Hollywoodbets has taken its first steps into esports betting after striking a landmark partnership deal with specialist provider DATA.BET.
The South African operator is widely regarded as one of the biggest sports betting brands in the country, which itself ranks among the continent’s most significant betting markets.
DATA.BET will supply Hollywoodbets with its full esports betting ecosystem, marking the very first time the bookmaker has offered esports as a dedicated wagering category.
The package includes an iFrame, odds feed, bet builder, widgets, and streaming capabilities, alongside fully managed risk and trading services.
Bettors on the Hollywoodbets platform will gain access to over 770 markets spanning 30 different esports disciplines and 10,000 events per month.
Titles covered include CS2, Dota 2, Valorant, League of Legends, Rainbow Six, and several other prominent competitive gaming properties.
The move comes as Hollywoodbets continues to compete in a crowded South African market alongside brands such as Betway, Sportpesa, Sun Bet, and bet365.
Wayde Dorkin, Head of Product at Hollywoodbets, described the launch as a significant moment for the operator’s growth strategy going forward.
“At Hollywoodbets, our focus is on continuously evolving our product offering,” said Dorkin. “The launch of esports is an important milestone for us, given that the category has become a major part of the global sports and entertainment landscape.”
Otto Bonning, Head of Sales at DATA.BET, highlighted how the partnership was structured to make the rollout as seamless as possible for Hollywoodbets.
“This partnership is about giving Hollywoodbets a complete esports product they can launch with confidence,” said Bonning. “The iFrame removes integration complexity, and with risk management and trading on our side, they get strong margins and a consistent user experience from day one.”
Bonning also stressed that “esports is an emerging vertical in South Africa, and we’re aligned with Hollywoodbets on a clear roadmap to grow it together.”
DATA.BET has been expanding beyond its esports roots in recent months, with the company also targeting traditional sports betting verticals as part of a broader growth push.
The firm was active during the FIFA World Cup this summer, with Head of Sports Yevhenii Ilchenko noting how “consistently engaged bettors stayed for six straight weeks.”
Despite that diversification, the Hollywoodbets deal underlines that esports remains central to DATA.BET’s commercial identity and long-term product ambitions.
