We will begin our article by exploring the nation’s connection to video games and eSports. Additionally, we will talk about the most popular eSports games in Poland, the largest leagues won by Polish players, and much more. Let’s get right into it.
eSports Betting in Poland – Is it Legal?
First, before we get into any further detail regarding the eSports betting trend in Poland, we must look at its legality and safety. According to the Act of 19 November 2009 on Gambling Games, gambling activities within the borders of Poland are defined into four different categories: sports betting, games of chance, card games, and slot machines.
The specified forms of gambling are considered legal in the country of Poland, and each of these is further defined in the Act. Furthermore, all the best betting sites in Poland are allowed and regulated by the government. They are divided into two types of betting in the country: totalisator systems and bookmaking.
The first, known as the totalisator system, is a form of pool betting where the winnings fluctuate depending on the sum of stakes paid by all participants. Due to their nature, the totalisator systems are only used when betting on the results of sports competitions.
On the other hand, bookmaking is a form of betting where there is no pool of bets, unlike in the previous totalisator systems. Instead, each prize is calculated based on a fixed ratio of the stake paid. Because of that, the bookmaking systems can be used for placing bets on any event.
The Culture of eSports Betting in Poland
Nowadays, when thinking about the biggest eSports tournaments, events, and matches in Europe, one cannot help but include Poland as one of the leading picks. The country is known for its deep traditions in gaming, placing it among the top 20 eSports markets in the world.
The Polish eSports culture began in the 90s when the country entered the western sphere of influence. With the introduction of new computers, consoles, and games to the Polish market, a widespread passion towards gaming soon began to emerge.
The last decade of the 20th century also saw the inception of many internet cafes, which served as breweries for the early Polish eSports betting and gaming culture. Not long after their establishment, many of the venues began hosting local LAN tournaments on games like Counter-Strike, Warcraft, Starcraft, and others.
But those nearby gathering grounds were just the beginning. The Polish gaming scene has grown immensely over the last two decades, turning itself into a massive market for both games and consumers. As of late, there are about 16 million gamers in Poland. Nearly 50% of them are women, with around 2.6 million being eager eSports fans.
Furthermore, the gaming and eSports scene has been engraved into the Polish culture to such a level that 87% of teenagers between 12-18 play at least once a day. Throughout the years, many local studios have also demonstrated that the nationwide passion for games has given fruit to many world-famous titles.
Some of these gaming studios include CD Projekt Red, the creators of the Witcher series, Techland, with their Dying Light game, CreativeForge Games, 11 Bit Studios, and others. Overall, there are more than 440 game producer companies in Poland, some of which report annual revenues of close to a billion euros.
Poland and its eSports Education
The steady growth of the Polish eSports and gaming industry has resulted in the increase in popularity to work in the industry. Therefore, many high schools introduced new classes that study game development, programming, design, story writing, animation, voice acting, and sound engineering. At the same time, universities began offering 60-credit courses like Video Game Management and PR & Marketing in eSports.
What is even more impressive is that in recent years, some educational institutions have included classes with eSports profiles, where a student can make his first steps towards becoming a professional player in CS:GO, League of Legends, or other games. Some teams, like Wisla Krakow, have created their own eSports division, “Wisla All iN!”.
Just like in many other locations around the globe, polish eSports organisations have also begun to invest professionally in their youth. While those Polish teams compete on a high level, many of them have lower subdivisions which provide a professional approach to training and coaching in eSports. Similarly, we advise beginner bettors to first look at some eSports betting tips to have an edge over the competitors.
Why Poland eSports Betting is Trending – Popular Games
Having such a massive eSports and gaming culture in Poland is definitely the backbone of the industry. Over the years, Poland has repeatedly shown that it gives birth to and nurtures professional gamers.
Many of them have successfully managed to carve their names into the world’s gaming history and have accumulated some impressive winnings. Let us check out the most popular eSports games and how much have the Polish players won on them in the table below:
| 🔫 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | $7,225,640.54 |
| ⛏️ Fortnite | $2,917,268.87 |
| 👊 League of Legends | $2,409,931.52 |
| 🌳 DOTA 2 | $2,395,624.03 |
| 🌟 StarCraft II | $1,138,545.35 |
If this is the first time you get acquainted with the professional Polish eSports scene, you must know that a big part of it is built on the players’ achievements in CS:GO. It would be safe to say that playing CS:GO and CS 1.6 is in their blood. In fact, the game’s popularity is one of the main reasons why Poland eSports betting is trending.
