China is a country with a long history of gambling, and most gambling games originated from the region. Esports betting is one of them.

Esports or electronic sports mostly refer to the tournaments played by professional video gamers. Esports first got famous in America and Europe, but by the 1990s, when the industry started growing, China became a significant part of this group.

At the beginning of it all, Chinese gamers would describe gaming as a hobby or as one of their leisure activities. The gaming tournaments started when companies who were seeking profits from this new people’s favorite activity, like video games websites, vendors of video games, hardware, and software, e.t.c. They started organizing championships or competition all over the country, which produced the first generation of Chinese pro gamers.

Government’s Role in Esports of china

The government of china thought this to be an excellent opportunity for boosting IT development in their country. So, they took this chance and facilitated Esports by making it one of the 99 officially recognized sports in China in 2003. The following year, the sports ministry of China launched china’s first eSports games.

After all these years and efforts, China has become a massive part of the eSports gaming industry. The game has gained popularity as well as acceptance among the general public, too. By the year 2013, the sports ministry established a national team for Esports, and by 2016, China officially overtook the United States as the largest Esports market in the World.

Regular domestic competitions are now set up across the country, and they’re watched on televisions and streamed online by many fans. All top and pro gamers are recognized as public figures.

Esports Betting in China

Betting laws in China are stringent, and Esports betting is not an exception either. Gambling of all sorts except two-state run lotteries is illegal in China. The mainland of China strictly prohibits gambling, but Hong Kong’s and Macau’s offshore unique administrative regions are like main ports for such affairs.

In 2018, a ban on all poker apps online was put in action. This showed how much the country controls what its people are doing online. This also highlights the stance of the country on online gambling.

However, the Chinese have found their ways around these laws because you can’t just take out gambling from China with a law. Even though it is illegal, several gambling rings are underground.

As we mentioned above, how evolved China is now in Esports, it is only natural that a country with rich gambling history gets involved in Esports gambling as well. Esports betting in china dates back to the days of starcraft. Betting at this time was done via underground bookkeepers and online.

 

There are strict rules against bettors in China. Engaging in getting cal lead to three-year term imprisonment, fine, or both. Also, games in China are victims of game-fixing, so betting in the country involves a lot of risks. Meanwhile, there are risk-loving profiles that can still put up with all these.