Exclusive: GRID on how official data is unlocking growth in esports betting
For years, esports betting has promised huge upsides, but one problem consistently stood in the way: data. Without dependable, official feeds, products suffer from inconsistency, confusion, and weak commercial appeal.
SiGMA News spoke with GRID founder and CEO Moritz Maurer at the recent SiGMA EuroMed summit, shortly after his fireside chat on “Betting for the TikTok generation.” The conversation quickly turned to a key issue shaping the market today: how official data could finally unlock the growth potential of esports betting.
The fragmentation drag on esports
Unlike traditional sports, esports is not one game; it spans around 20 to 25 titles, with only six or seven of these really relevant to wagering. This reality meant that data sources were fragmented and, in many cases, official data wasn’t available at all, which made it difficult for operators to build products that were accurate or engaging. As Maurer put it: “In esports in particular, even more than in sports, it’s very hard to create a reliable and also compelling product proposition without any data.”
And even when data was available, it was often inconsistent; different suppliers worked with different standards, and with varying speed, accuracy, and depth. “In general, esports operators don’t want to offer different service levels across different sports,” Maurer said. “They want to provide the best possible experience in a consistent way, otherwise it risks confusing the end consumer.”
Why investment stalled
This inconsistency carried a financial cost. “The fragmentation and lack of planning were hindering a lot of investment into esports products, especially by non-endemic bookmakers,” Maurer said. “If you looked at esports from an operator’s perspective, you’d have to integrate multiple data sources and multiple suppliers. The required investment compared to the perceived ROI simply doesn’t check out.”
A turning point: consolidation and rights alignment
GRID launched seven years ago with the aim of changing that picture. The company’s model is based on official, server-sourced data. “The beauty of a digital sport is that the perfect data exists somewhere,” Maurer said. “We spent years creating partnerships and building the technology needed to source this type of data from the games.”
Recent moves have pushed that vision firmly into reality. GRID’s rights portfolio grew with the addition of ESL FACEIT Group, plus direct deals with publishers like Riot Games. And in a major shake-up, GRID stepped in to acquire the intellectual property assets of Bayes Esports after its insolvency, folding Bayes’ live data trading tools, prediction models, and fan engagement tech into its own ecosystem. This consolidation marks one of the most significant turns in the esports data sector to date.
The direction mirrors developments in traditional sports, where companies such as Genius Sports have built their businesses around centralising fragmented rights and investing heavily in data infrastructure. The logic is the same in both cases: bring scattered rights under one roof in order to make data easier to license, distribute, and consume.
Betting clarity and risk mitigation
Official data also offers legal and operational clarity. “Through the increased involvement of the rights holders, you don’t have to worry about potentially operating in a grey area or investing in a product that might get shut down by the IP owners or rights holders,” Maurer said.
That clarity matters as publishers refine their stance on betting. Riot Games, for example, recently eased restrictions on gambling sponsorships in League of Legends and Valorant, acknowledging that betting is already entrenched in the ecosystem.
Built to scale
GRID also prioritised building its infrastructure in a neutral way. “Another conviction we had at GRID was building things in a game-title agnostic fashion,” Maurer said. “Through one integration they’ll have a very seamless experience in expanding their product from one game title to many more over time.”
That scalability matters in an industry where new titles rise and fall quickly. A model that allows operators to plug into multiple games with one integration lowers barriers, reduces costs, and makes it easier to experiment.
The push esports betting has been waiting for
Maurer believes official data can unlock a stronger phase of growth in esports wagering. “We think there are huge benefits for the rights holders and the market as a whole, and we’re very excited for the innovation this will bring,” he said. “The additional revenue will flow into esports and support the continued growth of a market already in the billions when it comes to wager volume, with strong year-on-year growth.”
What is certain is that esports betting has reached a pivotal moment. Reliable, official data could be the missing piece that finally allows esports to take off as a real force in the betting world.
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