The US casino industry has been slow to embrace e-sports betting, with New Jersey considered to be at the forefront after expanding its sports betting menu earlier this year.

Now, Nevada is decided to take its place in this growing global sport, much as it has become a centre for boxing and mixed martial arts championships.

The state's Sports Technical Advisory Committee met Monday 18 July, for the second time. Members have set a deadline of October to formulate regulations and establish a betting menu for sports betting leagues and tournaments and the types of bets accepted, including live betting.

Betting on eSports has been slow to take off in Las Vegas because existing rules require sports casinos to apply to state regulators whenever they want to accept bets on an event.

Proponents of eSports hope this will change with the expansion of betting.

"All of this effort continues to help with our image and gives "For all the reasons that Las Vegas is a great venue with our cheap airlift and all the (150,000) hotel rooms we have, it's an ideal city for any big event. And now that we've established ourselves as a mecca for traditional sports, eSports is following us." Said Seth Schorr, CEO of Fifth Street Gaming, which manages the Downtown Grand in Las Vegas.

Demand for esports in Las Vegas has been strong even before this recent boost to its growth.

Josh Swissman, founder of consulting firm The Strategy Organization, says that when he worked at MGM Resorts International several years ago, hosting esports tournaments at Mandalay Bay, tickets would sell out immediately.

"You only had to go to that event to realise that there is a hugely underserved market when it comes to delivering high quality, integrity-filled eSports events and tournaments," adds Swissman.

Some people wonder how big it is, but you only have to look at other parts of the world to see that eSports is one of the fastest growing and most widely followed types of sporting events out there.

It is only a matter of time before the state replicates in the same way it has done in other countries around the world. European companies are even expected to be part of it.

When it happens, such large-scale tournaments will generate many visitors nationally and internationally.

If done correctly, Las Vegas can generate a significant amount of revenue linked to those visits, not just from ticket sales, but from hotel rooms, food and beverage, and ancillary events.

Becky Harris, former chairwoman of the Nevada Gambling Control Board, hopes Nevada will join Europe and other parts of the world in being an e-sports hub.

Las Vegas is home to the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas, located at the Luxor Resort & Casino on the Strip. It is a 30,000-square-foot, multi-level venue that hosts e-sports exhibition matches.

"We have the infrastructure in place. We just have to develop and lay the groundwork for the industry. We have the T-Mobile Arena, the MGM Garden Arenau and tons of existing inventory for esports arenas to accommodate large crowds." Harris said