GRID, the esports match data and technology platform, has appointed co-founder Tom Warburton as Chief Business Officer to lead its betting vertical, GRID Bet, signalling a new strategic push into esports wagering.
Warburton, who has over 15 years of experience in B2B and B2C betting with companies including GeniusSports and SkyBet, will oversee the development of products powered by GRID’s live data partnerships with Riot Games, ESL FACEIT Group, and BLAST. These partnerships provide official match data for top esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and VALORANT.
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GRID’s partnership with Riot Games, in particular, positions the company to open pathways for betting sponsorships in League of Legends and VALORANT across the Americas and the EMEA regions.
“All of the most impressive sports betting products I’ve ever worked with had one element in common — they were powered by official data,” Warburton said. “Trading efficiency, accuracy of odds, live betting, and the breadth of the offering can only be unlocked with official data, especially in the digital world of esports, where the game server is the one source of truth.”
GRID’s CEO Moritz Maurer underlined the strategic rationale: “The esports betting market has long been challenged by solutions that weren’t built for its unique demands. With GRID Bet, we are doubling down on the unique assets — official, live match data from our exclusive partnerships with leading esports rights holders.”
In a press release, the company said the appointment and expansion will enable operators to launch and scale esports betting offerings with products built on official data, a critical factor for reliability and engagement. GRID has previously delivered live data feeds, predictions, a trader portal, AI insights, and streaming solutions, which will support the next phase under GRID Bet. New product releases for the betting vertical are planned for October 2025.
