Poker Hall Of Famer Predicts Metal Detectors In Casinos After Esports RampageMike Sexton Comments On Mass Shooting |
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The eSports community was rocked on Sunday after a competitor opened fire at a Madden tournament in Jacksonville, killing three people including himself. The execution-style rampage, captured on a live stream, has hit close to home with some members of the poker community.
The killing spree, which reportedly stemmed from the gamer’s elimination from the EA Sports-sanctioned tournament, prompted Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton to say on Twitter that metal detectors are now needed in many public spaces in America.
“It’s a sad state of affairs but it should be obvious by now that if we want to curb senseless shootings (inside buildings anyway), we need to install metal detectors at every school, arena, and store/building where there is substantial traffic,” Sexton wrote.
Though Sexton didn’t mention poker specifically, his tweet implied that he believes casinos across the country need to take another look at their security. Card Player reached out to Sexton to elaborate on his comments.
“Sadly, I’ve always worried about some poker player who went broke or felt he got a bad ruling to come back and start blasting. It’s a concern,” the poker legend told Card Player. “I predict casinos will all go to metal detectors in the not-too-distant future.”
It’s been less than a year since nearly 60 people were shot to death at a country music concert off the Las Vegas Strip. Despite the eSports tournament bloodbath happening in Florida, the carnage also hits close to home for Las Vegas itself.
The high-stakes world of eSports and betting are becoming increasingly intertwined. There’s a 30,000-square-foot eSports arena at the Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip. Esports had a minor presence at this summer’s World Series of Poker. With the U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year to allow for sports betting nationwide, eSports are expected to draw more and more betting interest as the industry develops.
Esports betting volume is estimated at more than $6 billion annually. According to Forbes, the eSports market is approaching $1 billion. The growing popularity of professional video game play has drawn interest from major sports franchises looking to invest and grow their brands.
The tournament in Jacksonville was a qualifier for EA’s official “Madden 19 Classic” tournament. The winner of the overall tournament was set to receive a prize of $25,000.
The shooter in the Jacksonville rampage was recognized in 2017 on the Buffalo Bills’ Twitter account after winning the Madden Bills championship.
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