Las Vegas Weighs $2m BLAST Deal For 2028 CS Major

Las Vegas could host a Counter-Strike Major in 2028 if its tourism authority approves a $2 million sponsorship deal with esports organiser BLAST at a board meeting on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The proposal, which also covers a summer BLAST esports event, shows how cities are competing for the tournaments that drive the esports betting calendar.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) lists the item in its November 10 board agenda book. The recommendation asks directors to authorise chief executive Steve Hill to sign a sponsorship agreement with BLAST ApS for $2,000,000 to host two events in Las Vegas in 2028: the Counter-Strike Major and a summer BLAST esports competition. 

The item is marked for possible action, so the board can approve, amend or delay it, and the full amount would come from the authority's fiscal year 2028 budget.

The meeting starts at 9am at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is open to the public. The same agenda includes a $300,000 sponsorship for the New Balance Future Stars Series youth baseball tournaments in summer 2027.

Timing And Expected Impact

According to the LVCVA documents, the Counter-Strike Major would take place in 2028 on the weekend between Thanksgiving and the National Finals Rodeo, a period the authority describes as a key need period for the destination. The summer event would be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, although the documents give no date or details on the game. Together the two tournaments are estimated to generate 130,000 hotel room nights.

To show what a Major can draw, the LVCVA points to the most recent Counter-Strike Major held in the United States, in Austin, Texas. The agenda says that event sold more than 45,000 tickets and that 80 percent of ticket holders travelled from out of state. LVSportsBiz, which first reported the planned vote on November 6, noted that the money is public funding described by the authority as a sponsorship.

What Las Vegas Would Get

In return for the $2 million, the LVCVA says it would receive host city designation and rights for both tournaments, global digital, broadcast and destination marketing assets to showcase Las Vegas to an international audience, and hospitality and ticket allocations. The documents do not say how many tickets or what level of hospitality would be included.

The agenda describes BLAST as an international esports rights holder, league operator and event producer that organises and produces more than 25 esports events.

Why It Matters For Betting

Counter-Strike Majors are among the biggest events on the esports betting calendar, and Las Vegas is one of the world's best-known gambling destinations. Nothing is final until directors vote, and we will update this report once the outcome is known.

If you bet on esports on betting sites, make sure you use a licensed operator, and read our advice on responsible gambling before you place a wager.