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Global Esports Betting Monitor: Q4 & FY24
The Global Esports Betting Monitor is a quarterly report developed in partnership with Abios, providing our readers with a holistic snapshot of esports betting trends and activity.
All data is captured from the Kambi network, spanning more than 40 operators in regulated markets across the globe.1
Abios delivers an odds feed with engaging features such as same-game bet builders, player props, and flash markets.
Valorant betting up year-on-year in FY24
- Valorant’s share of esports betting handle nearly doubled on a full-year basis, growing from 3% to 5% between 2023-2024.
- Counter-Strike reached a new apex in the fourth quarter, courting 64% of total betting handle.
- On a full-year basis, Dota 2 handle dropped 4% from FY23; meanwhile, League of Legends’ share grew by 2%, accounting for 26% in FY24.
Gen Z esports bettors outpace Millennials in FY24
- While the average esports fan has continued to age up over the years, Gen Z-aged bettors are entering the betting pipeline in droves.
- Gen Z bettors outpaced Millennials in FY24–making up 44% of betting compared to 36% the year prior.
- Together, customers between 18-43 made up 87% of esports betting last year, while Gen X continued to float between 11-13%.
Prop bets gain traction among Counter-Strike bettors
- Breakout insights show the average age of a Counter-Strike bettor in Q4 was 31-years old; League of Legends, on the other hand, attracted a slightly younger customer (possibly by way of its World Championship event), averaging out at 29-years old.
- Player prop bets, including ‘total kills by player,’ made up 13% of all Counter-Strike wagers in the fourth quarter.
- Live betting accounted for 46% of Counter-Strike betting in Q4; meanwhile only 28% of Valorant wagers were placed in-play.
Shanghai Major, World Championship net close to half of Q4 betting action
- Between the main event and its international qualifiers, Counter-Strike’s Shanghai Major captured 28% of fourth quarter betting handle.
- One of the most-watched esports events globally, the League of Legends World Championship, accounted for 19% of handle in Q4, up from 15% in 4Q23.
- Dota 2 tournaments DreamLeague and PGL Wallachia landed in the top-ten most-bet on events in Q4, collectively drawing 5% of wagering volume.
Trendspotting
Trending up: Riot Games’ temperature to gambling
Riot Games–the publisher behind top games including League of Legends and Valorant–is warming up to gambling.
While other publishers such as Valve and Activision have flirted with betting plenty in the past, Riot Games has long maintained keeping itself at arm’s length.
That changed in Q4 when the publisher revealed it would allow partnered teams to strike deals with Riot-approved betting brands in 2025. There are plenty of stipulations attached, but it’s a signal that Riot’s outlook on gambling is starting to soften up.
There are mutual incentives to do so, though. Esports teams will unlock much-needed sponsorship revenue, while betting operators will have access to what many would consider prime advertising real estate. And of course, there’s the impossible-to-prove-yet-widely-understood belief that betting drives viewership, interest, and engagement back to the rights holders.
League of Legends and Valorant combined made up nearly one-third (31%) of betting handle in FY24 (up from 27% in FY23), and this change in policy may very well drive that figure further up in the coming years as more betting awareness is created.
Trending down: Dota 2
Interest in Dota 2 is waning, and operators are potentially feeling it too.
I was surprised to see that the game’s marquee tournament The International (think: Super Bowl of Dota 2) drew just 3% of wagers last quarter. The downtick was pronounced on a full-year basis as well; Dota 2’s total share of handle dropped to 10% in FY24 compared to 14% the year prior.
The dip could be explained by other additive volume–a boom in new customers or increased betting on other esports–but broader audience trends suggest to me that’s not the case.
The International is a good barometer for interest in competitive Dota 2, and results from last year’s headline event show which direction things seem to be moving in. After setting a viewership record in 2021 with 107M hours watched, ratings have continued to slide. Last year’s tournament viewership was down nearly 50% from the 2021 event, while the 2022 and 2023 editions both came below 70M hours watched each (-38%).
The International’s prize winnings are crowdfunded by players through in-game transactions–in 2021, the event secured a record $40M to be distributed to winners. Since then however, the tournament has seen a 53% average month-over-month decrease in its prize pool–last year’s purse was just $2.5M.
Whatever ground Dota 2 is losing, Valorant seems to be picking up, though. If things continue to trend in this direction, we may see the first-person shooter overtake Dota 2’s position as one of the top-three most-bet on esports next year.
The post Global Esports Betting Monitor: Q4 & FY24 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden
BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling – is today submitting a letter to the government. The letter is signed by 13 gambling company executives and BOS’s secretary general. In the letter, the signatories urge the government not to support the gambling company ATG in their proposal to raise the general gambling tax in favour of a reduction in the tax on horse racing.
As a main argument, the signatories highlight the fact that the level of the gambling tax affects the proportion of consumers who choose to gamble on the legal licensed gambling market, and that too many consumers are already opting out of the safety of the licensed market with its extensive consumer protection.
“Horse betting has a channelisation rate of between 98-99 percent. Online casino, according to the most optimistic estimates, has a channelisation rate of between 72-82 percent. The higher the tax, the greater the risk that the consumer will choose unlicensed gambling, where neither gambling tax nor consumer protection exists. To then lower the gambling tax for horse betting, which already has a very strong channelisation, and raise it for online casino, which has a very weak channelisation, would be completely incomprehensible. At least for those who prioritize consumer protection,” says BOS Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt.
