The real goal is regulation, and saving eSports from itself.
people playing football, in one major respect: The National Football League oversees the
game to the point where it checks the air pressure in footballs. There is no equivalent
organization with eSports.
game. Could betting on football be regulated if the owner of the entire game were to
arbitrarily change the shape of the ball every week?
bookmakers to take heads-up betting on eSports. Accepting wagers on “other events” has
been permitted for decades. In fact, state regulators have had to close down betting on
events like the Oscars. Someone from PricewaterhouseCooper put those names into
those sealed envelopes, including the one opened by Warren Beatty. A tougher problem
developed with the TV show “Survivor.” Viewers could bet on the outcome; but, reality
shows are at least partially scripted. Normally, the worry is that insiders will place bets
on event outcomes that have already happened. But would it be a crime if the producer
of a reality TV show bet on his favorite contestant and then rigged the show so she won?
regulators had said that you can’t trust eSports events to be run fairly. Nevada regulators
allowed parimutuel betting on jai alai. I remember watching a game in the MGM
Grand’s fronton. A great sport to watch. But not one generally thought of as a model of
self-regulation.
from now on: parimutuel pools. This is important because it will eventually eliminate a
major eSports’ problem: The betting of skins.
that will make his weapon look fantastic. But the weapon’s strength remains the same;
the change was only electronically skin deep.
dollars.
very idea that skins are worth anything, is based on artificial shortages in artificial
markets. For those who don’t remember, here’s a link to “Bubble bursts on Beanie
Babies,”
http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2002020751_beaniebabybubble31.ht
ml. There are a lot of people who still hate Beanie Babies.
bubble bursts. Nevada’s regulators deserve credit for forcing the elimination of skins
betting, before it got even bigger. Parimutuel betting does not work with skins.
expectation that eSports will draw Millennial fans to its restaurants, shops and casinos.
integrity can be trusted . . . but only if the Nevada regulators say so.
Even the announcement garnered attention.
have absolute control over the state-licensed sports books. As of July 1, 2017, books will
be able to operate sports pools on any “other event” that has been approved by Nevada
regulators. But there are requirements.
shall not accept a wager on an event unless the date and time at which the outcome of the
event is determined can be confirmed from reliable sources satisfactory to the chairman
or from records created and maintained by the book in such manner as the chairman may
approve.”
have power over: the sports book. The books, will, of course, pass the burden on to the
eSports event organizers.
or documentation which demonstrates that:
(1) The event could be effectively supervised;
(2) The outcome of the event would be verifiable;
(3) The outcome of the event would be generated by a reliable and independent process;
(4) The outcome of the event would be unlikely to be affected by any wager placed;
(5) The event could be conducted in compliance with any applicable laws; and
(6) The granting of the request for approval would be consistent with the public policy of
the state.”
pretty much for the entire world. And they don’t have to do any of the actual work.
There’s nothing wrong with this; I don’t think we really want Nevada gaming regulators
to oversee professional football games.
figure out a way to create an eSports-NFL.”
© Copyright 2017, I. Nelson Rose, Encino, California. All rights reserved worldwide.
Gambling and the Law® is a registered trademark of Professor I. Nelson Rose,
www.GamblingAndTheLaw.com.
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