Gambling and professional video gaming, or “e-sports,” share some key characteristics. They are both interactive entertainment forms that can be enjoyed by spectators as well as participants. However, there are several reasons why gambling should not be considered an e-sport. First and foremost, unlike video gaming, gambling involves the risking of real money with the chance of losing it. This makes gambling a much riskier activity than simply playing a game for fun or even for prizes.
Gambling and professional video gaming share some key characteristics
This includes interactive entertainment forms that can be enjoyed by spectators as well as participants. While there are some key similarities between gambling and professional video gaming, there are also some important differences that should be considered when determining whether or not online gambling should be counted as an esport. One of the biggest arguments against counting online gambling as an esport is that it typically involves real money bets, which can create a harmful and addictive dynamic for some players. Additionally, unlike most traditional sports or esports, there is often no skill-based element to online gambling games – success is mostly reliant on luck rather than actual playing ability.
On the other side of that debate is the fact that, just like traditional sports leagues, most professional video gaming tournaments offer sizable cash prizes. Additionally, many professional videogame tournaments are just as competitive and unpredictable as the best poker or chess matches. Many esports competitions have been won by unknown players or teams with little to no experience; however, this also occurs in more traditional sports competitions too.
However, there are several reasons why gambling should not be considered an e-sport
There are a few key reasons why gambling should not be counted as an e-sport. First and foremost, gambling is largely based on chance, rather than skill. While there may be some strategy involved in deciding which bets to place, at the end of the day it all comes down to luck. In contrast, e-sports are predominately skill-based games where players compete against each other using their skillsets. Secondly, gambling can have dangerous consequences both for the gambler and those around them.
For example, there have been documented cases of individuals becoming addicted to gambling and losing huge amounts of money as a result. In contrast, e-sports are relatively safe with little risk of any negative consequences. Thirdly, gambling is often associated with crime. There are countless stories of professional gamblers who have been caught for various illegal activities as a result of their gambling habits. In contrast, professional e-sports players have not been reported for any illegal activities at such a high level.
Gambling involves the risking of real money with the chance of losing it
This makes gambling a much riskier activity than simply playing a game for fun or even for prizes.
It’s no secret that gambling and gaming have always had a bit of a controversial relationship. Some people see gambling as a dangerous vice while others view it as simply another form of entertainment. The debate over whether or not gambling should be considered an esports has been going on for some time now, with both sides making valid points. Here, we’re going to take a look at the most common arguments against counting online gambling as esports and see if they hold up.
This is the argument that gets thrown around the most when it comes to this debate. People against esports gambling like to point out that it’s at least partly why a lot of young people are getting involved with gambling in the first place.
There’s a fine line between betting on sports and using a skill to play sports well, but at the same time, there are plenty of kids betting on competitive matches that they have no hope of ever winning. It’s a sad fact, but many young people are experiencing money problems and issues caused by gambling due to the ease of access to sites offering in-game betting.
Sometimes this argument is used more positively, often using the example of poker to explain it. Back when online poker was still pretty new, there were a lot of people who were only interested in playing poker simply because they wanted to turn it into a way to make money.
On a similar note, gaming is a fairly expensive hobby. While some people are content to sit around and play casual games that anyone can play, there are plenty of people out there who invest hundreds of dollars into their setups and even more into their skill at the game. The common comparison is that if you bet on esports you’re no better than a gambler, which also makes it a rather hypocritical argument.
This is one of the most pressing issues when it comes to esports gambling as an industry.