Most Popular eSports Bookies in Czech Republic

For years, Czechia's betting market has grown dramatically. However, like the country's Slavic neighbors, Czechia has high taxes for operators and favors land-based casinos. Taxes cost as much as 35 percent of a casino's gross revenue from gaming, which is separate from the €1,800,000 licensing fee. The Czech Republic also requires license holders to hold more than €2,000,000 in equity. Additional requirements include displaying warnings about gambling dangers and headquarters located in an EEA or EU country.

For gamblers in Czechia, there is a wide variety of gambling options. From casinos to online, web-based operations, the landscape offers substantial wagering opportunities. Even though a significant number of operators have shut down due to the new Act, gaming continues to grow. The multi-billion-dollar market provides entertainment throughout the region.

For operators, strict rules take a large portion of the gross revenue. However, failure to adhere to the country's gambling requirements means a business may risk getting shut down or blocked online. Online gambling spiked after the tax and fee hikes. The regulatory body monitors online activity to ensure only licensed websites have access to the Czech gamblers online.

Esports origins

In the Czech Republic, esports enthusiasts began gambling on the sport as it gained popularity. Youths continue to play, fueling interest in betting on popular tournaments. Betters seek any opportunity to win money on a wager. Esports is expected to evolve into a major gambling market. Even today, sportsbooks invest significant money into providing betting options for esports gamblers. However, in Czechia, licensing is required to provide gambling services to citizens. Online operators risk ISP and payment blocking in the region if providing services to Czech citizens without a license.

Esports fans

Since esports enthusiasts fuel bookmaking, young gamers who attract huge crowds create the fan base, which is also a target market for online betting operations. Even though initial bookmakers made little money, esports betting has changed exponentially in the last five years. As the fan base grows in the Czech Republic, the base of gamblers also increases. Gamblers in Czechia may wager on teams, match outcomes, tournaments, and individual players. Did not make substantial money because of a low betting volume.

Esports popularity in Czechia and throughout the world increases television viewership for the sport. In 2017, Katowice, an Intel esports event, attracted about 45 million fans and was the most popular esports event that year. Esports attracts millions of online fans via popular websites and social media. Even esports events are now broadcast in a variety of languages across the globe to expand the sports reach.

International sportsbooks are fully vested in esports betting. By tapping into the multi-billion-dollar market, the sportsbooks offer gamers, fans, and enthusiasts betting opportunities. From television to online platforms, Czechia is a growing esports hub.

Wagering on esports is a growing trend throughout Czechia. Licensed online sportsbooks and international foreign websites offer betting opportunities on teams, players, tournaments, and matches. For those familiar with the popular players, information is king in betting. High-profile tournaments draw enthusiasts from across the globe, including the Czech Republic. Although esports betting in Czechia is new, the market is growing.

Bettors hope for favorable odds. Esports provides an opportunity to wager in a number of ways, including decimal, fractional, and American. For players, decimal odds betting is calculated by multiplying by a decimal number. For example, a bettor wagers $10 and wins $15 for odds, which are 1.50. Fractional wagering is different; a bettor wins $30 for a $10 winning gamble on 3/1 odds. American odds offer favorited teams a minus and underdogs a plus sign, determining the amount of profit on a wager of $100 or more. For experienced gamblers, betting on the odds is the best way to make substantial sums of money.

With more than 26 teams and more than 70 top players, Czech's are experiencing growing enthusiasm in the esports market. From first-person shooter games to sports actions, video game competitions are becoming as popular as professional sports. In fact, an individual player may reach the pinnacle of success and garner sponsorship dollars and endorsements. Popular players across the globe are treated like celebrities. Czechs are no different, showing adulation on players who compete and win against some of the best gamers in the business. Some of the most popular games are listed below.

Valorant

Valorant's team-based shooter set allows players to choose characters based upon cultures throughout the world. In the initial game mode, a player is a member of a five-member team, which fights another team or defends itself.

CS: GO

With two teams fighting each other, Counter-Strike is a game of terrorists against counter-terrorists. During the game, opposing teams fight each other. Game modes determine the scenario of the competition. Gaming enthusiasts often prefer to stop terrorists from planting bombs. Counter-terrorists may rescue hostages and stop terrorists from completing other nefarious objectives.

In nine modes, gamers experience different scenarios. Custom gaming modes and maps are available on community servers, which help to increase the game's action and fun.

League of Legends

Also, pitting two teams against each other, League of Legends allows Champions to purchase items, collect points, and earn gold. Also called or simply the League, the game allows players to defend a map region. Each player controls a champion or character with special abilities. In the end, a team wins when it destroys a "Nexus" structure on the opponent's enemy's base.

Overwatch

Overwatch is a shooting game that gives players on two teams the opportunity to meet the game's objectives in different game modes. Each team has a roster of characters or heroes, which navigate the map to help the team to win.

Can any business operate a gambling website in Czechia?
Czechia offers foreign and private companies opportunities to provide gambling services to the region's citizens. However, the cost of entry and taxation is expensive. Operators who do not follow the regulations in the 2017 gambling Act are subject to ISP and payment provider blocking by the Czech Republic regulators.

How large is Czechia's unregulated gambling market?

Czechia's new laws may spark growth in unlicensed operations in the country. Seventy-five percent of casinos have shut down. The cost to begin and maintain operations is very high and has already caused some of the most popular gaming businesses in the area to cease operations.

What is the revenue from the gambling market?

In 2017, tax revenue increased to 12.7 billion. Online gambling accounts for about 20 percent of the gaming market in Czechia.

How does Czechia combat gambling addiction?

Czechians are not gambling addicts for the most part. There are approximately 100,000 estimated cases in a population of more than $10 million, which means about 1 percent of citizens grapple with addiction. Still, 100,000 is a large number of citizens impacted, and the country is serious about warning about gambling dangers. Casinos and online operators are required to include visible warnings about the risks of gambling. Players may self-monitor behavior or seek gambling addiction assistance from recognized agencies.

Are online gamblers in Czechia arrested?

Enforcement of the country's gambling laws centers on blocking payment provider access and ISP addresses for unlicensed operators. Since 2017, regulators have implemented strict controls to ensure that licensed operators paying taxes are not hindered by unlicensed lawbreakers.