Unikrn Looking To Bridge The Gap Between Esports Betting And Live Casinos

[toc]Unikrn has been a leading member of the esports gambling industry for quite some time now, and while the Seattle-based company has introduced many novelties during its time in the industry, it is now looking to conquer the next frontier — bringing esports to casinos.

Esports, gambling, and casinos

Intuitively, it is only natural that the paths of esports gambling and casinos have crossed.

Because millennials, a big demographic, show less interest in slots, for example, compared to older age groups, casinos will have to come up with other ways to attract these consumers. Esports, including esports betting, is an ideal way to gain the attention of this group.

This is what Unikrn is chasing.

“There is a ton of activity happening, in the span of a few months we’ve been approached by every major casino operator in the world,” said Rahul Sood, Unikrn’s CEO and co-founder.

“Karl [Flores, co-founder] and I finally decided to bite the bullet to build a program for casinos that will integrate esports in an authentic, entertaining, and differentiated way. There’s simply no company like Unikrn in this space, and whatever we do, we want it to be special.”

Bringing professionals to the table

Announced on Monday, Unikrn has invited Chris Grove, an expert in the field of casino integration, to join the company’s advisory board.

As a partner at Narus Advisors — one of the organizers behind the Las Vegas Casinos and Esports Conference on Oct. 25-26 — and a senior consultant at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, Grove brings expertise to the table that can help Unikrn integrate its esports betting business into the casino world.

Grove also shared his thoughts on the future of esports betting and casinos:

“I’ve never seen a vertical grow as quickly — and as organically — as esports gambling.

But it’s obvious to me that traditional betting operators are having a difficult time digesting gaming culture and connecting with that demand. At the same time, almost all of the betting sites that have grown naturally out of the esports community are rough drafts of a product at best. More worryingly, these sites lack transparency, accountability, and basic protections to prevent fraud or underage play.

The ideal operator for the esports gambling vertical, then, is one that blends the best of the traditional wagering world with a deep, native appreciation of video gaming culture.

This operator will be able to offer feature-rich, esports betting products with meaningful consumer protections that also reflect the unique preferences of gamers. This operator can tap into the substantial overlap between gaming and gambling while also ensuring that minors and others who shouldn’t be gambling on esports aren’t. This operator will be capable of translating gambling to gaming, and gaming to gambling, a skill currently in short supply.”

While the esports gambling industry had ups and downs in recent months, there is a shared opinion that the market has huge potential for the future.

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Unikrn’s operations have proven stable during times of unease in the industry, and the company has continuously grown its presence. Unikrn has consistently adapted and expanded its business model to serve the needs of its audience as well as the legal environment.

Grove says he thinks Unikrn fits the role of integrator quite well.

“I believe Unikrn is on the path to becoming that kind of operator,” he says. “And that’s why I’ve accepted an offer to join the company’s advisory board in a role focused on casino integration.”

Image credit: Maria Babak / Shutterstock.com