eSports
How BETBY is enhancing the esports product
Brands are placing more of an emphasis on enhancing their esports offering within and with the news of a new CS:GO game to continue the popularity of that title, we got the views of Ivan Sazanov, Project Coordinator at BETBY, to find out about the added importance of esports within the brand’s strategy.
How important is the esports offering to your brand and the wider gambling industry?
It is no longer possible for gambling brands to have a competitive sportsbook that does not have an esports offering that sits alongside that.
Moreover, as the popularity of esports increases, brands should capitalise on the popularity and provide content to significantly improve its product portfolio.
Naturally for us, esports is one of the most important elements of the modern sportsbook. BETBY’s fully-fledged product suite satisfies the demand of a diverse esports audience, currently containing about 20 sports, including classics with Starcraft and Warcraft III alongside mobile games like Mobile Legends, Wild Rift, and Arena Of Valor.
But in order for an esports offering to be considered high-quality and attractive to end users, it is no longer enough to cover just the most recognised titles like CS:GO, Dota 2, League Of Legends, FIFA and Overwatch. Aiming to broaden and strengthen esport offer, BETBY created a unique and special product – Betby.Games, a proprietary esports offering.
This unique collection, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), organizes tournaments across popular sports such as Football, Cricket, and Basketball. The game mechanics of well-liked gaming titles in Betby.Games are entirely controlled by AI, eliminating the need for any human interaction to sustain the tournaments. This aspect guarantees the longevity of the collection, making it an invaluable asset to our sportsbook offering.
Has the perception of esports changed?
I think it would be fair to say that esports has turned from a niche activity into a strong and competitive industry in its own right.
You only need to look at the budgets of the biggest esports tournaments, the sizes of the audience, the broadcast coverage garnered and other indicators that continue to grow from year to year.
There is however one important point. Over the years, when esports gained momentum, its audience was constantly replenished with young people. Naturally, that audience grew up with the games, as they entered adulthood.
Having this following has helped the esports audience become more financially reliable and solvent, which has a direct impact on the betting industry.
The time when esports in betting was perceived as something that was not very profitable is over. Experienced online bookmakers understand that the average user registering on their sportsbook will most likely depend on how good the complementary esports content is.
What further developments do you anticipate in esports betting?
The ratio of the number of bets and the total turnover on esports to regular sports will continue to grow. Esports has already become an integral part of the betting industry, but it can and will still develop.
I expect greater technological advancements to make esports more of a professional and sought after form of online betting.
This includes potential agreements with more data operators to enable real-time trading without delay, which is currently a key hindrance to esports becoming a more attractive proposition for players.
Obviously, the breadth of markets for esports events does not yet reach the classic sporting events, even considering the fact that in popular tournaments it is common to bet on ‘Player Props’.
Within the games, there is a huge amount of different information that can be used to generate various unique markets. There is a huge opportunity for the first company that can implement this effectively will make a splash not only in the field of esports betting, but in the entire industry.
CS:GO 2 has generated a great deal of interest in the global community. A new, updated game in this popular series will not only to attract new players and viewers, but also the return of old ones, which will increase demand in the market.
We expect an increase in the number of semi-professional tournaments and teams that are created not for the sake of increasing interest, but with the aim of profiting from dishonest play and ensuring matchups are competitive.
This is happening on a regular basis already, and it will require more attention from both the tournament organisers and the risk management departments of betting companies to curtail irregular activity.
Has having your own in-house product allowed you to stand out in the market, rather than relying on major competitions and tournaments for traffic?
Our competitive advantage is encapsulated with the Betby.Games product that we created during the pandemic.
Despite forecasts that with the return of real sports traffic would begin to decline and the content would lose its relevance, it continues to develop and attract an ever-increasing audience. This in large part is thanks to its flexibility and customer-oriented approach.
Betby.Games has turned from a part of our sportsbook into a stand-alone and in-demand product. By generating a large amount of traffic, it makes a significant contribution to our customers who use the sportsbook in its entirety, and to individual companies outside of BETBY, to which Betby.Games supplies its product as a feed provider.
What is needed to convince operators that a gap can be bridged between traditional sports bettors and esports bettors?
From my perspective, esports has become so firmly integrated alongside sports betting that there is practically no difference between players who bet on CS:GO and Soccer.
The Super Bowl, and the concluding tournament on the Dota 2 circuit, The International, will attract millions of people from all over the world. The audiences of these most popular events will not overlap with each other, and you must be able to find a solution that appeals to both audiences.
