There’s always scope for something new in the world of gambling, as Atlantic City knows only too well. The New Jersey city has built a well-deserved reputation for being the 'Vegas of the East Coast' over the years. It’s managed to survive the harder times, and progress towards gambling’s better days.

Now it seems that the progressive field of competition-based video gaming may be the next wave of gambling to hit Atlantic City. Esports has a lot going for it with regards to entertainment, and players around the world are taking part in competitive tournaments, raising their profiles in the process.

Esports has huge potential, due not just to the entreatment factor, but its gambling qualities. That’s one of the key reasons why it attracts such great numbers, giving people the opportunity to test their judgment and knowledge. They can bet on some of their favourite games, such as Dota 2, League of Legends, and CSGO.

EVERYONE’S A WINNER

There are numerous areas of esports which provide opportunities to bet that benefit both gaming fans and betting firms. Some of the industry’s leading names in betting are looking into esports as a potential market and many more are already reaping the rewards.

Esports tournaments offer a way to enjoy betting for those who are interested in gaming. There are more than 150 million individuals watching computer games online each and every day, so the interest is huge. There’s a growing number of betting sites opening an esports market, with comparison websites such as casinofeber.se offering an at-a-glance rundown of the best. With esports now ranked among the most watched sports online, it’s potential for betting is high.

NOT TO BE DETERRED

Atlantic City is taking a leaf out of the book of such states as Nevada, as well as huge markets like Australia. Esports might need a different kind of regulation than that of traditional sports betting, however. This seemed the case after wagering on esports tournaments was voted against in New Jersey. This resulted in an immediate response from those close to the field. They claimed that there needs to be a better understanding of what esports actually is.

Regardless, Atlantic City is working on its goal of becoming a highly-visited location for enthusiasts of esports. It was recently confirmed that Casinos Reinvestment Development Authority is bidding to close a deal with data centre Continent 8 on ensuring that its vision for esports becomes a reality.

The plan incorporates a 6,000-square-foot server that would be hosted at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The server would support the security of the operation while preventing data loss in an emergency situation.

TARGETING MILLENNIALS

The construction investment would be in the region of $5m. The news comes as Continent 8 confirms its willingness to invest money into the area and sees potential for more esports in Atlantic City. Esports is especially appealing to millennials and anyone under 35, which it could possibly be targeted to.

Following the model of Las Vegas, which looks to attract a younger audience through non-gaming offerings and several convention centres, Atlantic City is instead using esports tournaments with the potential for betting. The data centre would also offer an additional layer of security to the sector. Should esports regulation make it to state level, Atlantic City would embrace it and launch risk-free, according to prognoses.