How about a bit of controversy to kickstart your glib Monday morning? Sony patented an eSports betting system for its consoles a couple of years ago, with the documentation outlining a framework whereby odds would be calculated by a player (or team’s) historical performance, allowing users to then bet on their favourites in a variety of ways.
The papers outline a number of hypothetical examples, with in-play options like “character A gets hit in the next minute”. The idea is that the system is constantly calculating new odds for you to bet on even while matches are taking place, similar to what a lot of betting apps do for real sports these days.
Sony is all-in on eSports at the moment – it’s quietly conducting an outrageously popular Competition Centre across a catalogue of different titles, and recently acquired flagship fighting game tournament Evo – so it’s not overly surprising that it’s exploring this kind of idea. We’re not sure if gambling being baked into its consoles would fly, however – especially in a mainstream product like the PlayStation 5 and PS4.
Frankly, it’s no surprise companies are considering concepts like this – it does feel like the natural next step for competitive gaming – but we’d honestly be shocked if anything like it ever actually rolled out. It’s always worth remembering that just because a patent exists it doesn’t mean the idea is actively in development – although clearly it’s something that’s been bouncing around Sony boardrooms at some point.
[source patentscope.wipo.int, via vidaextra.com, resetera.com]
Comments 35
Sad? Sad.
The optimist in me believes they've patented this so nobody else will ever inflict this vileness on us...
The realist in me is surprised this hasn't happened sooner.
You'd have to think that if they ever implement this it will be an external app on your phone or something, or an additional download on your PlayStation, but never a standard part of the system out of the box.
My brother and some cousins would love something like this though. I can see their eyes lighting up already.
@Shepherd_Tallon Yeah they could never include it as part of the console, like you say. You'd have to opt-in or something if they did do it.
I could see it being massively popular, but I wonder if it would be worth the hassle. I guess there's a LOT of money to be made, but I just can't see it happening.
Maybe it’s just because I like sports betting but I think its a cool idea. I don’t watch ESports so I’d never bet on it but still a cool idea.
I'm not a gambling man myself, but before everyone follows the social media knee-jerk outrage reaction and grabs their virtual pitchfork, let's just bear in mind that this is only going to have any relevance to you if you follow eSports.
And those that do most likely already have numerous ways they can bet on it.
If you're not one of those people, this is unlikely to have any effect on you whatsoever.
Eh, I would definitely bid on SFV and Tekken tournaments ...but I think this will never see the light of the day.
I would like some kind of esport integration with Ps5, though, like twitch or YouTube automatically opening at events time if I signed up etc.
I know there was some controversy regarding betting platforms for eSports (resulting in NRS and Bandai Namco withdrawing their support for WePlay fighting game tournaments). Not sure if this would help keep things legit in any way but if it does, then good.
I don't gamble myself.
@Feena Think we're definitely going to see more of that as PS5 continues to mature/evolve. They love this stuff at the moment!
I think a few governments might step in if Sony were to put this into a real world application.
The only gambling I do is the 2p machine at the coast. Even that's a little rich for my tastes but it gets rid of the small change I have in my pocket. I never win as whatever comes out the bottom goes back in at the top. That is 99.9% of gambling in a nutshell.
That's interesting.
Wonder if it'll be a native PS5 app or an API that betting sites can use. The former may cause problems for Sony if real currency is involved, the latter won't.
Like most patents I doubt it will ever come to anything. That said even if it did I think they'd have to use some type of point system instead of actual money. The potential for underage gambling is just too high and lawyers would be foaming at the mouth.
It would be a huge PR disaster if they went ahead with this!
Reminds me of Twitch's betting system where the streamer can set up a bet and viewers can use their channel points to bet on the outcome.
Except that's just with channel points earned by watching live, not real money.
@Paranoimia That's a fair point too - If it ever does surface you can always choose to not use it. 🤷♂️
I can imagine what twitter is like right now...
I don't gamble. I've never placed a bet with a bookie in my life. But I love watching the fighting tournaments on the PlayStation channel.
