Esports Industry Scale Discussion with Vitalii Semeniuk from BETER
As the thriving popularity of cybersports tournaments catapults esports betting into the limelight, competing with traditional sports, BETER embarks on a remarkable journey. Today, an average bet on Counter-Strike matches outstrips football bets by five times, and BETER is at the forefront of this burgeoning market. Vitalii Semeniuk, BETER's Esports Product Manager, shares his insights on the ascent of BETER as the world's largest B2B esports content provider, shedding light on the industry's future in an exclusive interview for SiGMA News.
From a Single Employee to a Dynamic Team of over 500
Tracing BETER's history reveals an intricate link with two of its most renowned brands – Setka Cup table tennis tournaments and ESportsBattle tournaments. The first Setka Cup matches took place in early 2018 at a small venue on the outskirts of Kyiv. Since then, the tournaments have expanded in scale, encompassing new locations in various cities and countries like Moldova, the Czech Republic, and India.
As for ESportsBattle, the tournaments debuted in 2019, just one year after the launch of Setka Cup, and quickly gained momentum due to the high demand from operators and their bettors. BETER scaled aggressively, introducing new disciplines and formats and increasing the number of matches, progressing from 43,000 in 2019 to approximately 400,000 annually by 2022, with plans to surpass the 500,000 mark in the current year.
BETER's offerings have expanded well beyond esports, with over 175,000 sports matches held annually across various disciplines. The combination of Setka Cup and the BSKT Cup basketball league forms the backbone of BETER's robust sports portfolio.
A Strategy Rooted in Deep Market Understanding
BETER's growth in the booming esports market is a testament to a stringent strategy grounded in a deep comprehension of both esports and the broader iGaming industry. The BETER team boasts esports experts with extensive experience in organizing large-scale tournaments, enabling them to navigate market trends effectively.
Recently, Adam Conway joined the team as General Manager of the Esports Business Division, contributing a wealth of expertise in product launching and trading to significantly bolster BETER's position as a leader in global esports solutions.
Marrying Conway's insights with the wisdom of experienced colleagues steeped in the iGaming market, BETER creates a balanced approach to crafting its innovative products. Analytics, user behavior, content effectiveness, and the competitive landscape are instrumental in shaping their strategy. BETER continues to foster close relationships with key iGaming stakeholders at leading industry exhibitions such as SiGMA.
Well-Reputed Partners Bolster BETER's Rank
BETER boasts an impressive roster of partners, including renowned bookmakers, aggregators, and iGaming solution providers. Companies such as Betsson Group, BVGroup, Kaizen Gaming, Altenar, bet365, Novibet, Superbet, and Codere are among its extensive partner network. Long-standing associations with many of these partners demonstrate the high quality of BETER's content while showcasing an understanding of customer needs.
The enterprise recently ventured into the US market, leveraging the support of bet365 in the process. BETER now focuses on making its esports products accessible for the American audience.
The Fertile Ground of Esports for Bookmakers
The esports audience is comprised of millions of active online users, principally young people well-versed in fast-paced formats, high engagement levels, and instant payouts. With daily betting frequency, promising margins, and a longer user lifetime compared to many traditional verticals, this audience poses a unique, lucrative opportunity for bookmakers.
For instance, some cases indicate that up to 10-12% of a bookmaker's total GGR can be attributed to esports content. Annually, hundreds of millions of bets are placed on esports products such as eFootball and eBasketball, emerging as popular choices among young demographics.
Responsible Gaming as a Cornerstone
BETER emphasizes responsible gaming practices in its operations by partnering with the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC). Together, they combat match-fixing, betting fraud, and maintain the integrity of esports disciplines and tournaments. ESportsBattle responds to the threat of integrity issues with a dedicated Integrity team to ensure the competitions remain fair and transparent.
By adhering to a comprehensive strategy built upon six pillars – onboarding, education/prevention, regulations, monitoring, investigation, and prosecution – BETER safeguards its stance as a responsible and respected player in the global gaming landscape. The company's commitment to integrity recently garnered the Safer Gambling category award at the European iGaming Awards in 2025.
Awards and Recognition on the Horizon
BETER has been shortlisted in three categories at the SiGMA Asia Awards: Best Esport Provider 2025, Best Sportsbook Provider 2025, and Most Innovative Sportsbook Feature 2025. With a track record of excellence, BETER will showcase its expertise at SiGMA Asia, championing esports, betting innovation, and forward-thinking strategies. The conference in Manila this June promises to set the stage for shaping the future of iGaming.
[1] Originally printed in Russian on May 23, 2025[2] BetMGM commits to women's sports with Las Vegas Aces, WNBA deals (Daily Racing Form)[3] Quintenz vows to divest Kalshi stake if confirmed as CFTC chair (S&P Global Market Intelligence)[4] Watch: Vladimir Malakchi, CEO of Xanada Investments, on why iGaming is the future of global entertainment (CalvinAyre)[5] An Egaming Odyssey to the Far East (CalvinAyre)
- As the esports industry continues to grow, BETER's Esports Product Manager, Vitalii Semeniuk, pointed out the importance of understanding both the esports and the broader iGaming industries in BETER's success, tackling market trends effectively by leveraging their team of esports experts who have experience in organizing large-scale tournaments.
- In the competitive world of finance and business, BETER's expanding sports portfolio, with over 175,000 sports matches held annually across various disciplines, showcases the company's strategic move beyond esports, positioning it as a strong player in the iGaming market.
