Key Moments:
- GRID’s CEO Moritz Maurer discussed adapting sports betting for audiences favoring short, highlight-driven content at SiGMA Euro-Med 2025.
- Esports betting has experienced wager volumes surpassing 50 million with approximately 15% annual growth, dominated by four main game titles.
- Gen Z and millennials engage heavily with gaming—90% participate—while only 37% continue to watch live sporting events.
Adapting Wagering to Digital Preferences
As engagement with traditional full-length sports declines among younger audiences, industry leaders are rethinking how to appeal to this demographic. At SiGMA Euro-Med 2025, Moritz Maurer, Co-Founder and CEO of GRID, addressed these shifts in a fireside chat focused on designing betting experiences tailored to consumers who prefer short-form content.
Maurer emphasized the necessity of developing micro-betting and ultra-fast in-play markets that resonate with those accustomed to digesting only the most compelling sports moments.
Overcoming Data and Regulatory Challenges
Maurer recounted the inspiration behind starting GRID, highlighting the need to address infrastructure shortfalls and regulatory complexity within esports. Establishing effective data systems proved critical to keeping pace with high-speed gameplay, with Maurer stating, “Ultimately, I wanted to tackle all the data challenges in digital sports I was seeing in the market.”
Through this approach, the sector has seen steady growth, as wager volumes have exceeded 50 million and annual growth rates have hovered at 15%. Nearly 80% of betting action has focused on the top four game titles, showcasing both concentration within the market and rapid expansion of esports betting.
Shifting Demographics and Engagement Patterns
Current wagering trends reflect changes in entertainment habits. Maurer pointed out two major audience segments: one includes viewers who no longer play the games but still bet on them—about 40% in the US fall into this group; the other consists of new participants embracing esports, gaming, and wagering.
These patterns are especially evident among Gen Z and millennials, with gaming now central to 90% of their entertainment experiences. However, the proportion of those still watching live sports has dropped to 37%. Maurer noted this generational transformation: “It’s a generational shift, and if you want to attract that audience you need to pay attention to how people are engaging. Being here representing esports and gaming, we are partially to blame for the shortening of attention spans, but it’s a real thing.”
Embracing Micro-Markets and Speed
Operators aiming to serve digital natives must consider the rapid action inherent in esports. As Maurer explained, the structure of these games creates ongoing betting opportunities without the need for artificial enhancements found in traditional sports. “The pace of the games is just higher than in sports. Esports is good for digital natives.”
Strategic partnerships such as GRID’s collaboration with Riot Games have been noted as instrumental in aligning the industry and using data to enrich the betting experience. Maurer stated, “I feel quite good about what we’ve been able to show in terms of progress in the industry and enhancing experiences by making data available for players. At the back of this, as an engagement channel, it’s raising this category more, this is achieved by data.”
Possibilities for Traditional Sports
When considering whether innovations from esports can translate to traditional sports, Maurer recognized ongoing efforts but advised that true progress may require fundamental change. He said, “I think we are seeing attempts of that already, but unless you’re willing to change the underlying things. I hope that now with esports data available there will be more ways of innovating on that front to create new products for the markets.”
He concluded by underlining the sector’s current stability and opportunity for growth: “When I left Genius, I said I was going to solve data challenges in esports, making data more available. It needs to be in alignment with the rights holders. Now is a very good time to get in with it as you know you have a reliable foundation. Fragmentation of data and lack of planning security, we think we have solved this now.”
Esports Betting: Recent Highlights
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Wager Volume | Over 50 million |
| Annual Growth Rate | 15% |
| Market Concentration | Top 4 game titles account for nearly 80% of activity |
| Gen Z & Millennials Gaming Engagement | 90% |
| Live Sports Viewership (Younger Audiences) | 37% |
Looking Forward
As the final day of SiGMA Euro-Med 2025 approaches, attendees can expect more updates, interviews, and behind-the-scenes perspectives to illuminate ongoing industry transformation.
- Author
Daniel Williams
