It’s quite normal to expect the kind of overlap that shows that the online gaming industry is converging. Not everything is gambling in earnest, but the connection between playing games and testing your luck is starting to feel inevitable every now and then.
From the RNG-based lootboxes that make you hope that you’ll land a big booster or a unique item to the jackpot that feels life-changing, there is something that will always speak to our desire to feel the euphoria of winning.
However, the journey that we’re on when we play is just as important if the right infrastructure is in place. What exactly are we looking for when we’re trying to see the parallels between two seemingly unconnected domains?
Casino gaming, represented partially by video slots, is trying its best to bring dynamism to a market that feels like it’s all about an experience shared only by one player at a time.
On the other hand, eSports, especially its betting market, is doing its best to further consolidate what it has already proven: that fast-paced video gaming is a true piece of proof regarding competitiveness.
In this article, we will present all the major levers that the online gambling market is using by trying to extract principles from eSports and bring a more interesting gaming formula.
The main differences between slots and eSports as we know them
We need to begin with this particular point because discussing divergences can help clarify why exactly the convergence can and does work. Without much more introduction, here are a few aspects that are fundamental differences between slot gaming and eSports:
- The skill versus chance pendulum is the most fundamental separation point. Casino games are inherently based on chance, on luck, while eSports are all about skills. Yes, there are certain RNG aspects that influence something like damage on a certain attack when playing games of skill, but that’s a secondary thing that does not influence results directly.
- Legality and legislation aspects are particularly important. As we know, video games depend on things like parental advice, but they’re almost universally legal types of entertainment. As for gambling, they require a strict age eligibility threshold and quite complex licensing methodologies that make mass adoption significantly harder.
- The level of social stigma is very different. Gambling has had a less-than-stellar reputation historically speaking, but it has been changing. However, it’s still far from being the most socially acceptable phenomenon. On the other hand, video games have slowly but surely found themselves in a better social position.
Factors that bring the value of eSports into traditional casino gambling
Now that we know why there’s such a differentiation between these two, it’s time to see what exactly we’re seeing adopted into online gambling via the influence of eSports.
Mind you, these elements are not native to the video gaming field, but rather, an environment in which we’ve seen them take a new step. This is particularly important as the current version of the eSports industry has risen so much because of the internet, which shows another angle of cross-applicability
Gamification and the dynamic format
The idea of gamification has been a strong suit of those who have been trying to modernize slot gaming as we know it. The main argument for it is that there cannot be the very same monotonous feeling around this activity. Why? Because it can turn boring really fast.
We can see gamification within gambling, both within a certain title and within a casino platform.
- Within a game, there can be a set of mechanics that mimic skill. From mini games when you have to click something very quickly, to the idea of aiming for a target, the player’s involvement is much more visible. However, the ultimate results are still a matter of RNG, which means that there’s a matter of optics.
- A casino platform can be a traditional one or a highly gamified one. Its methodology works very similarly to a player’s account and profile within a certain video game. You have progression based on accumulated points, challenges, missions and so on. They all depend on how much money you gamble, but the principle stands.
Leaderboards for the sake of transparency
A really interesting element that we see in both standardized online gambling and in free social tournaments is the idea of bringing a leaderboard to the mix. This is when competitive play is, in any way, feasible for whoever is making the games.
As things have become clearer and more streamlined in this process, the idea of a leaderboard has proven that transparency is very important. This is why we even have the provably fair concept that is doing its best to validate the legitimacy of online gambling’s truly random results.
When it comes to implementing the methods that we see in eSports, the most important fit is to talk about the matter of stimulating competition. There is a prize at the top of the tournament, even if the slot ones simply have you make spins for the sake of having the most luck, based on the tournament style you’re in.
We also have the psychological idea of seeing the difference and deciding if there is a mounting effort that players are willing to make for the sake of rising to the top and prevailing.
Different formats appeal similarly to the various games in eSports
Imagine you’re in a dogfight with similar weapons in any game that has RNG-based damage. You are currently trying to see who can take the most damage over time. Or just think about the scenario in which you’re hunting for a critical hit.
Well, this is how the max multiplier tournament works within the gamified world of slots. If you’re in a tourney in which the player with the highest multiplier lands atop the leaderboard, this is a similar thing.
It doesn’t matter if there’s a difference in bet, which is a level of equality that allows pure competition, even if luck is the only criterion that influences the outcome.
There are also cases when the tournament result depends on how many spins are made, which can be quite similar to the way we perceive those video games that are all about grinding. It’s not necessarily compatible with eSports per se, but it’s from this world, which denotes compatibility.
What is the role of the demographic data?
Based on the data that we have, there is quite a big difference in the demographic profile. More than 60% of the eSports audience is under 34 years old. The numbers that we have for online gambling are much more inconclusive, but Springer’s study on gambling’s demographics shows that the peak interest group is in the 18-35 range as well.
This shows us that there’s an increasing overlap between the two. As a result, we can imagine that there is more portability. This information should clarify that there’s even more potential for gambling’s ability to captivate the interest of eSports fans, even beyond the idea of betting on them.
Conclusion
Let’s wrap up with a simple thing: there’s a clear and absolute need for a careful way of gambling. The best way to do so is to follow the principles of responsible betting and be all in on having a preventive approach!