If an operator wants to attract a large audience and, moreover, to continue to compete with other betting companies, it must be able to provide users with a high-quality offering for both regular sports and esports to engage players.
The numbers do not lie. In the world of betting, esports already occupies a significant share of all sports. Bookmakers that do not pay enough attention to its esports products are already losing money, and it will only be more difficult for them to compete in the future.
eSports
Esports World Cup Foundation Launches Global “Road to EWC” Program, Unveiling Qualification Pathways for the Esports World Cup 2025
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has unveiled the full scope of the qualification system for the Esports World Cup 2025 with the launch of the global “Road to EWC” program. Featuring over 200 tournaments spanning grassroots leagues to elite international circuits, the Road to EWC offers opportunities for players at every level to compete on the world’s biggest stage, the Esports World Cup, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24.
“Road to EWC is a platform for every player, Club, and community whose journey defines the spirit of competition,” said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer, of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “By connecting hundreds of tournaments across the world, we are creating life-changing opportunities for players at every level, bringing the world’s best talent to Riyadh. This is how we grow the sport – by growing our partnerships, investing in competitions and laying the foundation for sustainable growth across the industry.”
The Road to EWC qualification program marks a major milestone for the Esports World Cup and is a core component of EWCF’s commitment to the sustainable growth of esports, supporting the professional ecosystem and advancing the sport on a global scale. With 25 tournaments in 24 games, including four new games – Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT – the EWC 2025 will bring together more than 2,000 elite esports players and 200 top Clubs to compete for a prize pool of more than $70 million, the largest in esports history.
For League of Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Apex Legends, official publisher circuits such as the LEC, VCT, OWCS, and ALGS serve as the primary route to qualification. Other games, including Dota 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, Teamfight Tactics, and StarCraft II, are holding open online qualifiers, while fighting games, including Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Fatal Fury are qualifying players through community-driven tournaments such as EVO Japan, Combo Breaker, and CEO.
In mobile titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire, PUBG MOBILE, and Honor of Kings, region-specific leagues across Southeast Asia, MENA, and LATAM are producing national champions who will represent their respective nations in Riyadh. Finally, for titles such as Chess, EA SPORTS FC 25, and Overwatch 2, a final wave of Last Chance Qualifiers will be staged in July, giving one last opportunity for breakout players and rising stars to earn their spot in Riyadh.
Additional information about the Road to EWC, including events and dates for specific titles, can be found at esportsworldcup.com.
As anticipation builds for the Esports World Cup, the Road to EWC also features a multi-channel marketing campaign with a calendar of original content from selected qualifier events and partner leagues around the world. Player interviews and behind-the-scenes access will bring to life the stakes, talent, dedication and human interest stories behind the competition, alongside tournament and game explainers to introduce EWC games to broader audiences and bring fans closer to the action.
The Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best teams, players and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Launches Global “Road to EWC” Program, Unveiling Qualification Pathways for the Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
S8UL strengthens its EWC roster following the announcement of their participation in multiple titles, including Chess, EAFC 25, Tekken 8, Call of Duty (COD): Warzone, and Apex Legends Mumbai, May 8, 2025: S8UL, a global force in esports and gaming content, is proud to announce its entry into the legendary world of StarCraft II with the signing of veteran South Korean player Pyung Jae Koh, better known by his iconic gamer tag GuMiho, a.k.a. “The Towel Terran.”
This marks S8UL’s first foray into the real-time strategy (RTS) genre and signals its continued commitment to global expansion across esports titles that have defined competitive gaming history.
A fan-favorite and master tactician, GuMiho is recognised across the global StarCraft community for his creative playstyle, unorthodox strategies, and trailblazing use of mech-based unit compositions. A staple of the Global StarCraft II League (GSL) since the Wings of Liberty era, GuMiho rose to global prominence after winning the GSL Code S
Championship in 2017, defeating soO in a 4–2 final that etched his name in StarCraft history. His unique style of playing with a towel draped over his hands to absorb sweat and maintain precision earned him the moniker “The Towel Terran,” while his dominance with mechanical Terran builds gave rise to another title: “The Mech God.”
