Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming January 2017 34 Feature In Focus With a massive global audience and betting activity that is expected to quadruple by 2020, could eSports, also known as competitive video gaming, be the way of the future for the gaming industry? By Charles Anderer L ast month, the Nevada Gaming Policy Committee gave the state’s regulators a green light to develop rules and regulations for betting on eSports, and work is expected to begin this month. eSports was a hot topic at this year’s Global Gaming Expo, where Nevada Gaming Board Chairman A.G. Burnett said he and his fellow regulators were ready to move forward on the issue. “I’m an attorney by trade and part of gaming regulation for just over 18 years,” said Burnett, speaking at a session called eSports and Casinos. “The thing that has kept me around at the agency is that there’s always a new thing, a new wave, something exciting around the corner with gaming and I believe affirmatively that eSports is that for 2017 and beyond.” EXPONENTIAL GROWTH eSports is on the radar of Las Vegas resort operators for a few very good reasons. High-profile CS:GO (Counter Strike: Global Offensive) tournaments, where teams of gamers compete for a large prize pool, Gambling on gaming