Interest in esports has increased exponentially over the past years, but nothing gave the activity quite the same boost as the events of the most recent two years. In November, a new record of esports viewership was set. With sports taking a temporary hiatus during the pandemic, esports has been able to surge, and this is precisely what’s happening in 2022, argues the latest Foley Esports survey conducted by Foley & Lardner LLP, Sports Business Journal, and The Esports Observer. As a result, betting sites Australia offers are already reporting increased interest in competitions such as Dota 2, League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), which are some of the most popular competitive video games available.
But what does the survey tell us exactly? According to the study, most esports industry specialists believe that the segment will continue to grow exponentially. Of course, with talks of growth, a few qualms need to be addressed, the most pragmatic observers state plainly.
What is to come in 2022
Among what should happen in 2022 is for esports stakeholders to come together and establish regulatory bodies. One minor criticism has been the lack of a central authority in esports. Still, the good news is that almost 70% of all people interviewed now believe that the industry as a whole can benefit from better regulation on an industry level.
Monetization difficulties are a matter of concern. However, the forecasts remain optimistic. According to the survey, more than half of respondents believe that the continued growth of such streaming platforms as Twitch will cause a substantial increase in investment in electronic sports. Nearly 40 per cent say that ad opportunities will help the segment. Finally, almost 50 percent predict the decline in traditional sports resulting in the increase of gaming interest.
And, speaking of regulation, the United States and Canada are beginning to warm up to esports betting, which is bound to drive global interest in the segment. These two countries are taking a state-by-state (and province-by-province) approach respectively to introduce clear-cut rules.
