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Some believe that since both eSports and casino games are forms of gambling, experience in one increases a player’s chances at the other. To an outsider, eSports and gambling do seem similar. However, in reality, there is very little in common between the two, and the skill sets that players need for success in eSports versus casino games are different. Let’s see how so.
Professional Gamblers Are Solo Players
Unlike what we often see in movies (21, for example), professional casino gambling is rarely a team activity. Each gambler plays for themselves. Gamblers admit that part of gambling’s appeal is the idea of games as the “ultimate contest: the individual against the world.” When it comes to table games, a gambler plays against their opponents, not with them. Obviously, not all casino games are like this. Online casinos offer many new games of the world’s known providers that are more fun than combat, and some of them actually encourage player cooperation. However, in professional gambling, especially table games, this is almost never the case. Gamblers tend to be lone wolves.
eSports Are Mostly Teamwork
The logic of eSports is entirely different. Many professional eSports players play in teams and are trained to rely on one another during the game. A huge part of players’ success is the ability to share information and communicate very quickly to regroup or change the strategy in the middle of the game. Even players who major in one-on-one games often form teams for knowledge and experience sharing. This is something that is of no use to casino players and can actually catch an eSports player-turned gambler off-guard.
High-Level Casino Gambling Is Slow and Deliberate
Another major difference between eSports and gambling is the pace. Everyone who has seen at least one poker tournament knows that it may take ages for a professional gambler to contemplate their next move, and no one dares to rush them. High-level casino gambling is not unlike chess in that the success often depends on how well the player can adapt their strategy to outsmart the opponent. This principle works in eSports as well but to a lesser extent and at a completely different pace. So, experience in eSports can actually harm one’s chances at table casino games because they may rush into action out of habit.
eSports Rely on Fast Body’s Responses
Experienced eSports players often act by reflex during the game. Researchers from the University of Nevada argue that eSports require high levels of physical coordination. Players have to make decisions in a fraction of a second, which means that oftentimes, they make these decisions unconsciously - their body acts based on years of experience. In a way, eSports have more in common with traditional sports than casino gambling in that they also require intense physical training, albeit unconventional. These skills are of no use in professional gambling because none of the casino table games require a short reaction time (at least in terms of the body’s responses).
Deception Means Much More in Casino Gambling than It Does in eSports
One more difference between eSports and casino gambling is the role of cunning. Ian Andersen, a professional blackjack player and the author of the book Turning the Tables on Las Vegas, recommends numerous techniques that help a gambler disguise their skills at the table and fake their emotions to deceive the opponents. Researchers also recognize cunning and deception as essential for gambling. In contrast, as much as eSports requires strategizing, there is no need (or time) for the deception of such caliber during the game.
So, What’s the Verdict?
eSports can be a gateway to gambling from a psychological standpoint because the idea of betting is not new to eSports players. However, when it comes to actual skills and technique, there is basically nothing in common between eSports and casino gambling. For now, there is no evidence to suggest that eSports players have higher chances of winning at casino games.
