Unlike traditional sports—where broadcasters, leagues, and rights holders have long established tightly integrated media and data ecosystems—esports evolved with a very different foundation.
From the start, platforms like Twitch shaped how fans accessed and watched competitive gaming: socially, digitally, and free. While this open access helped fuel esports’ explosive growth, it also introduced real challenges when it comes to regulated betting.
Imagine trying to build an NFL betting product using only YouTube livestreams—that’s often the reality in esports today. With in-play dominating esports betting and data-led experiences becoming the norm for fan engagement, this legacy model of using entertainment platforms’ embeds needs rethinking. That’s where GRID Stream comes in.
To explore why video feeds matter more than ever, we sat down with Klas Roseqvist, who leads streaming and data visualization efforts at GRID. As an expert on how technology shapes the esports betting experience, Klas breaks down what operators need to know—and why streaming smarter could be the most important upgrade they make this year.
Why Video Feeds Matter More Than Ever
“In esports, live video isn’t a bonus—it’s core infrastructure,” says Klas. “Roughly 70–80% of all esports bets are placed in-play. If your stream offering is delayed or interrupted by ads while competitors offer low-latency, ad-free streaming, bettors will almost certainly look elsewhere.
Traditional platforms like Twitch weren’t designed for betting. One major issue? The infamous “purple screen of death”, Twitch’s interstitial banner, completely obscures gameplay. For a bettor mid-wager, that’s not just annoying—it’s a dealbreaker; forcing them to leave the operator’s website to continue an uninterrupted experience on Twitch, losing their attention.
Worse, operators have no control over the ads or content Twitch serves. That can include competitors’ promotions or even messaging that isn’t regulatory compliant.
GRID Stream: Built for Betting
GRID set out to solve this problem with GRID Stream, a video solution purpose-built for the regulated betting ecosystem.
“GRID Stream offers a clean, low-latency feed that’s fully synced with GRID’s official data. Operators can embed it via the GRID media player, which gives them total control over branding and UX, or choose RTMP or HLS integrations. ”
Aligning Streams with Bettor Expectations & Sportsbooks’ Needs
Let’s face it—today’s bettors are sharp, engaged, and digital-native,” Klas explains. “They expect the experience to be fast, interactive, and frictionless. GRID Stream lets you deliver on that.”
By choosing GRID Stream and betting products powered by official data, you can be confident you’re offering bettors the fastest and most seamless experience possible.
The Bottom Line: A Stream Worth Betting On
In today’s hyper-competitive market, every second counts—and every stream tells a story. GRID Stream tells one that’s faster, cleaner, and made for betting.
As Klas comments:
“Streaming smarter means cutting out unreliable, ad-heavy embeds and owning the customer journey end to end. It’s time to elevate your video strategy for a seamless, complete esports bettor experience.”
