As more U.S. states offer up regulated gambling options, competition is getting fierce, and operators are looking for any advantage they can get to increase profits. In Atlantic City, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) sees eSports as a new opportunity to stay ahead of the pack.

On December 18, the board voted to put $700,000 into eSports events over the next year and a half. The competitions will be held at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Frank Gilliam, Mayor of Atlantic City, was quoted as saying, “It’s something in my opinion that puts Atlantic City on the edge of something different and new.”

If no one else was willing to come right out and say it, a representative of the Attorney General’s office was happy to cut to the chase, specifically encouraging eSports companies to look into opportunities to make it a gambling event.