A study conducted in 20 European countries by PayPal and SuperData in March has revealed the increasing popularity of E-sport, or video game competitions. With close to 27 million spectators and a market value of more than 250 million dollars, the European market in this sector is developing very rapidly. In 2017, Belgium’s e-sport market generated three million dollars and is expected to increase by more than 20% this year.
According to the study, the market will peak in Europe, but should continue growing in coming years in Belgium and, in some cases, that growth will be strong. The study forecasts that eSport’s audience should grow by 13% this year and by 7% in 2019. Belgian eSport fans should increase twice as fast, attaining a 28%-growth rate this year and 19% in 2019
Russia, Sweden and Denmark are the European countries where eSport has really taken off. In Belgium the market went up, and now amounts to over 3.6 million dollars, with attractive prospects, namely a turnover of 3.6 million dollars by the end of 2018 and 4.3 million in 2019.
Amounting to over three million dollars, Belgium’s market ranks about 13th in Europe Its more than 1.1million watchers represent 4% of Europeans. Over the next two years, the percentage of Belgians interested in eSports is expected to increase by more than 50%.
In Belgium, 82% of eSport fans are men, with the 25-34 category accounting for the largest tranche (38%).
The Brussels Times
