Although e-sport betting is illegal in China, the esports hotel industry in the country has gained momentum, especially after easing all COVID travel restrictions. The industry has adopted a franchise model to scale business, and market participants have started to build their brands to capitalize on its ongoing expansion. 

According to AGB checks, I Electronic Sports, a leading esports hotel brand in China, established in 2019, expanded its business using the franchise model. The firm has collaborated with more than 220 existing hotels and owns more than 100 esports hotels in mainland China. 

I Electronic Sports has also inked an agreement with Atmogo E-sports Smart Hotel Group to strengthen their network. Atmogo E-sports Smart Hotel is the first high-end esports hotel brand jointly launched with the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG).

The new thematic accommodation option is creating an entertaining social space for young people and integrating the e-sports experience. According to the statistical data, the number of esports hotels in China exceeded 20,000 by the end of February this year, with more than 18 million consumers. 

China is the largest single-country market in the world, driven by the growth of Chinese consumers’ purchasing power. In 2021, China’s esports market size was about RMB167.3 billion ($23.5 billion), according to iResearch.  

China also has the highest number of active esports players and tournament viewership thanks to new technologies, with mobile devices and live streaming. Based on data collected in 2019, there were more than 5,000 esports teams and clubs in China, with about 100,000 professional esports players and 500,000 people employed in the industry. 

Viviana Chan
Viviana Chan is an editor, interpreter, and journalist. With over a decade of experience, she writes in English, Chinese, and Portuguese. Viviana started her career in Macau-based newspapers, where she became passionate about the region's social, financial, and cultural development. Her writing focuses on the economy, emerging industries, gaming development, political affairs, and cross cultural-exchange in the business and cultural domains. She is avid for news and eager to discover and cover stories that generate public relevance.