Bet on ESL Gaming 2026

Ownership

In 2015, the Modern Times Group acquired 74% of ESL Gaming from its parent company, Turtle Entertainment. That same year, live esports events began broadcasting in over 1500 movie theatres, significantly boosting ESL Gaming's popularity. Consequently, the organisation started hosting more eSport online tournaments and steadily expanded the range of eSports games offered. This includes popular titles that Ghanaian players enjoy.

By 2022, the company announced that Savvy Gaming Group (SGG) would acquire both ESL Gaming and another esports platform named FACEIT. The estimated price for ESL Gaming was a substantial 1.05 billion US dollars, with the deal set to finalise in the second quarter of the year. SGG plans to merge these two companies, forming the ESL FaceIt Group, which will further impact the esports landscape for players in Ghana.

Competitions and Games for Ghanaian Players

ESL regularly partners with game developers like Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft Gaming, and Valve to stage numerous esports leagues and competitions worldwide annually. Today, most of these tournaments are held online, drawing millions of viewers. Some of the premier competitions include ESL Play, ESL National Championships, ESL Pro Tour, ESL One, and Intel Extreme Masters. Below are some popular games featured in their tournaments and leagues, enjoyed by many in Ghana.

• FIFA: The FIFA video game series, developed by EA Sports, is a global phenomenon. Drawing heavily from the world's most beloved sport, association football, it's incredibly popular. The gameplay centres on two teams striving to outscore each other to achieve victory.
• Rainbow Six: Ubisoft's Rainbow Six is a tactical shooter where players select from various operators, each with unique abilities and ratings. The game pits two teams, terrorists and counter-terrorists, against each other in diverse modes with distinct objectives for each side.
• Clash of Clans: Developed and published by Supercell, Clash of Clans immerses players in a fantasy world where they manage a village. The goal is to build a strong village capable of defending against attacks and train troops for offensive strategies, all while managing limited resources.
• Mortal Kombat: Initially developed by Midway Games, Mortal Kombat is a fantasy fighting game featuring a diverse cast of characters, each with unique skills and abilities. While the series has evolved over the years, the core fighting gameplay remains consistent.
• NBA2K: NBA2K, developed by Visual Concepts, is a simulation video game series that mirrors the National Basketball Association, the premier basketball league globally. Each game typically emulates a season of the NBA.
• Call of Duty: Activision's Call of Duty is another popular shooter series. While its initial instalments were set during World War II, the franchise has since expanded to include games in the Cold War, outer space, and futuristic settings.
• League of Legends: This multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, published by Riot Games, was inspired by the Defense of the Ancients map but developed as a standalone title. It features two teams of five players each, tasked with defending their territory while attacking the opposing team's base.

Why are ESL Gaming Tournaments So Popular in Ghana?

Game Variety

One of the main reasons ESL Gaming tournaments are popular, especially among punters, is the huge variety of games featured in the many different eSports tournaments. Punters thus have numerous selections of betting markets on which they can place their wagers.

Regulation

The ESL Gaming tournaments are always well-managed and regulated. That ensures fair gameplay and that no one can manipulate game results in any way. The brand's trustworthiness has resulted in players' loyalty, increasing popularity.

Availability

ESL Gaming usually organizes many of the best eSports tournaments and leagues each year. Ideally, there is always an ongoing event at almost all times of the year. Punters can thus rely on the organization to have events on which they can bet throughout the entire year. The events are also usually big enough to be featured in most online casinos.

Ease of Eligibility

ESL Gaming leagues and tournaments are typically created to accommodate nearly all players, ranging from novice to professional players. Some tournaments are designed specifically for the different skill levels, making it easy for anyone to participate in the events. The eligibility requirements are also usually strict but easy.