Asia
India: MNS General Secretary Manoj Chavan Writes to State Govt to Implement Casinos Act
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) general secretary Manoj Chavan has addressed a letter to the state government requesting it to formulate a gaming policy for revenue generation and allowing gaming zones in the state.
In the letter, Chavan emphasised that allowing gaming zones will lead to revenue and employment generation in the state. He stated that the neighbouring state of Goa has six offshore and eight onshore casinos which give a boost to its tourism industry, ultimately leading to greater revenue generation.
Chavan gave the example of Sikkim stating that it has a five-star hotel casino while Maharashtra, despite being the most advanced state in the country, falls behind on this front due to its regressive mentality.
The MNS general secretary had pressed on this matter last year in November as well by saying that Maharashtra can also make good use of its coastal belt and set up casinos to make the state a tourist hotspot like Goa.
The Maharashtra Casinos (Control and Taxation) Act, 1976 that was passed on 19 July 1976 is not being implemented according to Chavan. Rules under the Act are yet to be framed and notified. He also asked about the status of the study group that was formed for visiting Goa, Macau, Nepal, Sikkim and report back their findings.
Chavan also stated that several welfare policies are facing fund shortages. As a result, the state government cannot afford to ignore the potential of casinos.
The MNS general secretary mentioned a study by American company “Global Market Advisors” which stated that setting up casinos in Maharashtra can generate around $1.1 billion in revenue and with 28% GST levied on the industry, the government can earn $308 million in tax revenue in addition to earning recurring and non-recurring revenues through license fees from casino operators.
By setting up tourism, entertainment, hospitality-related services the state can create massive employment which can put Maharashtra on the global tourism map.
Vasista Esports rolled to a spectacular finish after a nail-biting grand finals of the iQOO Neo 10 Skyesports Championship 2025 – BGMI. The team secured the title by taking down India’s top 16 teams in the Sky Surge and Grand Finals, which took place from May 15 to 18. The Skyesports Championship is India’s longest-running homegrown esports IP, and the 2025 BGMI edition saw hundreds of teams participate in the open qualifiers for a shot at the title and a share of the INR 17.5 lakhs prize pool.
With its exciting format, long legacy, and top teams competing, the iQOO Neo 10 Skyesports Championship 2025, powered by AMD with associate partners WD_BLACK and GIGABYTE accumulated 30 million views from broadcast and 40 million through VOD views for a total 70 million viewership.
Vasista Esports have been in red-hot form throughout the tournament. After emerging on top in the Upper Bracket, the team entered the Grand Finals as one of the favorites – and they didn’t disappoint. With a dominant performance, they accumulated 169 points, 32 ahead of second-placed Autobotz Esports.
The iQOO Neo 10 Skyesports Championship 2025 featured a unique format in the Grand Finals with the introduction of the Sky Champ format—a first in the history of BGMI esports.
As part of this, May 15 featured the Sky Surge, based on which teams received bonus points for the 3-day Grand Finals from May 16 to 18. Vasista placed 14th in the Sky Surge, earning no bonus points and needing to climb the rankings from scratch.
In the Grand Finals, teams needed to reach 125 points to become Sky Champ point eligible. Once eligible, a team had to secure a WWCD (Winner Winner Chicken Dinner) to be crowned champions. This format ensured every match remained crucial, even as Vasista built a strong lead in the points table.
Ultimately, no team was able to secure a WWCD after becoming Sky Champ point eligible. As a result, Vasista Esports were crowned champions after 18 matches, based on their overall points as they remained consistent and aggressive.
A visibly emotional Sohail “Hector” Shaikh from Vasista Esports, who is also credited with building the winning lineup, said in a post-tournament interview, “A lot of people doubted me. A lot has happened in my life over the past 10 months, but I finally got the opportunity to prove myself. I’m grateful to my team. Our next target: winning the official BMPS 2025.”
The iQOO Neo 10 Skyesports Championship 2025 recorded over 100,000 peak concurrent viewers and more than 30 million total livestream views—highlighting the excitement around India’s premier homegrown esports IP.
Commenting on the tournament, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “First of all – congratulations to Hector and Vasista Esports for their dominant performance, not just in the Grand Finals, but throughout the tournament. Their resilience and high-tier performance kept us on the edge of our seats. With more than 30 million livestream views so far, it showcases the growth and attention of our premium esports property. Lastly, thanks to our partners in iQOO, AMD, Western Digital, GIGABYTE, and Red Bull for making this tournament possible.”
With its thrilling format, record-breaking numbers, and fresh champions, the iQOO Neo 10 Skyesports Championship 2025 has once again cemented itself as a landmark event in Indian esports.
