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Esports Entertainment adds Vie.bet and SportNation to MGA licence

| By Robin Harrison
The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has approved the addition of Esports Entertainment Group’s VIE.bet and SportNation brands to the Group's gaming service licence.
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The operator said that having the brands covered by the MGA licence would allow each to market and operate their services in more than 150 jurisdictions worldwide. 

This, in turn, will see the SportNation brand, acquired in July 2020, expand outside of Great Britain for the first time. 

Esports Entertainment first secured its MGA licence in April last year, though at the time it only covered pool-based wagering, offered via its VIE.gg betting exchange. 

“This move greatly expands the reach of our VIE.bet and SportNation offerings,” Esports Entertainment Group chief executive Grant Johnson said. 

“We are particularly excited to see the team at SportNation bring their marketing expertise and innovative rewards system outside the UK for the first time.”

He revealed that the business would now target growth in South and Central America, and Northern and Eastern Europe. These regions, Johnson added, represent “a substantial multi-billion dollar opportunity”. 

Johnson said that having the brands licensed by the MGA would also allow for “tremendous” cross-selling opportunities through Lucky Dino. 

Lucky Dino, which is licensed separately by the MGA, was acquired in a $30m (£21.9m/€24.8m) deal in December last year. 

“Lucky Dino’s assets will give us a substantial foothold in multiple new jurisdictions where esports are extremely popular, while bringing us 30,000 monthly active casino players and a greatly strengthened tech stack,” Johnson said.

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