GG.BET’s latest partnership with Team Vitality’s CS:GO team was revealed last week. We took some time to talk with GG.Bet’s CEO, Dmitry Voshkarin, about the ins and outs of the deal, the state of the industry, and how organizations and players can elevate their partnerships.

ESB – We have recently seen the financial results from several esports organizations around the world, and it’s evident how companies in the sector are still struggling to be profitable. What would GG.bet suggest to overcome the issue of monetization in the esports industry?

Dmitry Voshkarin – There are several points of monetization for esports organizations, focusing on which it’s become possible to reach high profitability.

First of all, it is the media exposure of the teams, their players, and coaches. Consistent and high-quality communication will enable organizations to increasingly attract world-renowned companies as sponsors. In this context, esports should draw its example from financially successful soccer, where every player of the team known worldwide is a separate large-scale media personality.

The second way of monetizing is to create your own products and collaborations with global brands. There’s a lot of room for imagination here, you only have to look closely at what the team’s fans are interested in. Clothing, gaming devices, accessories, cars, jewellery — just start exploring and the list goes on and on.

And of course, we must not forget that esports is a developing industry. Therefore, there is scope for surprising, daring, and innovative projects. Do what no one has ever done before. In esports, it’s possible.

ESB – What word of advice would GG.bet give to top esports players and teams willing to elevate their partnerships?

Dmitry Voshkarin – We reckon it is worth emphasizing that teams and players have to constantly develop the ability to work with partners and to improve customer service. International organizations always work with a few companies, and so they should ought away from generic solutions. Teams should develop creativity in their offers. It is important to design new toolkits and collaboration options tailored to the interests, specifics, categories, and needs of each partner.

For example, a sportswear brand might be interested in launching merch in collaboration with a team, or joint conceptualization of a new collection with famous players. It is also possible to release collaborative merchandise with an esports bookmaker. In this case, we focus on high-quality content for fans, as we put in the spotlight the development of the industry itself.

When it comes to players, it’s important for each of them to develop more than just game skills. Well, yes, fans love to watch the ACEs happen, but that’s not enough. Players should work on their public speaking skills, content quality, and media skills. So their communication will be interesting to both fans and high-level partners.

ESB – Following this partnership, are there plans to build some exclusive/unique content and activations in cooperation between GG.bet and Team Vitality, and if yes, in which format?

Dmitry Voshkarin – Of course, now, as we are just at the beginning of our partnership with Team Vitality, we do not want to disclose all the specifics. But we can say that our overall plan includes a wide variety of online and offline formats. It includes co-events, activities for the team’s fans, and all kinds of creative content that will engage the audience and broadcast our key messages to the esports community.

Our goal is to give fans the experience of being close to the team and have the best experience in esports and esports betting.

ESB – Final words on the level of fan engagement in esports: we know that, especially in CSGO betting, timing and knowledge are crucial to make the right call. What’s the big advantage for fans to choose GG.bet over other competitor betting sites?

Dmitry Voshkarin – What sets GG.BET apart from other betting companies? The answer is a high-level betting service that focuses specifically on esports. Our team is made up of esports fans. We play ourselves, we follow tournaments, and bet on esports. Our love and depth of understanding of esports gives us the ability to create a product that delivers the best esports betting experience.

GG.BET provides a list of markets (including festive non-standard markets) developed taking into account the specifics of each discipline. It also provides various bonus programs and activities for users, created in collaboration with famous teams.

All this allows bettors to get even more vibrant emotions from cheering for their favourite players and watching tournaments.