What Are Virtual Sports & Is Betting on Simulated Contests Popular?

We will answer both of these questions in the intro before moving on to covering other aspects of the virtual sports betting sphere.

Virtual sports are essentially nothing more than video games that play themselves. They are computer-generated simulations that mimic real sporting events, boasting high-end graphics, and whose outcomes are determined by random number generators. They differ from traditional casino games in that they adopt many aspects of standard sports betting, meaning teams/player attributes play a role in results, as these solutions attempt to emulate the dynamics of real-life contests. Hence, much of the same logic that gamblers implement in their sports betting adventures applies here. However, the event duration in simulated competitions is usually much shorter, lasting only a few minutes, and there is a lack of the same level of unpredictability that actual contests feature. Do not get us wrong, developers do their best to add a spice of randomness, but it still does not compare to what the real world offers in terms of unpredictability.

Regarding their popularity, virtual sports are far more established than one would think, and they are growing as a betting trend. Per the latest stats, the worldwide virtual betting market got evaluated at $10.8 billion in 2023, and it should expand at a rate of 17.3% per year until 2031, when it will reach a size of $38.45 billion. The prevalence of virtual sports betting is increasing everywhere as these gambling products are becoming more realistic and sophisticated, and their developers are continuously coming up with methods to enhance user engagement. Currently, Europe is the largest virtual sports betting market, with the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain as the frontrunners in this online gambling sphere section.

The Main Virtual Sports Contest Types

One would think that horse and greyhound racing would be the most established virtual sports types due to their nature and the fact they seem like the best fit for this entertainment form. However, while they do rank high in this genre, simulated football competitions are at the top, primarily due to the multiple virtual leagues featuring football organized by different providers. Gamblers like these, as they provide future options and more wagering diversity in general.

Motorsports are also mainstay pics. The same goes for virtual cycling. Basketball and tennis are also something that is doing well in this category, and virtual cricket is making sizeable headway.

We liked Inspired Entertainment’s Mike Tyson Boxing product, as we thought the graphics were pretty good in this realistic simulation. Inspired also has a good virtual American football option, something that we have seen bettors clamor more about.

What Are the Top Virtual Sports Providers?

Kiron Interactive, better known only as Kiron, is one of the leading virtual sports companies operating from Johannesburg and London. It got up and running in 2001 and has a portfolio of fifty-one options, working with more than one hundred and forty international clients, winning the EGR B2B Top Virtual Sports Supplier award in 2021.

Golden Race is another player from this industry section that we know whose creations you have likely stumbled upon if you are into virtual sports betting. Headquartered in Malta (Valetta), Golden Race has almost two decades of experience delivering virtual betting solutions to over three hundred clients, with this company’s creations licensed in more than twenty jurisdictions.

Leap Gaming is another Malta-based supplier that functions from Birkirkara and one that we have mentioned before at GOSUBETTING. It also makes pretty decent slot games but gets best recognized for its D virtual sports, especially its virtual football leagues, country-specific ones. Inspired Winning Entertainment, mentioned above, is a five-time Virtual Sports EGR Supplier of the Year winner and a brand we should not forget to mention here, as it has some of the best-looking virtual sports choices on the market.

A few other companies that are doing well in this landscape are GoldenBet, InBet Games, and BetRadar. We assume most readers are familiar with the latter. InBet Games is a company that made its bones in the online gambling arena by making lottery-style software, and it has 3D dog races, cycling virtual competitions, and simulated football. GoldenBet, not to be confused with the gambling site of the same name, is a sizeable entity with offices in Malta, Liechtenstein, London, Vienna, and Bosnia. It provides a scaleable online sportsbook, casino games, virtual sports, and simulated contests that include pre-recorded videos for a super authentic horse betting experience. GoldenBet’s virtual sports selection covers tennis, basketball, and football, and it even includes camel races, where six to eight virtual camels compete in a race that you can bet on. All of this company’s products are mobile-friendly, and the same goes for the other suppliers discussed here.

The Pros & Cons of Betting on Virtual Sports

The chief advantage of this practice is the constant availability of these wagering contests. There are no off-seasons when it comes to virtual sports, as you do not get bound by real-world schedules. You can bet on these competitions regardless of the time of the year. They are also much shorter than their real-life counterparts, so there is more immediate satisfaction, and you can be confident that their results are fair, given that the random number generators they use get tested by independent third parties that ensure everything is on the up and up. The same cannot get said for many lower-league football matches, as loads have been scrutinized and evaluated for potential match-fixing.

The main cons of virtual sports are they lack the emotional element that actual sports carry, and even though they incorporate things like different weather conditions, injuries, and so on, they cannot compare with the dynamics that are in play when humans compete. There is also a lack of external variables, like morale, crowd interference/influence, and so on. All that lowers their appeal. Also, some gamblers are not fans of the quick gratification they provide, and the high contest availability may generate a sizeable risk of addiction for those with impulse control issues. Lastly, the number of available wagering markets does not compare to those for actual sporting events.

Top Bitcoin Betting Sites