Electronics giant Sony has filed a patent that could introduce bitcoin wagering to its electronic products and consoles, such as Playstation.
Spectators of a game could bet on what’s going to follow next in an e-sports competition with odds being calculated by a machine algorithm that takes into consideration rankings and previous match history.
The patent could be used for several of its consumer electronic devices, with PlayStation being one of those mentioned by name. It won’t limit to just this, as it seems that consoles made by Nintendo and Microsoft would also be included, as well as VR-based entertainment systems and personal computers.
The filing mentions that “Wagers may be pecuniary, e.g., money or bitcoin, or may be non-pecuniary, e.g., game assets, digital rights, and virtual currency.”
Furthermore, it is suggested that users would have the chance of betting in-game currencies or assets, including NFTs.
This may add further revenue for Sony and organizations that began hosting e-sporting competitions, which became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of people around the globe watch these competitions, so only if just a few of them decide to use the system, it would turn into a highly important form of revenue that may become even more popular in the future.
Still, some have criticized this decision, as they feel that it encourages gambling in the gaming community.