Esports Entertainment lands betting deal with HBSE’s Dignitas

Online betting operator Esports Entertainment Group has agreed a partnership with Dignitas, the esports organisation owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE).

Dignitas becomes the first top-tier esports organisation to officially partner Esports Entertainment's VIE.gg exchange betting platform.

It said the peer-to-peer model would ensure fans would win, rather than the odds being stacked in favour of the operator, and that they would be protected by the range of social responsiblity features offered on the VIE.gg platform. Users are required to set deposit limits on sign-up, with a 30-day cooling off period before any request to increase the limit is approved.

Dignitas also noted that some of its followers were already betting on esports, and that "fans may as well bet on a safe platform that also supports the organisation".

VIE.gg has recently been expanded to include pool betting so that groups of fans can bet against each other when their teams go head to head, while the platform also includes various safety features to help protect users.

“The future of Dignitas is bound to our fans and the way they engage, interact, share and are moved by our content, products, players, streamers and more,” Dignitas chief executive, Michael Prindiville, said.

“The partnership with Esports Entertainment Group and Vie.gg is extremely natural; we are connected in our shared dedication to developing and amplifying the gaming space in this period of rapid and inspiring growth, and as it blends naturally with entertainment, music, lifestyle, and more.”

Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group added: “I look forward to sharing our incredible product with Dignitas’ highly engaged fan base over the next three years and beyond.

“For Esports Entertainment Group, a partnership of this calibre is a significant milestone for our shareholders and tremendous validation of both our P2P esports wagering model and future plans within the esports world.”

In addition to New Jersey-based Dignitas, HBSE owns a number of other major sports properties such as NBA basketball team the Philadelphia 76ers, NHL ice hockey franchice the New Jersey Devils and English Premier League football club Crystal Palace.

The deal comes as Esports Entertainment last week announced plans to list its common shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market.