Esports Betting Approved in Nevada

The Nevada Gaming Control Board took a bold step on Wednesday as it granted approval to bet on Counter-Strike – ESL Pro League Season 11: North America.

The board has announced three wager types that are considered approved. These are:

• Head to Head: This is the most popular betting form and involves gambling on match outcome: lose, win, or draw in some cases.
• Overall Season Winner: This involves predicting the winner of the entire season.
• Winner of Each Match: This involves predicting the winner of each match.

Wagers not included in the approved categories cannot be offered. They will require approval from relevant authorities before they can be played.

What Does It Mean for the Sports Betting Industry?

This means all licensed bookmakers will be able to accept and post wagers on Counter-Strike – ESL Pro League Season 11: North America. However, they must meet certain conditions.

Regulators had previously only approved betting on specific online events and not entire leagues.

The first sportsbook to benefit from the change was William Hill in Las Vegas. It released the odds for the first two eligible matches on Thursday.

Twitch and YouTube aired both matches online and players could bet via the casino’s mobile app.

What’s Counter-Strike – ESL Pro League Season 11: North America?

ESL Pro League Season 11 is an event that’ll be held fully online.

It’s the league’s first season since introducing permanent-partner teams and transitioning to a single global league from multiple regionalized leagues.

The prize is worth $750,000 divided into multiple teams. The winner will take home a prize of $175,000.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Licensed bookmakers who offer these must abide by the rules and provide the required information about terms to the Enforcement Division via email. A very important rule is to halt the acceptance of bets before the match starts.

Moreover, it’s important that match results are only based on permissible sources depending on respective regulations. Betters and bookmakers must also adhere to all relevant audit procedures.

The sportsbook will have the option to define odds. However, it’s important that all rules regarding these wagers are made public.

eSports Betting FAQ

Can anyone bet?

Only Nevada residents who are of legal age can wage.

Is Nevada the only state where players can bet on online sporting events?

No, NJ has tested online betting in the past but it isn’t legalized. Racetracks and casinos in NJ began to take bets on online sports tournaments after receiving approval from the state Division of Gaming Enforcement in November 2019.

According to rumors, the state is considering permanently allowing legal betting on eSports.

The decision by Nevada may motivate other states to consider legalizing online betting. Many countries in Europe and other parts of the world have already legalized betting on online sports.