• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
MagazineGaming

How E-Sports Betting Could Explode

By
Jonathan Sperling
Jonathan Sperling
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Sperling
Jonathan Sperling
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 29, 2018, 6:30 AM ET

ODDSMAKERS REJOICED in May when the U.S. Supreme Court decided to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, paving a way for states to legalize sports betting.

Gambling on sporting events has come a long way in the more than 25 years in which PASPA was law. E-sports—that is, competitive computer gaming—has quickly risen to become one of the premier vessels for sports betting, and with its rise come questions on how the ruling will affect the future of the industry.

“For e-sports betting, the PASPA decision opened the door for any meaningful traction in the U.S.,” says Chris Grove, the managing director of Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, an industry research firm. “You never see [game] publishers get anywhere close to betting unless there is a tightly regulated market.”

In a report that analyzed the intersection of gambling and e-sports, Grove projected that the total value of money and in-game items wagered on major e-sports titles would hit $12.9 billion by 2020, with more than 6.5 million consumers placing wagers. (For comparison, the total size of the legal sports betting market in Nevada was $4.8 billion in 2017.)

In terms of future dangers coming to e-sports as a result of the ruling, underage gambling and damage to competitive integrity could rise, but no more than they would in a gray market, according to Bryce Blum, a founding partner at firm ESG Law, which represents more than 25 Western e-sports organizations.

Says Blum: “We need to accept the fact that betting on e-sports is going to happen whether we like it or not and actively become part of the solution.”

A version of this article appears in the July 1, 2018 issue of Fortune with the headline “Electronic Sports, Real Money.”

About the Author
By Jonathan Sperling
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest from the Magazine

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest from the Magazine

How Kelly Ortberg is rebuilding Boeing from the inside out
Magazine250 Years of Innovation
How Kelly Ortberg is rebuilding Boeing from the inside out
By Shawn TullyJune 1, 2026
14 hours ago
The art of American bigness
MagazineFortune Archives
The art of American bigness
By Indrani SenMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
Citi’s 5-year comeback: How CEO Jane Fraser turned the bank’s chronic underperformance into decade-high revenue
MagazineCitigroup
Citi’s 5-year comeback: How CEO Jane Fraser turned the bank’s chronic underperformance into decade-high revenue
By Claire ZillmanMay 27, 2026
6 days ago
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
MagazineMeta
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
By Ellie AustinMay 27, 2026
6 days ago
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
MagazineSam's Club
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
6 days ago
Inside the ultra-luxury eco-adventure industry turning conservation into a status symbol
MagazineLuxury
Inside the ultra-luxury eco-adventure industry turning conservation into a status symbol
By Adam EraceMay 24, 2026
8 days ago

Most Popular

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
Personal Finance
I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
By Nick LichtenbergMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
Environment
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
By Brian K. Sullivan and BloombergMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
Investing
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
By Shawn TullyMay 31, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
9 hours ago
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
Future of Work
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
By Jacqueline MunisMay 30, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
9 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.