Research review by Greo: E-sports
IAGR partner, Greo, provides IAGR members with a snapshot of regulatory approaches to online gambling worldwide.
Greo is an independent knowledge translation and exchange organisation with two decades of international experience helping organisations improve their programs, policies and practices by harnessing the power of evidence and stakeholder insight.
This month, Greo have shared a selection of research to inform action on e-sports.
In several jurisdictions, sportsbook operators allow people to bet on competitive video game matches known as electronic sports (esports). Esports are organized events similar to professional sports in that the matches take place between skilled players or teams and can be viewed online or in-person with large audiences. The popularity of esports has grown exponentially over the years, partly due to the launch of live-streaming platforms.
In addition to betting on the outcome of esports through sportsbooks, people can also gamble on esports through unregulated sites using skins. Skins are virtual video game items that are purely cosmetic and do not provide in-game advantages, but they are collectible and rare skins can be worth thousands of dollars. Skins can be purchased or obtained as rewards in video games, traded or sold between players, or won through loot boxes or gambling.
Many of the common risk factors associated with traditional gambling (e.g., being young and male, having early exposure to gambling) are also associated with esports. Recent research has found that being an esports bettor significantly predicted greater problem gambling severity and gambling-related harms. In addition, those who had recently bet on esports using skins were over three times more likely to gamble at at-risk or problem levels.
Research to inform action
Below is a selection of research article summaries that can help to inform regulatory decisions around esports:
- Adolescents’ esports betting, gaming, and gambling behaviours
- The association of esports betting and skin gambling with traditional gambling and gambling problems
- An examination of the relationships between esports betting, problem gambling, problem video gaming, and mental health
- Problems in regulating social media advertisements for esports gambling
- Comparing people who bet on esports and traditional sports on gambling involvement, problems, and harms
- Traditional gambling and esports gambling advertising on Twitter
- Skin gambling is associated with problematic gambling in adolescents when controlling for other gambling activities
- Gambling and video games: are esports betting and skin gambling associated with greater gambling involvement and harm? (report)
Evidence informed measures
Several jurisdictions where esports betting is legal have implemented harm reduction measures related to betting and marketing.
Sweden
In Sweden, as of 1 January 2021, it is not permitted to bet on events where a majority of the participants are under the age of 18. The threshold of participation is at 50%, which means that if more than 50% of the players on the teams taking part in the event are underage, the game cannot be offered on a sportsbook. The regulator released a statement clarifying that this regulation also extends to esports betting.
United Kingdom
Following a study by GambleAware of esports-related social media in the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority created an Advice Notice on eSport-related gambling marketing on social media, to ensure marketing complies with the CAP Code.
