There has been a major shift in how video games are being perceived and utilized by the general public. In recent years, the industry has gradually shifted focus from at-home entertainment to a more public arena, as esports competitions have created a new and fast-growing market.
To that end, Hoboken-based Esports Entertainment Group announced Friday that it has partnered with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, which will host the first sanctioned esports skill-based wagering event in the U.S.
EEG and Hard Rock Atlantic City have teamed up to create a tournament Jan. 22 and 23 that will launch LANDuel and be the springboard for more esports betting events and permanent installations in the future at the casino and hotel venue.
“We are extremely excited to partner with one of the top global hotel and casino venues to kickstart the world of regulated peer-to-peer wagering in esports,” said Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group. “This partnership and event are a tremendous accomplishment for our brand, and creates a wide variety of opportunities for our groups to explore more innovative esports events.”
The launch will include a two-day, 256-player in-person tournament, the first skill-based gaming event approved by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement in which participants will be permitted to wager on themselves in each round of the event. Players competing in the event will check-in and create a LANDuel account. Once they’re assigned to a PC, they will begin tournament play. Within the tournament, players will be able to place bets on their own matches as they try to make their way to the finals.
Interested participants can click here to register for the tournament.
“We are extremely proud to offer a one-of-a-kind e-sports wagering experience in partnership with EEG,” said Joe Lupo, president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. “We are confident that this innovative and highly regulated partnership will prove to be a success, contributing to our market-leading gaming offerings.”
The event space will also feature a dedicated set of PCs for non-tournament participants to compete in side matches on LANDuel. This allows eligible tournament spectators or casino guests the ability to side-wager in their own matches outside of the tournament. The event will include a showcase stage for the tournament with spectator seating.
