The Japanese tech giant Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent application for an “eSports betting platform” that would allow users to bet on eSports using physical currency, bitcoin, or even in-game items, during streams of games.
Right timing
If surprising, this move was not unexpected from the PlayStation developer Sony.
While the company has not shown a clear interest in iGaming in the past, with the growing popularity of eSports, it was the right time to enter the eSports wagering market.
Besides, let’s note that multiple esports titles are already available on PlayStation such as Tekken 7, Call of Duty Warzone, and more.
What does the patent claims?
As per the US patent laws, any patent claims can only be made public once 18 months have passed. It is now understood that Sony had initially filed the patent back in November 2019 but has only published it this month.
According to reports, the Japanese company is looking to create a platform that could be accessed via Sony devices (Playstation) as well as PCs and rival gaming consoles.
The patent application said the platform includes, “odds for various propositions concerning the play of a computer simulation are determined and presented to a viewer for pecuniary [real-money] or non-pecuniary wagering purposes”.
The patent itself also suggests that odds may be determined either in a sportsbook format based on past game analytics or a pari-mutuel system, with a further option of betting directly against friends.
On top of the betting options, viewers would be able to watch streams without betting, as well as gain access to a wide range of statistics and analytics pertaining to the matches and a cash-out feature.
Realistic?
Patents are regularly filed by games companies and Sony has been busy filing a lot of patents recently, with many of them never coming to completion.
Let’s also mention the legality issue, as sports betting is not yet legal in all US states and restricted in others.
