Live streaming may not be a new concept, but its technology and impact are ever-changing. Let’s take a look at the applications of live streaming and two industries where it is fuelling growth and expansion. 

Applications of live streaming 

One of the key benefits of live streaming is that it offers consumers the opportunity to access traditionally in-person experiences in a way that is authentic, engaging, and immersive. For this reason, the range of applications of live streaming spans numerous different industries. 

For example, today, players can find virtual roulette online across a range of platforms, with a variety of different games to choose from, such as Live XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, Live Mega Fire Blaze Roulette, and Live Power Up Roulette. These games have a real dealer who is broadcast from a studio, operating a physical roulette table in real time. The digital aspects of livestreaming open the opportunity to include unique elements into the feed, such as animation, augmented reality (AR), live chat functionality, and more. 

Elsewhere, live streaming has been used to support the tourism industry, particularly in areas where an increase in footfall has implications for conservation. Here, webcams, virtual hikes, and nature streams can be accessed online remotely, allowing visitors to experience locations virtually so as to not affect the environment. 

More recently, however, live streaming has crucially benefitted areas of growth and expansion in Southeast Asia. Perhaps the most notable impact has been on live commerce and sports broadcasting. 

Live Commerce 

This year, live commerce has been labelled as the next chapter for retail in Southeast Asia. Put simply, live commerce is a type of e-commerce where products can be bought and sold through a live stream. In other words, it is a combination of online shopping and live streaming. For this reason, it may also be referred to as livestream shopping. 

Southeast Asia’s booming interest in live commerce can be evidenced by the growth of TikTok Shop. Between 2022 and 2023, the gross merchandise value from the platform in this region almost quadrupled, shooting from $4.4 billion to $16.3 billion. Similarly, studies suggest that video-based e-commerce made up 20% of consumer activity in 2024, growing from just 5% in 2020. 

With this in mind, live commerce like TikTok Shop is driving growth in Southeast Asia’s cross-border retail sector, thanks to the opportunity to get practical pathways to expansion into new markets. 

Sports broadcasting 

Over the past few years, sports broadcasting has reportedly seen a spike in demand in Southeast Asia. This has caused significant growth in the industry, which, today, is offering opportunities for expansion in the sector, especially as live streaming has opened avenues to the application of innovative technologies.

For example, in February 2025, UK technical production company Tell announced an expansion into the Southeast Asian market with a new global office location in Kuala Lumpur, off the back of growth within the global sports production industry. 

Tell particularly specialises in new technologies like broadcast flyaway kits, 5G encoding, live graphics, and scalable remote production. The opportunity for innovators like this to enter the market can only indicate further opportunities for growth in the future. 

As you can see, live streaming has had a big impact on a range of industries. In Southeast Asia, this can be seen in sports broadcasting and live commerce in particular, providing opportunities for growth and expansion.