Nevada clears esports betting on ESL One: Road to Rio

The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Tuesday granted approval to offer wagers on the 2020 ESL One: Road to Rio. With this exemption, Nevada licensees are permitted to post and accept bets on the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event in three different wager types: head to head, match winner, and overall winner. 

It is the first of multiple regional competitions to qualify for the ESL One Rio CS:GO Major to be held on November 2020, which was already cleared for wagers last Friday by the Nevada regulators. 56 of the world's best esports teams will compete across four weeks between April 22 and May 17.

Prior to the acceptance of a wager, official rules must be posted on the event organizer or sanctioning body’s website. Nevada licensees must notify all patrons that once the winner is declared, all wagers will stand, gaming regulators said.

The next steps on the Road to Rio 🛣️
There's an action packed month full of CS:GO heading your way!

Who will make it to the #ESLOne Rio Major 🇧🇷https://t.co/oKtWoBN9WA pic.twitter.com/oyBkvdpazo

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) April 21, 2020

Licensed bookmakers electing to offer these wagers must provide the Enforcement Division with notification of terms via email. The setting of odds is at the discretion of the bookmaker, and rules governing these wagers shall be made available to the public.

In-play betting is not allowed, so acceptance of wagers must cease prior the commencement of each match. Any additional wagers which deviate from the three listed above for this event will require a separate application and approval.

The approval is the latest in a long thread of esports betting exemptions issued by the Nevada regulators throughout the last several weeks, including League of Legends, Dota 2, iRacing, Overwatch, and other Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competitions such as the ESL Pro League and ESL Meisterschaft.