Jokes aside, 2,319 Polish eSports players have been awarded a total of $20,605,415.90 USD across 4,943 tournaments. Respectively, CS:GO is the highest awarding game with its $7,225,640.54 USD, which makes up about 35% of all earnings by Polish players. Respectively, CS:GO attracts the majority of the interest in betting on eSports in Poland.
The Biggest eSports Betting Events Won by Polish Players
Annually, there are thousands of events eligible for eSports betting in Poland. Some of them are from minor leagues of less popular titles, but some Poland eSports betting matches break records. Therefore, we can confirm that if you are interested in placing wagers at eSports betting sites in Poland, there will be plenty of games to choose from. In the listing below, we have included some of the biggest Polish victories in the history of eSports:
- The International 2021 – DOTA 2 – $720,320.00
- WESG 2016 – CS:GO – $600,000.00
- FNCS: 2021 Grand Royale EU – Fortnite – $531,300.00
- LOL 2016 World Championship – LoL – $152,100.00
- VALORANT Championships 2021 – Valorant – $140,000.00
The International 2021 – DOTA 2 – $720,320.00
Starting with the biggest win in eSports scored by a Polish player, we have Michal “Nisha” Jankowski. The DOTA 2 player reached third place in the International 2021 tournament with his team, Team Secret. The victory earned Nisha an impressive $720,320.00 USD, and you can bet that the game was followed by all of the sites that offer betting on eSports in Poland.
WESG 2016 – CS:GO – $600,000.00
The year 2016 was definitely the highlight of the national CS:GO age, and it is one of the main reasons why Poland eSports betting is trending right now. During the World Electronic Sports Games 2016 in Changzhou, China, two polish organisations, Team Kinguin and Virtus.pro, reached second and third place in the championship. That resulted in 10 polish players sharing $600,000 USD.
FNCS: 2021 Grand Royale EU – Fortnite – $531,300.00
Another event that the eSports betting communities in Poland will remember is the FNCS: 2021 Grand Royale EU, with a prize pool of $2,250,300.00. The game was available on the sports betting platforms of many of the best online casinos in Poland. Anyhow, the Polish team featuring Kami, Setty, and Teeq, reached second place, thus winning $450,000.00 USD.
Biggest eSports Betting Leagues in Poland
So far, in our blog post, we have talked about the cultural background, traditions, and achievements of eSports in Poland. That said, if you are interested in getting a glimpse of the eSports betting trend in Poland, now is the time to look at the biggest leagues to follow.
- ESL – Faceit Polska Liga
- PLE – Polish eSports League
- Ultraliga – Poland
ESL – Faceit Polska Liga
ESL Poland is part of ESL Gaming, the world’s leading eSports company. If you have been betting on eSports in Poland, you most definitely have heard of them as they have been shaping the local and international industry by creating a comprehensive ecosystem with opportunities for players to go pro.
Currently, ESL Poland organises some of the world’s largest eSports events and tournaments, like the CS:GO ESL Pro tour or the Katowice events. The ESL league has been famous for turning Polish amateur contestants into professional players with team contracts. Finally, ESL.TV Polska is also hosted by the organisation and is the largest eSports television in the country.
PLE – Polish Esports League
If you are familiar with Polish eSports betting, you might have heard of the PGE, the Polish eSports League. It is mostly known for its flagship project, the PGE Mistrzowska Division, played on the best eSports FPS, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Naturally, the league is followed by the majority of the Polish eSports betting sites.
The organisation aims to implement a new foundation on the Polish eSports scene with their Centralisation of Sponsorship Rights project. Finally, we must point out to all beginner eSports bettors that the PLE features some of the best Polish CS:GO teams like AGO Gaming, Team Kinguin, Pride Gaming, Pompa Team, and others.
Ultraliga – Top-Level Polish LoL League
The Ultraliga is the top-level Polish League of Legends league that was founded in 2018. Since 2019, the league has been run by ESE Entertainment, a global entertainment and technology company focused on gaming and eSports. This tournament is specifically made for the game of League of Legends, and if you are a fan of the MOBA, then you might consider eSports betting sites that cover this league.
Why Poland eSports Betting is Trending Right Now – Conclusion
It is no coincidence that Polish eSports betting is trending right now, and many factors play a part. First, there has been a steady growth and development of the unique Polish gaming culture since the 90s. Nearly three decades later, this movement led to the establishment of eSports among the other top disciplines. Additionally, the creation of multiple Polish leagues presented even more betting markets.
FAQ
We sincerely hope that our article on why Poland eSports betting is trending has been of some help and that you have managed to find some interesting information here. Anyhow, we would like to end this post by taking a look at the most frequently asked questions and answering them for you.