Luckbox is an early adopter in the esports betting industry. Yet, the company has not stopped there, exploring sports and casino products just the same. The project took off to a great start and the challenges that many faced in 2020 became an opportunity for growth within the Luckbox ecosystem.
Luckbox leveraged its offer to empower esports bettors but also offer traditional sports punters the opportunity to wager on alternative and somewhat closely-related products. Growth has been a buzzword for the entire company and it is seeing solid results amid a strong recruitment drive.
Today, Luckbox is venturing beyond its bastion that is esports into the worlds of sports and iGaming, relying on proprietary technology. Yet, in places like Canada, Luckbox is prepared to bring the full array of features and solutions, including bets on competitive video gaming.
Q: The year is 2021 and if anything, the pandemic revealed the immense potential of the esports betting industry. Does Luckbox's future have to do with one specific vertical or all of them?
First and foremost, we’re an esports betting platform but, just like any other operator, it makes sense for us to offer our player as much choice as possible. Earlier this year, we added sports betting, with more than 100 sports on offer for our players and, yes, it’s our plan to add a casino offering, too.
Q: How is content going to change under Nevzat Ucar and why is he the right man for the job? Are you targeting esports audiences or a cross-platform consumer base by bringing Ucar onboard?
Nevzat has proven and relevant experience in producing esports-endemic content with Riot Games and with Red Bull – a brand that has demonstrated a capacity to engage the esports audience in a highly effective manner. Content is a key pillar of our marketing strategy and Nevzat will play a big part in that, focusing on the esports audience specifically.
Q: Canada is drawing closer to a regulated single-event sports betting industry. Does Luckbox plan to get in on that first or do you see an opportunity to bring all three verticals (casino/sport and esports) online?
We recently became members of the Canadian Gaming Association and it’s certainly a situation we’re monitoring closely. We know esports is hugely popular in Canada, so it will be exciting to see what happens in the future.
Q: How do you feel your presence in the esports ecosystem has changed the betting industry? What are the substantial improvements that are exclusively related to your name?
I think we’re still a little under the radar to be able to have changed the betting industry just yet but I think the fact we’ve built a product designed specifically for an esports audience has made a few people sit up and take notice. You can already see some platforms copying our approach.
In November last year we were named Rising Star at the EGR Awards – the most prestigious awards in the gaming industry. That, of course, was a great honor for us but, more than that, I think it shows the iGaming sector is starting to take esports really seriously.
Q: Do you reckon there is room for other brands to embrace esports betting as a viable product or is the market capped?
Esports is huge and is growing rapidly and all the major operators know it. Pretty much all of them are working on their plans for esports – whether that’s trying to do something themselves or, more likely, via an acquisition of an endemic e-sportsbook.
Q: What are the greatest challenges ahead of the adoption of esports betting on a global scale?
Many of the challenges are similar to those faced by a sportsbook – licensing and payments. We know the demand is there but as a responsible and legal operator, we need to make sure we have the correct licensing and payment methods to be able to accept players from various regions. Our Isle of Man licence means we are live in more than 80 countries and one of the next steps to growth is looking at which local licenses make most sense.
Q: Do you see any specific challenges given with the audience that is normally interested in competitive video gaming?
Not really. In fact, many brands would love to be able to attract the demographic that we do. The average gamer is 34 years old with 75% of gamers aged 18 or older, reflecting a surprisingly sizeable disposable income. And 18 to 25-year-olds (Gen Z) watch more computer games than traditional sports.
