A recent report in the Las Vegas Review-Journal has revealed that the Nevada government is beginning to show greater interest in the eSports vertical as a way of obtaining additional revenue through betting and the hosting of eSports events.
Following a discussion on the potential of eSports during a recent Gaming Policy meeting, Gov. Brian Sandoval has reportedly scheduled a further and more in-depth exploration for August, 2016.
Steve Hill, the head of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, was quoted as saying that he is of the belief that eSports is an excellent example of the type of industry that the Silver State is seeking in order to diversify the economy.
According to Hill, eSports is an industry that is related to the state’s primary economic asset, gaming and tourism and has the potential of drawing international interest.
The Journal has, however, observed that the Nevada gambling age limit of 21 years could be a potential area of difficulty.
According to Craig Levine, Chief Executive Officer of Electronic Sports League North America and founder of the e-Sports Team 3D, the average starting age for entering a league is late teens and that many of the top players exit the teams in their early 20’s.
Last Friday, the new trade body, World Esports Association, was unveiled at a press conference which is the result of joint efforts between professional eSports teams and ESL, the world’s largest eSports (events) company.
The aim of the new body is to create predictable schedules for players, fans, organizers and broadcasters and bring all stakeholders to the discussion table for the first time.
