Once a controversial outsider, the betting industry has now firmly planted its flag in the esports world.
Between 2014 and 2026, over 20 betting brands entered esports, with some making multiple bets across different years and teams. The brands still active in 2025-2026 adapted their strategies beyond static logo placements. They hosted branded tournaments, backed teams through multi-year deals, and built partnerships that survived team roster changes and industry shifts.
Why Betting Brands Sponsor Esports
The overlap between betting and esports audiences created a natural commercial opportunity. Here's why the fit works:
- Legal-age audience overlap – Esports fans skew towards 18-34 demographics, matching legal gambling age requirements
- In-play betting markets – Competitive matches create real-time betting opportunities across multiple game titles
- Team and tournament visibility – Jersey placements and tournament sponsorships provide consistent brand exposure during broadcasts
- Regional market access – Esports partnerships allow betting brands to enter markets where traditional sports sponsorships are saturated or restricted
As esports viewership continues to grow globally, betting brands have found a platform to reach younger audiences in markets where they hold proper licensing.
This updated timeline shows how betting brands entered the esports market, which partnerships lasted, and which brands treated competitive gaming as a sustained platform.
Betting Brand Sponsorship Moves
Pinnacle x Dota 2 Pro-AM (2014)
One of the earliest moves came in 2014 when Pinnacle hosted the Pinnacle Pro-Am in partnership with joinDOTA, making it one of the first bookmakers to actively support competitive gaming events with a €10,000 prize pool. This early sponsorship proved successful and set the stage for other betting brands to follow.
Betway x Ninjas in Pyjamas (2016-2025)
In 2016, Betway signed a sponsorship deal with celebrated esports powerhouse Ninjas in Pyjamas. The partnership, reportedly worth "high six figures," became one of the longest-running betting sponsorships in esports, lasting approximately nine years until Rainbet replaced them in 2025. Betway's commitment to NiP through multiple roster changes and industry shifts demonstrated the viability of long-term betting partnerships in competitive gaming.
GG.Bet x Natus Vincere (2017-Present)
After initially partnering with Fnatic in 2016, GG.Bet went on to work with Natus Vincere starting in 2017. This partnership became one of the most enduring in esports, spanning over seven years with multiple renewals in 2021 and 2024. GG.Bet also expanded its portfolio by partnering with Team Vitality in 2022, extending that partnership through 2026. The brand's sustained presence across multiple top-tier teams positioned it as one of the most committed betting sponsors in competitive gaming.
Unibet x Astralis (2018)
In 2018, Unibet became the official betting partner of Astralis through a two-year global partnership. This deal marked one of the early moves by an established European betting brand to back one of Counter-Strike's most dominant teams during their championship era.
Thunderpick World Championship (2019)
Thunderpick took a different approach in 2019 by hosting their own branded competition – the Thunderpick World Championship for CS:GO and Dota 2. Rather than simply sponsoring existing teams or tournaments, they created their own competitive event, showing how betting brands could become tournament organisers themselves.
Betsafe x GODSENT (2020)
In 2020, Betsafe secured a three-year deal with GODSENT, becoming their exclusive betting partner and headline sponsor. This partnership represented one of the more substantial commitments from a betting brand to a single organisation during this period.
Parimatch x Virtus.pro (2018-2021)
Parimatch entered esports after striking a partnership agreement with Virtus.pro in August 2018. The bookmaker later expanded the partnership in 2020 and 2021, demonstrating long-term commitment. Parimatch also signed deals with Team Spirit in 2019 and Fnatic in 2020, building a portfolio across multiple competitive gaming organisations.
Betify x Fnatic (2024)
Betify partnered with Fnatic's CS2 team in 2024, securing jersey and team sponsorship. This deal came as CS:GO transitioned to Counter-Strike 2, showing new betting brands were willing to enter during a major game transition period.
Rollbit x FaZe Clan (2024)
Rollbit secured a team sponsorship with FaZe Clan in 2024 featuring jersey logo activation. This partnership brought another crypto-focused betting platform into mainstream esports sponsorships.
ComeOn x Astralis (2025)
ComeOn announced their partnership with Astralis as the official global betting partner starting January 2025. This deal brought a new betting brand into partnership with one of Counter-Strike's most historic organisations.
Melbet's Triple Entry (2025)
Melbet made three separate partnership moves in 2025. They partnered with Eternal Fire for CS2 team sponsorship with jersey branding, became the official sportsbook partner for TALON Esports' Dota 2 team, and secured a global partnership with OG Esports supporting their SEA expansion. This aggressive multi-team strategy showed how new betting brands could quickly establish presence across multiple game titles and regions.
EstrelaBet x Vivo Keyd Stars (2025)
EstrelaBet entered esports in 2025 as the master sponsor of Vivo Keyd Stars, covering League of Legends, CS2, and multiple other titles. The partnership included infrastructure investment and jersey branding, representing one of the more comprehensive sponsorship packages from a betting brand to a Brazilian organisation.
Stake x Team Vitality (2025)
In 2025, Stake announced a multi-year partnership with Team Vitality as their official international betting partner. The deal, reportedly worth seven figures, demonstrated that major betting brands were still willing to make substantial investments in top-tier esports organisations. Stake's entry came as GG.Bet was also renewing with Vitality, showing the team's continued appeal to betting sponsors.
Rainbet x Ninjas in Pyjamas (2025)
Rainbet became the main sponsor of Ninjas in Pyjamas in 2025, replacing Betway after approximately nine years. This transition marked a significant shift for NiP while demonstrating that new betting brands were willing to invest in established esports organisations with proven track records.
Betpanda x G2 Esports (2026)
In early 2026, Betpanda became G2 Esports' official global betting partner with jersey branding included in the deal. This partnership represented one of the latest major betting brand entries into esports, targeting one of the most prominent organisations in competitive CS2.
Brand Re-Entry Reference Table
The following table shows which betting brands made multiple entries into esports, indicating sustained commitment rather than one-off experiments.
A Market Built on Long-Term Partnerships
Betting brands have become a key part of the esports ecosystem, evolving from early adopters to major sponsors. While challenges remain, their growing presence signals long-term commitment and deeper integration. As esports expands, betting’s role in shaping its commercial future is only set to grow.
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