or the FIFA World Cup. To meet projections suggesting the industry could quadruple in value by the 2030s, esports needs to broaden its appeal and market itself to a wider audience.

One potential avenue to increase exposure and reach new fans could be through branded slot games. This strategy has already proven effective in other areas of entertainment, such as TV series and films, so there's no reason esports couldn't follow suit.

The Lines Between Casinos and Esports Are Blurring

According to the latest figures from Grand View Research, the esports market is expected to more than triple by 2030, reaching a projected valuation of $341.4 million. To achieve this, the industry will likely need to tap into adjacent booming online sectors - most notably, online casinos.

The crossover is already underway. Physical casinos are incorporating esports into their offering, such as the HyperX Esports Arena at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Back in 2017, MGM Resorts International partnered with Unikrn to bring live competitive gaming to the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, further highlighting this convergence.

There are various online casinos that have connected sportsbooks too, many of which offer odds on esports competitions. This highlights how there’s already a strong link between the gambling industry and esports. However, one area that remains largely untapped is the creation of online slot games based on esports titles. With the industry's momentum, this could be a strategic move in the future.

Franchises Expand Into iGaming

Aside from there being the link between the esports and casino markets already, there’s a chance to strengthen this through branded slot games. Online casinos are continually seeking to expand and diversify their game libraries to attract a wider audience. This emphasis on variety aligns closely with the casino review process created by casinoalpha.com, which prioritizes diverse game selections when recommending platforms to players. In fact, game variety stands as one of the five foundational pillars of a successful new casino site, with fresh genres and innovative formats regularly emerging in the market.

Loads of entertainment franchises have already branched out into slot games, with various movies using the iGaming market to reach a wider audience. The same can be said for television shows, with Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad both famously having their own dedicated slots. It would make a lot of sense to do the same with titles like Dota 2 and League of Legends, with new slots offering a way for more people to discover these esports.

A Win-Win

With esports constantly expanding and its ties to online casinos growing stronger, the development of branded slot games based on competitive gaming titles feels like a natural next step. It's a marketing opportunity that could benefit both industries - increasing the visibility of esports while offering casinos compelling new content for a diversifying audience.