US-based casino Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City has launched eSports After Dark, a weekly activation taking place at its sports bar that sees guests compete in esports tournaments.
Some of the titles featured in the tournaments include Street Fighter V, Super Smash Bros Ultimate and Tetris, with competitions taking place every Wednesday past 8pm.
Agua Caliente Casino becomes the latest gambling institute to integrate esports into its premises. Perhaps the most well-known case of esports and casinos coming together is the HyperX Esports Arena, which is located at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Last year, Esports Entertainment Group also partnered with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City to collaborate on an in-person event inside the casino.
Speaking to Esports Insider, Pearl Aguinaldo, Senior Director of Marketing Communications at Agua Caliente Casinos, commented: “Launching eSports After Dark at Agua Caliente Cathedral City has been an exciting initiative for us. At its core, esports is an investment in our future, as it’s a stepping stone for young gamers to be a returning casino customer for years to come.
“The concept is still under the radar, especially for casinos, which means this entertainment is hard to find anywhere else. We understand that this industry will grow exponentially, so we jumped on the opportunity to invest in this new gaming vertical.”
The tournaments award cash-only prizes and are split into three categories — Ranked, Rotational and High Score Neon Arcade. The ranked titles include Super Smash Bros Ultimate and Street Fighter V, and are available through an eight-week period. As of this writing, the competition is currently in its fourth week.
Throughout the remaining period, King of Fighters XV, Tekken 7 and Guilty Gear Strive tournaments will be in rotation. All competitions through eSports After Dark are hosted by tournament event company Conflux Gaming.