The overall standings is as follows:
1. Vasista Esports – 169 points
2. Autobotz Esports – 137 points
3. Learn From Past – 135 points
4. Wyld Fangs – 125 points
5. Team iQOOSoul – 114 points
6. Blitz Esports – 112 points
7. RivalryxRNRi – 110 points
8. Team iQOO 8Bit – 97 points
9. 4Merical Esports – 97 points
10. Money Makerz – 96 points
11. True Rippers – 95 points
12. Team Versatile – 92 points
13. OnePlus Cincinnati Kids – 91 points
14. Rising Inferno Esports – 77 points
15. OnePlus Gods Reign – 62 points
16. Alibaba Raiders – 57 points
The post Vasista Esports Crowned Champions of the iQOO Neo 10 Skyesports Championship 2025 – BGMI appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Speaking at the 2nd International Conference on Responsible Gambling and Addiction in Quezon City, Mr. Tengco emphasized the need for a whole-of-society approach to curb the ill effects of problem gambling, including financial ruin.
“As regulators, policymakers, industry operators, healthcare professionals, and academicians, we must not only share knowledge but also act as partners in understanding, preventing, and reducing the threats posed by problem gambling,” Chairman Tengco told the conference attendees.
He said the event’s theme, “Empowering Pathways: Problem Gambling and Gaming Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery”, aligns with PAGCOR’s initiatives to promote responsible gaming.
Mr. Tengco reiterated PAGCOR’s commitment to mitigating gambling-related harm through key policies such as the automatic exclusion of minors, students, and active government employees from gaming venues.
He said that PAGCOR also has a Responsible Gaming Program that allows self- or family-initiated player exclusion; regulation of gaming advertisements; and partnerships with rehabilitation centers for affected individuals and families.
“Gaming has inherent social risks, but with the right safeguards and collaboration among all sectors, we can ensure the safety and well-being of our players,” Mr. Tengco said.
The post STRONG PARTNERSHIP NEEDED TO CURB GAMBLING ADDICTION: TENGCO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Yurikov is a Peruvian-American competitor with over a decade of experience in the global fighting game circuit. Competing professionally since 2012, he first rose to prominence in titles like The King of Fighters and Guilty Gear Strive, and has since made a successful transition into Fatal Fury, carrying with him a legacy of consistency, adaptability, and competitive drive.
He has played over 400 matches and his tournament victories span multiple fighting games, including Summer Jam 2023, South Louisiana Major 2023, and Heat Wave 2022 – Northeast Championship 22. Now under the S8UL banner, Yurikov will represent India’s top esports organisation at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, as well as other international fighting game tournaments throughout the year.
“From solo queues to the big leagues. Joining S8UL is a whole new chapter. I’ve always moved with purpose- now it’s time to do it with a team that shares the vision. Let’s make history,” stated Marcoantonio “Yurikov” Malpica.
S8UL’s move into Fatal Fury follows a series of high-impact signings across multiple titles including Apex Legends, Call of Duty (COD) Warzone, Chess, EAFC25, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), Starcraft II and Tekken 8. While S8UL is already known for dominating the mobile esports and content space, this entry into Fatal Fury represents yet another step in its ambition to build a truly global, multi-genre esports legacy.
“Esports is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead means not just following trends, but setting them. At S8UL, we’ve always believed in backing talent that can lead across eras, not just tournaments.” said Animesh Agarwal, aka 8Bit Thug, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL. “Been watching Yurikov cook for a while — always knew he was built different. Welcome to the family, hermano.”
EWC 2025 will witness 16 of the world’s best Fatal Fury players battle it out for a share of the massive $1 million (approx. INR 8.5 crore) prize pool from July 10 to 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
With this announcement, S8UL has now unveiled rosters across all eight titles that they will be competing in at EWC 2025. The lineups are as follows:
Apex Legends: Rick Wirth (Sharky), Benjamin Spaseski (Jesko) and Tom Canty (Legacy)
Call of Duty: Warzone: Colin Bowers-Wilson (Trikempathy), Braxton Trice (Braxtvn), and Ryder Skarzinski (Ryda)
Chess: Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram
Fatal Fury: Marcoantonio Malpica (Yurikov)
Mobile Legends Bang Bang: Michael Cosgun (MobaZane), Ian Hohl (FwydChickn), Jang Seong-hun (Hoon), Ziameth-Jei Caluya (ZIA), Vo Trung (Shark), and Carlos Ortega Vega (Bestplayer1)
Starcraft II: Pyung Jae Koh (GuMiho)
Tekken 8: Arja Gamoori (Sephiblack) and Nino Schwarz (Nino)
The post S8UL steps into the Fatal Fury arena with the signing of fighting games veteran Yurikov appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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