Fans in the US and various other countries can now gamble on competitive gaming after esports betting company Unikrn had its wagering license approved by the Isle of Man.
Unikrn, which is the first betting firm globally built entirely on blockchain, immediately started rolling out online products to 20 countries in the wake of the ruling, and will soon offer esports gambling to most of Europe, South Korea and other Asian countries, and parts of Latin America.
Certain types of esports gambling will also be made available in the US, although spectator betting will not yet be permitted.
The ruling is a major win for Unikrn, which previously had only been licensed to provide real-money esports betting in the UK and Australia.
Unikrn users in countries with legalised sports betting will be able to place wagers on major esports competitions such as the upcoming League of Legends World Championship. More uniquely, and unlike traditional sportsbooks, the platform will offer skill-based bets, allowing gamers to bet on their own performance in games like Fortnite.
“There is finally a legitimate, regulated operator in the space that has a pretty comprehensive offering,” said Unikrn chief executive Rahul Sood, speaking to The Associated Press. “It's huge.”
Unikrn was launched in 2014 and is backed by the likes of Mark Cuban, the owner of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise the Dallas Mavericks, media executive Elisabeth Murdoch and actor Ashton Kutcher.
Fans in the US and various other countries can now gamble on competitive gaming after esports betting company Unikrn had its wagering license approved by the Isle of Man.
Unikrn, which is the first betting firm globally built entirely on blockchain, immediately started rolling out online products to 20 countries in the wake of the ruling, and will soon offer esports gambling to most of Europe, South Korea and other Asian countries, and parts of Latin America.
Certain types of esports gambling will also be made available in the US, although spectator betting will not yet be permitted.
The ruling is a major win for Unikrn, which previously had only been licensed to provide real-money esports betting in the UK and Australia.
Unikrn users in countries with legalised sports betting will be able to place wagers on major esports competitions such as the upcoming League of Legends World Championship. More uniquely, and unlike traditional sportsbooks, the platform will offer skill-based bets, allowing gamers to bet on their own performance in games like Fortnite.
“There is finally a legitimate, regulated operator in the space that has a pretty comprehensive offering,” said Unikrn chief executive Rahul Sood, speaking to The Associated Press. “It's huge.”
Unikrn was launched in 2014 and is backed by the likes of Mark Cuban, the owner of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise the Dallas Mavericks, media executive Elisabeth Murdoch and actor Ashton Kutcher.
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