Entertainment firm GameWorks has entered into a partnership agreement with casino consultants SCCG Management to bring venue-based, peer-to-peer wagering esports lounges to casinos nationwide. Under the agreement, the companies will offer casino operators an opportunity to introduce esports to their guests, allowing them to compete in games of skill.
The new venue-based concept, Play by GameWorks, allows players to add skill-based, peer-to-peer wagering and custom betting capabilities to a variety of popular PC and console games. Each 10-12,000 square-foot esports Lounge will feature 20-40 PCs and consoles and an extensive library of approximately 100 of the most popular video games, and the ability to run significantly larger tournament events.
The lounges are designed to appeal to both women and men, aged 21 years and over, including social as well as pack-oriented gamers, local-area gaming enthusiasts and destination guests. They will also offer a range of event-based programming to further join together the gaming communities in each of the markets Play by GameWorks will serve.
With an anticipated launch in Las Vegas, both parties aim to leverage the GameWorks brand with the casino industry expertise of SCCG Management, which specializes in strategic business development within international land-based casino, internet gambling, gaming, esports and entertainment markets.
Philip N Kaplan, Chief Executive Officer at GameWorks, explained: “Esports, or competitive video gaming, is an enormous, ever-increasing global activity. For the first time, through our joint offering with SCCG Management, Play by GameWorks will afford the casino industry the ability to allow people to play competitively through peer-to-peer wagering, in a safe, enjoyable and lively environment.
“The casino of the future should feature competitive esports in the same way it incorporates poker or progressive slot machines, and with Play by GameWorks, that’s exactly what we’ve created. We are very excited about working closely with casinos to help them rapidly penetrate the burgeoning esports marketplace with this innovative turn-key concept.”
Stephen A Crystal, Managing Director at SCCG Management, added: “Play by GameWorks combines SCCG’s deep domain expertise in casino operations with GameWorks’ best-of-breed esports operational experience. Together, we immediately present casino operators an easy and complete approach to capitalize on the fast-emergence of esports, consistent with our industry business model, through our new cutting-edge lounges.”
