Reading Time: 2 minutes

The 2025 Esports Innovation and Communication Seminar, supported by the China Media Group (CMG) National Institute for Esports Development and hosted by CCTV Animation Group Co., Ltd., was held on October 17, 2025, in Mudanjiang, China. The event gathered experts, academics and industry leaders from China’s esports community, as well as participants from Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.

Through roundtable discussions and keynote addresses, the seminar explored key topics such as:

• “Breaking Barriers, Thriving Together: How Gen Z is Shaping and Growing Within Esports Culture”

• “Digital Bridges, Global Synergy: Esports as a New Platform for Cross-Cultural Exchange and Collaboration”

• “AI-Driven Innovation, Gear Revolution: Unlocking New Opportunities for the Sports Industry Through Esports”

Discussions at the event connected with concrete developments in China’s esports sector over the past year. China has hosted a growing slate of international tournaments, with three major esports competitions for League of Legends, Honor of Kings and CS2 scheduled to take place in the country in November.

The League of Legends 2025 World Championship traveled through Beijing and Shanghai before concluding in Chengdu on November 9. Global audiences saw a broadcast package featuring iconic sites such as the Great Wall alongside Shanghai’s city lights and Chengdu’s local culture, offering esports fans worldwide a multifaceted look at contemporary China.

Inspired, jungler for the LTA region’s top-seeded team FLY, shared in an interview, “My experience in China has been great, and I’m eager to see which teams we will compete against at Worlds.”

Such enthusiasm from international players is matched by the energy of Chinese fans. After a match at the League of Legends 2025 World Championship, South Korean competitor Chovy noted, “There were many Chinese fans in the arena cheering us on—we are truly thankful.”

This spirit of support, focused on performance rather than outcome, reflects the openness and professionalism of local esports audiences—an expression of cultural confidence. That confidence leaves a strong impression on global participants.

Brazilian player lux remarked in a June media interview, “Whenever I’m asked which city is my favorite, I always say Shanghai. It’s incredible. The fans are amazing, and so are the events.”

China’s capacity for hosting high-caliber esports events has also drawn international recognition. After attending this year’s KPL Grand Finals, German commentator Danny Engels said, “The production level is world-class. The stage screens are unique, and attention to detail is evident throughout.”

As esports continues to grow in global influence, these events convey not only competition, but also culture, image and values.

The post 2025 Esports Innovation and Communication Seminar Held in Mudanjiang, China appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The company continues to drive revenue across the esports vertical

DATA.BET, a trusted sportsbook solution supplier, reports a significant increase in esports betting performance in the third quarter of 2025. The results demonstrate sustained market demand, disciplined trading operations, and growing player engagement across partner platforms, leading to revenue growth and commercial performance for DATA.BET.

In the third quarter of 2025, esports delivered strong results across all major performance indicators. Compared to Q3 2024, the stake volume improved by 60%, while total profit grew by 79%, supported by a 12% improvement in margin efficiency. Player activity also strengthened, with the total number of placed bets up by 33%, and multiples seeing a rise of 53%. The active player base expanded by 126%, and the average bet size increased by 22%, indicating higher confidence and deeper involvement from users.

Across major esports titles, performance dynamics show how player preferences and event availability shaped the quarter. CS2 maintained its position as the leading discipline, with results including a 26.7% uplift in turnover and a 55% growth in profit, while the number of bets grew moderately by 2.5%. League of Legends demonstrated significant momentum, moving from the fourth to the second most popular discipline, overtaking Dota 2. Turnover increased by 290%, profit by 416%, and the number of bets by 221%. Rainbow Six also strengthened its position within the top five disciplines due to broader coverage and regional expansion across LatAm, leading to a 126% enhance in turnover, a 504% jump in profit, a 12.4% rise in bets placed, and a 100% expansion in match coverage.

According to Bohdan Holovnov, Head of Esports at DATA.BET, this performance is linked to deliberate product and trading enhancements aligned with player behavior: “We focused on improving uptime for the most popular in-play markets, including ‘Map – Total Kills’, ‘Map – Duration’,  ‘Map – Winner’, and ‘Player – Total Deaths‘, especially in late-game phases where engagement peaks. This applies to both shooters and MOBA titles.  Additionally, interval-based kill markets were introduced in League of Legends and Dota 2, enabling more frequent and dynamic betting opportunities. Another major driver was the expansion of Player Props across all top-tier disciplines, including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant, in both pre-match and live formats. In shooters, ‘Total Deaths’ became a standout exclusive market, while official data coverage allowed us to expand Player Props across all tiers as well. This combination boosts both activity and margin efficiency across our clients.”

This upward movement is not only reflected year over year, but also quarter-to-quarter growth, with a profit percentage up by 13% compared to Q2 2025. This consistency highlights both sustained user interest and the stability of DATA.BET’s esports offering, even after expanding into sports betting in June 2025.

Bohdan Holovnov, the Head of Esports, mentioned: “Esports has proven its strength and reliability as a betting vertical. Quarter after quarter, we see steady engagement, growing turnover, and tangible revenue impact for operators. We’re pleased with the performance and even more excited about the momentum ahead, and we are scaling it together with our partners.”

The post DATA.BET Reports +79% Profit Growth in Esports Betting for Q3 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

UniPin, the leading digital entertainment and esports enabler across Asia, had launched the UniPin Campus Championship India, a large-scale interuniversity esports tournament designed to unite and empower student gamers through competition, collaboration and community building.

Running from October to December 2025, the championship will bring offline esports tournaments to eight major cities: Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. Winners from each campus qualifier will advance to the Grand Finale in January 2026, where they will compete for national recognition and esports glory.

The championship officially kicked off in Pune (MIT Pune, Oct 30) and Mumbai (NMIMS Mumbai, Oct 31). Both campuses recorded overwhelming enthusiasm from students eager to represent their universities, demonstrating the growing momentum of esports within India’s student communities. Packed audiences, spirited support and competitive gameplay marked a strong opening for the multi-city series.

“The UniPin Campus Championship India underscores UniPin’s ongoing commitment to cultivating the next generation of esports talent while strengthening a culture of collaboration, discipline, and sportsmanship among young players. As India’s gaming ecosystem continues to grow, we are proud to provide a platform that empowers students to showcase their skills, connect with the community, and pursue their passion at a competitive level,” said Paras Gupta, Manager of Esports, Community & KOL at UniPin India.

Expansion Vision: 2026 and Beyond

Building on the momentum of this inaugural championship, UniPin India is preparing an even larger nationwide initiative for 2026, with plans to reach more than 50 universities across India. The expansion aims to elevate intercampus esports into a mainstream student activity by integrating workshops on esports careers, community networking and developer engagement — not only fostering competition, but also building pathways into the gaming and digital entertainment industry.

This upcoming expansion signals UniPin’s long-term investment in India’s esports ecosystem and strengthens its commitment to making esports accessible, structured and sustainable at the grassroots level.

“This expansion is not just about growing the tournament footprint. By 2026, we aim to reach every major campus so they can have a thriving esports community supported by the right infrastructure, education, and exposure,” Paras added.

Through the UniPin Campus Championship, UniPin reinforces its mission to accelerate the growth of esports and digital entertainment in Asia by creating inclusive opportunities for young players to connect, compete and thrive.

The post UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.