This idea, I can't say with certainty that I absolutely wouldn't consider it when watching a match.
Gambling’s a sucker’s game. This is a stupendously horrible idea.
I can’t see Sony ever allowing you to cash out the PSN credit you win as real money. So I guess it’s the same as every other online casino and should be no problem.
I bet their calculating the chances of me buying Returnal for €80.
Sports, or in this case esports, will always come with betting. I don’t watch esports so don’t really care. And as long as strict age checks are in place I don’t have any moral objection with allowing adults to enjoy a bet.
I’m also not a gambling man (though my vices are ten to one) but sports betting is massive. As e-sports grow, so will the betting market, unofficially or not. It’ll be interesting to see how this develops and what Sony’s official role in it will be.
yes being able to bet $20 on a game of 2k vs a friend online would be awesome
Companies love patents.. doesn't mean they'll be used.
Especially given the current investigations by governments in to loot boxes.
Bet365 have took bets for LoL, overwatch, dota2 and csgo along with other matches for a while now.
I'll probably put £10 in my bet365 account for the euros, but I'll do this without anyone putting a gun to my head.. no one forces you to gamble, there's a reason you have to be an adult.
If they want to make it and people who own one get it - that is up to them
Same way people can put something like this on their Phone or Gaming PC. And the world has not ended.
It is 2021 - $400 consoles are not only for 12 year old kids.
Personally i dont have a problem with this as long as its clearly labelled as gambling and as such is age restricted. unlike the current way companies like EA way they dance there way around the gambling issue.
Also it doesnt restrict content or cosmetics or anything
Like the article said there's no way they implement this on a console but I could see Sony come out with a seperate mobile app using this patent. I actually wouldn't mind it as I rarely gamble myself but it might be kinda fun to bet $20 on whoever to win Top 8 at Evo.
This would be great for people with gambling problems or are in recovery, this would make sure that their lives remain in ruin or worse.
Also the stories of kids getting their parents credit cards or bank accounts and gambling everything they have from the comfort off their own homes sounds fun 😑
I don't think Sony would be this stupid, even if that patent was a April fool's joke it was one in poor taste.
Don't know about this, I think they would have to have a separate app and also I'm assuming apply for a gambling license, and I would assume so much hassle for different regions as not all countries allow gambling, and would think that if you wanted to make a bet on eSports the bookies most probably have it covered. I like a bet on the footy every now and again win sometimes, I prefer my poker as you actually play other people and not the house, which makes making money a bit easier but even with poker you have to rely on a bit of luck which I actually had yesterday got 2nd place in a £2.50 tournament out of 1350 people made a nice £400, I don't usually play tournaments and like to stick to one table games but fancied a change lol.
Personally, I'm little shocked how many people here think it is a good idea, or worse support it.
But anyway, betting on something digital is biggest nonsense, because of golden rule: Program will ALWAYS act as programmer written it. There is no luck, no randomness... only program.
Id be ok with a 'psn credit only' poker tournament, but it would have to be adult only. I can't see how Sony could get around it.
You want government regulation?, because this is how you get government regulation.
@djlard Might have something to do with who did the bad thing, rather than the bad thing bring done.
@djlard You can easily program something close enough to randomness for all practical purposes - that's baked into modern cryptographic algorithms and is required for any sort of security. My problem is having to trust that the product is using one of these algorithms, and that it's acting according to stated odds. Even with slot machines which are heavily regulated, I wouldn't put it past the manufacturer's to have separate programming that runs when they're being tested versus in production (similar to the diesel emissions scandals over the last decade).
This gets around that by using players as the source of randomness, but then you still have to trust how the odds are getting calculated, and whether they're using psychological trickery to manipulate people's betting.
Yes, more e-sports, more gambling. SARCASM
Generally speaking I think gambling is bad for society. Gross for Sony to be associated with this. At least they haven't acted on it.
No way would Sony go ahead with this with so many gamers under the legal age to gamble and no real way of policing it effectively. Even if was all virtual without the ability to spend real money the negative PR would be crucifying.
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