Esports and fantasy leagues

Introduction: Digital sport as part of popular culture

Spain is one of the brightest esports markets in Europe. Strong clubs, a sustainable League of Legends (Superliga) scene, major offline events (Gamergy, Valencia/Madrid festivals), and a powerful influencer culture around streamers and content creators have made esports part of everyday media consumption. Against this background, fantasy competitions and "managerial" games are actively developing, transferring sports logic to the world of cyber disciplines.

Esports ecosystem in Spain

Organizers and leagues

LVP (Liga de Videojuegos Profesional) is the locomotive of the scene: regular national leagues and cups, a strong production culture, professional broadcasts and a stable calendar.

Superliga (LoL) is a flagship product with a high media presence and large clubs.

Gamergy and festivals are large offline events with finals, fan zones and brand stands.

Clubs and brands

Spanish organizations rely on media content, community and academies.

Partnerships with telecom, banks, retail and FMCG are based on long-term integration into content, and not on one-time advertising campaigns.

The role of influencers (including top streamers) is critical - they provide constant coverage, viral moments and a fan economy.

Disciplines

League of Legends is the main traffic and stable league.

CS scene - tournaments, cups and local leagues with a growing ecosystem.

EA FC/FC Pro and basketball cyber leagues are important for the bridge between traditional sports and e-sports.

Valorant, Rocket League and mobile disciplines - give an increase in young audiences and women's/youth divisions.

Fantasy Leagues: Formats and Economics

Formats

1. Classic seasonal fantasy manager: the user collects a roster of real esports players (or players participating in the tournament bracket) and receives points for real performances.

2. Weekly/tour contests: short cycle, increased variability in composition and strategies.

3. Pick'em and forecast grids: selection of match/series winners, bonuses for accurate card/score predictions.

4. Card/collectible mechanics: domestic card economics, trades, and "rarity" restrictions.

Monetization

Freemium: free access + premium features (advanced analytics, additional slots, VIP leagues).

Battle Pass/Season Passes: Exclusive assignments and cosmetics.

Marketplace and trading (if provided for by the platform rules).

Affiliate activities: sponsorship leagues, brand missions, cross-promo with clubs.

UX patterns

Team draft in 3-5 steps, visual tips on budget and role balance.

"Live" scoreboard and match centers with live data (K/D/A, economics, lenses, rating of cards/agents/champions).

Push notifications: starting matches "from favorites," roster changes, draft deadlines.

Transparency of point calculations: metric matrix and recalculation history.

Regulation and compliance: how to stay in the legal field

The Spanish online gaming market is regulated by DGOJ. It is important to distinguish between:

Fantasy as entertaining skill contests: if the mechanics are not tied to money bets and do not qualify as a gambling game, it can follow different rules (promotional contests, skill games).
Contribution/winnings fantasy and esports betting: Require compliance with licensing regime, responsible play, KYC/AML and advertising restrictions.
Protection of minors: strict age threshold, verification and content filters.
Advertising and promo: restrictions on time, formats and target audiences; mandatory warnings and RG messages.

Responsible Play (RG) and Safety

Limits on deposits/expenses/time, "timeouts," self-exclusion through the national register.

Transparent rules: clear scoring table, clear deadlines, conditions for returns/cancellations.

Data and privacy: encryption, secure APIs, account protection (2FA), session control.

Anti-fraud and honesty: protection against multi-accounts and cartel strategies in contests; audit logs.

Monetization and partnerships

Team and league sponsorship: Brands integrate into broadcasts, studio segments, fantasy events.

Media rights and content cooperation: joint studios, documentaries, "road to finals."

E-commerce/merch: collaboration of clubs with limited drops, linking to activations in the application.

Payment solutions: local methods (including instant transfers), quick conclusions, anti-chargeback procedures.

Product and growth metrics

Onboarding→KYC pass-rate (for money formats), Time-to-draft (fantasy), Time-to-bet (cyberbetting).

DAU/WAU/MAU, D1/D7/D30 retention, frequency of participation in the tests.

ARPPU/ARPU, conversion to premium features, proportion of repeat deposits.

Engagement in live: depth of viewing streams, clicks on the scoreboard, adding players to the "watchlist."

Speed of calculations and conclusions: SLA and impact on NPS.

RG signals: the proportion of triggered limits/timeouts, early risk markers.

UX/UI Best Practices

1. Three kernel screens: Draft/Coupon → Match Center → League/Leaderboard.

2. Constructor of the composition/bet with instant recalculation of points/coefficients and a validator of restrictions.

3. A single wallet and transaction history; fast recurring deposits.

4. Available RG panel from profile and contest screen.

5. Content hub: analytics, previews, meta analysis, training materials for beginners.

6. Mobile case notifications: deadlines, line-up changes, start of cards, decisive bo3/bo5.

The role of streamers and local media

Spanish streamers and commentators are the engine of engagement: watch-parties, joint leagues, interactive with chats.

Clubs are expanding the media pool: short formats, backstage, interviews, educational analysis.

For fantasy platforms, this is a chance to give expert selections and "transparent" models of glasses live.

Use cases (scenario skeletons)

Fantasy Superliga: the user drafts a top mider and a "cheap" support, catches an upside in middle peasant matches, receives bonuses for MVP/series of kills.

Pick'em tour with offline finals: points for accurate scores and cards; awards store with merch and event tickets.

Cyber betting with a "smart" coupon: combined markets (cards/totals/pistol rounds) + partial Cash Out and notification of a "turning point" in the economy.

Risks and Challenges 2025 +

Balance between personalization and privacy, especially for a youth audience.

Competition for media rights and rising production costs.

The need for "honest" training for beginners is understandable guides, demo modes and sandboxes.

Uniform anti-fraud and verification standards in the cross-platform ecosystem.

The Spanish esports scene relies on strong leagues, production and influencers, while fantasy models rely on clear rules and an engaging live experience. The success of the project here is a combination of transparent UX, a correct legal model, a fast payment economy and mature RG tools. On such a basis, brands receive sustainable loyalty, and the audience - an honest and exciting game.