Esports is quite rapidly taking the entire world by storm.

Nearly half a billion people now tune in to watch competitive tournaments between the most talented global teams. Popular games like Riot Games' League of Legends or Activision Blizzard's (Nasdaq: ATVI) Overwatch are attracting live audiences in numbers that rival the Super Bowl. And because most of these tournaments are broadcast digitally, there's a flood of data available for advertisers to digest about their audience's demographics and interests.

So how should investors play this massive and developing trend? Are there game developers who are banking on the popularity of their best-selling titles? Are there broadcasting platforms who are winning the lion's share of advertising? Are there progressive companies who are tuned-in and placing the right bets on sponsorship?

To help us answer these questions and more, we've brought in an Esports expert. Chris Buckner is the founder and CEO of Mainline.GG, who is unlocking the value of Esports for everyone. His company set up tournaments for companies and universities -- including the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and Louisiana State University -- helping them manage, monetize, and market their Esports programs.

In an exclusive interview, Chris spoke with 7investing CEO Simon Erickson about why Esports is such an important developing trend. He described what games are the most popular for tournaments and which developers are at the forefront of the movement. He also explained how the Esports gaming industry makes money and why certain broadcast platforms and advertisers are uniquely positioned to benefit.

Chris also describes what Esports tournament events are really like, as well as what China's recent regulations on gaming could mean for the industry.

Publicly-traded companies mentioned in this interview include Activision Blizzard, Amazon, Audi, and Chipotle. 7investing's advisors or its guests may have positions in the companies mentioned.

Welcome to 7investing. We are here to empower you to invest in your future! We publish our 7 best ideas in the stock market to our subscribers for just $49 per month or $399 per year.

Start your journey toward's financial independence: https://www.7investing.com/subscribe

Stop by our website to level-up your investing education:  https://www.7investing.com

Follow us:

► https://www.facebook.com/7investing

► https://twitter.com/7investing

► https://instagram.com/7investing