GuMiho’s recent achievements reaffirm his elite status in the competitive StarCraft II scene. In December 2024, he edged out Protoss standout Clem in a tense 3–2 series at HomeStory Cup XXVI, building on the momentum of his nail-biting 4–3 grand final victory over ShoWTimE (also Protoss) at HomeStory Cup XXV just months earlier. Earlier in the year, he delivered a commanding run to the finals of WardiTV 2023, ultimately finishing second after a hard-fought series against Zerg titan Dark. These standout results reinforce GuMiho’s reputation as one of the scene’s most resilient and inventive players, proving that even after years at the top, he continues to evolve and compete at the highest level.
Speaking about his new journey with S8UL, GuMiho said: “Joining S8UL feels like stepping onto a new playing field with the same hunger to win. Their drive to break barriers in esports matches my own competitive spirit. I’m ready to give it my all and compete at the highest level again, this time with S8UL by my side.”
Animesh Agarwal a.k.a. 8Bit Thug, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, commented on the signing: “GuMiho is a living legend, and we’re beyond thrilled to welcome him to the S8UL family. Our journey into StarCraft II is about paying homage to the roots of esports and competing with the best. GuMiho’s legacy of innovation, consistency, and competitive spirit embodies everything S8UL stands for. This is a proud moment for Indian esports as we strengthen our EWC aspirations with one of the game’s all-time greats.”
As S8UL prepares to compete across multiple titles at EWC 2025, including Apex Legends, EAFC 25, Call of Duty: Warzone, Tekken 8, Chess, and now StarCraft II, the organization continues to demonstrate that excellence in esports knows no borders, no genres, and no limits.
With three consecutive ‘Esports Content Group of the Year’ wins at the Esports Awards and global recognition through initiatives like the MOBIES Global Impact Award, S8UL is now writing a new chapter in the global esports story.
The post S8UL makes StarCraft II debut with the signing of veteran South Korean player GuMiho appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore
The Skyesports Championship, India’s longest-running homegrown esports IP, is returning for its sixth edition with BGMI and a prize pool of ₹40 Lakhs, culminating in an on-ground Grand Finals on May 17 and 18 in Bangalore.
Leading brands including AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital have partnered with Skyesports for the 2025 edition, reaffirming their commitment to India’s rapidly expanding gaming ecosystem.
Commenting on the return of the IP, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “The Skyesports Championship is an IP we’ve been nurturing since 2018, growing year after year into one of India’s most recognized esports tournaments with a highly engaged youth audience. We are excited to have partners like AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital joining us for this event, allowing us to deliver a top-notch entertainment product for fans with engaging competitive esports action featuring top-tier teams and esports athletes the country has to offer. With initiatives like the new Sky Champ Rule, this tournament is set to be a standout event on the BGMI esports calendar.”
The return of the Skyesports Championship as an on-ground BGMI event builds on the success of its 2023 edition, which recorded over 32 million digital views and attracted more than 12,000 fans to the stadium.
This momentum reflects India’s position as the fastest-growing gaming market across Asia and MENA, as reported by Niko Partners. The Indian games market is expected to surpass $1 billion in 2025, reaching $1.4 billion in revenue by 2028. Mobile gaming continues to lead, accounting for nearly 78% of all revenue. With an expected 277 million new gamers by 2028, India is also on track to overtake China in the highest total number of gamers worldwide.
As the country’s leading esports tournament organizer, Skyesports continues to drive this momentum by delivering high-impact, community-driven esports experiences at scale.
The Skyesports Championship 2025 BGMI Grand Finals will feature an exciting new format:
- Day 1 (May 17) – Sky Surge: Teams will compete across six maps, aiming to accumulate points and reach the Sky Champ point goal of 66 points.
- Day 2 (May 18) – Sky Champ Rule: Once a team reaches 66 points, they must secure a Chicken Dinner to be crowned champions. If no team achieves this within eight maps, the team with the highest points will be declared the winner.
This unique format makes every match extremely crucial, as teams are not only focused on aggressively reaching the point threshold but also on strategically targeting opponents who are close to achieving it or have crossed it already.
The Skyesports Championship BGMI event schedule is as follows:
- Upper Bracket: May 6–9 (16 teams – Top 8 advance to the Grand Finals, bottom 8 fall to the Last Chance Qualifier)
- Last Chance Qualifier: May 10–12 (16 teams – 8 each from the Upper and Lower Brackets)
- Grand Finals: May 17–18 (Top 8 teams from the LCQ join the 8 qualified from the Upper Bracket to compete for the title)
The entire tournament will be livestreamed on the official Skyesports YouTube channel. Stay tuned to the Skyesports Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook handles for more information regarding the on-ground finale.
The post Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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