This is a guest contribution by Alex Fletcher, founder & president at Entiva Group. If you would like to submit a contribution please contact Bill Beatty for submission details. Thank you.

The year 2015 has witnessed a skyrocketing profile for the world of competitive video gaming, otherwise known as eSports. Large multi-million dollar tournaments, an infusion of venture capital, and mainstream media coverage has buoyed eSports from best kept secret to worldwide phenomenon. Accordingly, the iGaming industry has taken notice. However, it is a mistake to conceptualize the eSports opportunity with the exact same purview as other major sports, e.g. fútbol or basketball. Here are three trends in eSports that will shape the complexion, and ultimately success, of its marriage with the betting industry.

A new gateway

Since the first video game, Pong, was released in 1972; playing video games has grown from niche to a commonly embraced activity. Studies show over half a billion people play some form of computer or video game at least an hour a day. The trend is more pronounced for those under 18, where 99% of males and 94% of females report playing video games regularly.