Nevada Gaming Control Approves Betting on 2020 Call of Duty League

The Nevada Gaming Control Board continued loosening its restrictions on esports competitions, approving gambling on the 2020 Call of Duty league Thursday.

The Overwatch League, League of Legends European Championship and the North America League of Legends Championship received approval Tuesday.

Nevada, the epicenter of sports gambling in the United States, has taken a major hit amid the coronavirus pandemic. Las Vegas in particular relies heavily on tourism, particularly on foot traffic in its casinos and sportsbooks.

With sports leagues across the United States shut down, books have looked to new revenue streams. 

"Pingpong is the star of the show," William Hill director of trading Nick Bogdanovich told ESPN's David Purdum. "The games are one on top of one another. Guys are playing three or four times a day. Everyone is probably betting the same guy or against him all day. People are betting five-, six- and seven-teamers."

While gambling on esports has been a common occurrence in overseas books, stateside outfits have been hesitant to grant approval.

The next Call of Duty event takes place April 24-26.