GG.BET: how to create an industry-changing fan experience

Esports has long been an industry in which audience engagement is crucial for market players. With this being the case, it's not enough for betting companies to simply offer high odds on various markets. Nowadays it's the bookmakers who can offer users a unique experience - the chance to be a part of an epic eSports festival from the comfort of their own home - that are best able to hold their attention. The question is: which strategies actually work?

One brand that puts a premium on high-quality interaction with its audience is GG.BET. The company supports and collaborates with tournaments and eSports organisations and creates content to make betting an organic part of its audience's experience of eSports. This approach goes beyond classic marketing strategies and is setting new industry standards. MightyQs sat down with the GG.BET team to learn the details.

Since 2016, GG.BET has been building its strategy around eSports. Its portfolio of successful projects includes collaborations with S-Tier tournaments like BLAST Premier, PGL, ESL, Starladder, and The International. However, instead of the usual branding at venues and on streams, GG.BET places emphasis on creative activities.

Partnering with tier-one clubs plays a vital role. GG.BET has been working with NAVI since 2017, and in 2022, Team Vitality joined the partnership party. These alliances are founded not only on supporting the teams but also on finding new ways to interact with the fans. An excellent example of this was the Match of LeGGends showmatch series between the CS2 rosters of NAVI and Team Vitality, which broke the mould with a non-standard format that allowed the fans to be a part of the action.

The first match of this kind took place in 2023, and the stream garnered a peak viewership of 72,000. In 2024, a second event of this kind was held, Match of LeGGends: Double Down, which racked up over 600,000 views on official streaming channels. These events not only boost interest in the teams involved but also help build an engaged community around the betting brand.

NAVI and Team Vitality at the Match of LeGGends in 2023 ©GG.BET

In 2024, GG.BET became BLAST Premier's official betting partner for one year. This collaboration showed how effective a partnership between an eSports bookmaker and a tournament operator can be.

GG.BET employed a complex approach, combining online and offline activities. The brand added activities to the tournaments, allowing viewers to dive even deeper into the atmosphere at the venue. As part of this, the brand set up GG.BOOTH fan zones at the BLAST Spring Final in London and the World Final in Singapore, with photo areas and creative spaces where fans could create their own custom posters. Visitors also enjoyed signing sessions with NAVI and Team Vitality.

Special mention goes to GG.BET's Community Watch, which it regularly holds in NAVI's Kyiv office for the team's supporters. The impression of "being there" was made even stronger at the BLAST Premier: Spring Final 2024 semi-final as GG.BET set up a Community Watch TV link-up with Wembley Arena.

One online activity that achieved great results was BLAST PICKS. A series of predictions by BLAST Premier and GG.BET experts on the outcomes of the tournament's top matches as they were being streamed. These predictions led to lively discussions among the viewers as they argued about, agreed with, and criticized the predictions, leading to a significant increase in engagement.

Thanks to an extensive PR campaign surrounding the partnership, GG.BET not only boosted its brand awareness but also significantly raised the platform's retention rate. The partnership with BLAST Premier went beyond a standard sponsorship relationship to install GG.BET as an integral part of the tournament ecosystem and made the partnership format a highly successful one.

Signing session with Team Vitality at the GG.BOOTH ©GG.BET

Esports betting is constantly changing. Just a few years ago, GG.BET was dominated by Counter-Strike and Dota 2, with the competition lagging far behind. Today, audience attention is much more evenly spread. Even though these disciplines have held onto their positions at the top, 2024 saw a drop in the number of bets being placed on them. At the same time, the number of bets on Valorant grew by 76%, bets on virtual football by 36%, and bets on League of Legends by 27%.

This is a sign to betting brands that it's time to adapt: personalised bonuses, exclusive offers, and flexible marketing strategies are not just tools for increasing engagement. They are crucial for retaining customers against a backdrop of changing demand.

The audiences of eSports and traditional sports certainly have their differences. Esports bettors tend to be more tech-savvy and focus on fast-paced excitement. They analyze the effects of new patches, which can dramatically influence the balance of power in-game and keep up to date with tournament analysis programs.

Fans of classic sports betting are more interested in team historical statistics, player fitness, and league trends, as the rules of these sports and the way they are played have not changed for decades. Despite these differences, the boundary between these two groups is gradually vanishing, and the intersection points are becoming increasingly visible.

Although GG.BET is known as an eSports brand, the platforms operating under the GG.BET brand name also offer bets on classic sports. Bets on traditional sports even hold a leading position in a number of regions.

For example, in 2024, 80% of bets placed with GGBET.UA were placed on sports. Among Ukrainian bettors, around 74% of those who bet on CS2 and Dota 2 also wager on football. These figures confirm that interest in eSports and traditional sports is becoming less mutually exclusive, which means that a more universal audience is forming.

Through its example, GG.BET is proving that a successful strategy has to be built around proactivity and full immersion in the community's life. Through partnerships, integrations, and content, GG.BET is becoming an ecosystem that is leading the industry as a whole.