You can read the full letter here: Letter to Government on ATG gambling duty
The post 13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
FBMDS proudly unveils the Momentum Series, a crash gaming collection built to deliver fast-paced thrills, immersive visuals, and strong retention for online casino operators worldwide with the Piñata Rush, Magical Garden and Arctic Jumper titles.
Designed “for emotions” and “born to captivate”, the Momentum Series includes three high-performing titles — Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper — that redefine the crash genre with dynamic gameplay, deep personalization, and stunning 3D environments.
The Momentum Series was created to give players more control, excitement, and emotional connection while providing operators with games designed for longer sessions and better retention metrics. Each title combines intuitive gameplay with high volatility, 97%+ RTP, and a responsive, mobile-first design, ensuring performance across devices and browsers. Players can personalize their experience with auto bets, double bets, and auto cashouts, adapting each round to their individual risk strategy.
Piñata Rush offers a colorful, multiplayer crash gaming experience set in lively Mexican-inspired streets. Players can track others’ progress in real time and enjoy a community-driven atmosphere that keeps engagement levels high. With 97.06% RTP and features such as Multiplayer, Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and a configurable Max Bet from 100x to 1000x, this crash game provides vibrant entertainment across Android, iOS, Mac OS, and Windows.
Magical Garden immerses players in a lush 3D fantasy world where serenity meets suspense. This single-player experience blends calm and thrill through Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out functions, allowing personalized strategies and a Max Bet configurable from 100x to 1000x. With 97% RTP, it offers operators a high-performing product with wide cross-platform compatibility.
Arctic Jumper brings adrenaline to the frozen north with a fully 3D single-player experience. Its immersive visuals and smooth performance are enhanced by Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and customizable betting options that match each player’s risk profile. Operating at 97% RTP, this title delivers consistent engagement and retention potential for competitive markets.
“The Momentum Series represents FBMDS’ evolution into crash gaming — a genre built on emotion, timing, and control,” said Renato Almeida, Director at FBMDS. “With Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper, we’re delivering fast, flexible, and emotionally charged experiences that empower both players and operators.”
FBMDS brings a winning portfolio of innovative iGaming solutions, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to deliver engaging, reliable, and profitable gaming experiences for operators worldwide. With a focus on slots, table games, video bingo, and now crash games, FBMDS empowers partners to scale and succeed in competitive markets.
The post Momentum Series: A Crash Gaming collection crafted for emotions in your online casino appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
- Sunny feel-good vibes for everyone: Cozy Coast now available for iOS and Android
- New trailer highlights entertaining storytelling, merge-2 puzzles, and diverse gameplay elements
- Upcoming updates with new events and challenges for long-lasting fun
A beach adventure with heart: InnoGames, one of Germany’s leading developers and publishers of mobile and browser games, today launches Cozy Coast worldwide, bringing sunny feel-good moments to smartphones and tablets. The game is now available for free on the App Store and Google Play Store. Players in selected regions have already explored the Mediterranean island of Calista and experienced the captivating story of the two protagonists Mia and Elara. The unique mix of merge-2 puzzles, exploration, and heartfelt moments is clearly resonating with players, earning 4.8 on the App Store and 4.6 on Google Play out of 5 stars.
With today’s launch, InnoGames expands the game’s language support. Alongside the existing languages German, English, and French, Cozy Coast is now also available in Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.
New Features, More Events: Regular Updates for Lasting Fun
In Cozy Coast, players accompany best friends Mia and Elara on a journey across the picturesque Mediterranean island of Calista. For Mia, the island is filled with childhood memories, but its former charm has faded. Together, they set out to restore the island. The gameplay centers on merge-2 mechanics: By skillfully combining items, players fulfill the wishes of island residents, collect resources, and restore buildings to unlock new areas of Calista. Along their journey, Mia and Elara encounter interesting characters, discover secrets, and explore the environment.
Check out the trailer on youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=hpacBlPfio4
Since the initial launch of Cozy Coast in selected regions, the development team has steadily expanded the merge-2 adventure. Customizable portraits, 3D decoration events, special quests with unique rewards, and advanced challenges for experienced players ensure there’s always something new to discover. The holiday season has also arrived: players can earn daily rewards, including the festive avatar “Winter Elara”.
Key Features of Cozy Coast
- Merge items: Strategically combine items to create new and higher-value objects
- Restore the seaside promenade: Renovate abandoned buildings to unlock new areas
- Adventure in paradise: Follow best friends Mia and Elara as they discover hidden places and uncover the secrets of a corporation with questionable intentions
- Characters with personality: Meet fascinating characters. Every encounter comes with a story – sometimes touching, sometimes mysterious, but always full of emotion
- Fresh challenges every day: Participate in competitive, daily, weekly, and seasonal events like exploration quests, puzzle collections, decoration and special story-driven missions to receive exciting rewards and enjoy lasting gameplay
- A personal touch: Use portrait customization to bring individuality and personality to every adventure.
- Unwind in a Mediterranean setting: Experience stress-free gameplay paired with a captivating story of friendship, courage, and hope
- Free to play without restrictions: Available worldwide on iOS and Android (except in Russia and China)
Cozy Coast is available on the App Store for iOS and on Google Play for Android.
For the latest news about the game, visit the official website or follow Cozy Coast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The post Cozy Coast Launches Worldwide: Beach Adventure from InnoGames Now Available appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden
Momentum Series: A Crash Gaming collection crafted for emotions in your online casino
Cozy Coast Launches Worldwide: Beach Adventure from InnoGames Now Available
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