The world of eSports has become very popular in the past decade with millions of fans around the world. In turn, this has led to an explosion in eSports Betting with over 6.5 million gamblers betting on eSports. Needless to say, eSports gambling market is hot with many gambling companies trying to get a piece of it. Following that trend, Entain Acquiring eSports Betting Startup Unikrn is not a big surprise.
According to the latest eSports News, the announcement to purchase Unikrn was made yesterday by Entain PLC. Entain PLC is one of the largest sports betting and gaming company in the world and owns several popular gambling brands. These brands include Bwin, Coral, Ladbrokes, PartyPoker and Sportingbet.
Entain Acquiring eSports Betting Startup Unikrn is Just the Beginning
eSports betting is not new to Entain as a gambling option as it is available betting shops and online sportsbooks. However, this is the first time they are buying an actual eSports Betting Company. According to sports forums, this is part of their plan to increase their holdings in the eSports betting market.
During the announcement, Entain executive said the company intends to spend at least $69 million in eSports betting this year. The budget includes the takeover of Unikrn but they did not disclose the price of the acquisition.
The CEO of Entain, Jette Nygaard-Andersen said their plan is to fully join the eSports market. This is because its presence is growing and is at the center of media, entertainment, gambling and interactive gaming. Therefore, acquiring Unikrn was the best choice.
Unikrn has been in the eSports betting business since 2014 out of Seattle, Washington. Furthermore, they have the backing of celebrity investors like Mike Cuban and Ashton Kutcher. Their offer various ways to bet on eSports from wagering on tournaments to betting on eSports players, pools and more.
Gambling analysts predict the acquisition of Unikrn will triple Entain’s addressable market to $160 billion.
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