Esports Betting Growth Accelerates as DATA.BET Reports Strong Q1 2026 Results

Esports betting continues expanding in 2026 after sportsbook supplier DATA.BET reported major year-over-year growth across several key performance categories during the first quarter of the year.

According to the company’s latest report, esports gross gaming revenue nearly doubled compared to Q1 2025, while overall betting turnover increased by more than 70%. The company also reported strong growth in active users, total bets placed, and combo betting activity across major esports titles including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and VALORANT.

Major Esports Titles Continue Driving Betting Activity

CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and VALORANT remained the biggest drivers of betting activity during the quarter.

However, one of the more notable parts of the report involved the rapid growth of niche esports markets. DATA.BET stated that smaller esports titles collectively generated a 245% increase in profit compared to the same period last year. Rainbow Six and Rocket League were specifically highlighted as strong performers due to expanded market offerings and improved live betting coverage.

The company also noted that combo betting increased by over 72%, suggesting users are becoming more comfortable with more advanced betting formats rather than only placing traditional single-match wagers.

According to DATA.BET Head of Esports Bohdan Holovnov, sportsbooks are increasingly recognizing esports as a meaningful commercial market rather than a secondary betting category.

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Latin America Emerging as a Major Esports Betting Market

The report also highlighted Latin America as one of the fastest-growing regions for esports betting.

Rainbow Six in particular reportedly performed strongly across Latin American markets, where DATA.BET stated it has continued expanding its sportsbook presence. The company also pointed toward VALORANT’s regional ecosystem as another strong contributor to player acquisition and betting activity.

The continued rise of esports betting in regions such as Brazil and Latin America reflects the broader growth of esports itself across mobile and PC titles. Several betting operators and esports organizations have expanded partnerships throughout the region over the past year as audience numbers continue increasing.

Growth Also Raises Integrity Concerns

While the betting market continues growing, concerns surrounding competitive integrity also remain part of the discussion.

Low-tier and semi-professional tournaments have become increasingly attractive to sportsbooks due to their high event volume and engagement potential. However, these same tournaments are often viewed as more vulnerable to match-fixing and betting-related manipulation.

The Esports Integrity Commission, commonly known as ESIC, continues monitoring suspicious betting activity across esports events. The organization works with tournament operators, betting companies, and publishers to investigate match-fixing, cheating, and integrity violations tied to esports competitions.

DATA.BET stated that it has partnered with ESIC since 2019 and continues reporting suspicious activity detected through its betting systems.

Esports Betting Continues Becoming Part of the Industry

Esports betting has steadily become more integrated into competitive gaming over the last several years.

Betting sponsors are now common across Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and other major esports ecosystems, with organizations and tournament operators increasingly relying on sportsbook partnerships as part of their revenue structure.

At the same time, community discussions surrounding esports betting remain divided. Some fans view betting sponsorships as necessary financial support for teams and tournaments, while others continue raising concerns regarding gambling exposure, younger audiences, and the long-term effect of betting integration within esports culture.

This contrast is also reflected in recent industry developments, including Rivalry trading being halted after the esports betting firm faced regulatory and operational challenges, underscoring how volatile and tightly regulated the sector can be despite its continued growth.

Despite those concerns, current market data suggests esports betting continues growing rapidly heading deeper into 2026, especially as betting platforms expand live markets, mobile integrations, and coverage for both Tier 1 and lower-tier competitions.