eSports

Sergey Portnov: Perspectives & predictions

Published

5 years ago

May 14, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Speaking at PM:GO: In Touch with the Future, Parimatch CEO Sergey Portnov opened the floor to questions on topics ranging from why Parimatch and Conor McGregor are a great match, how to survive in a crisis, to predictions for the betting industry and sport in the wake of COVID-19. In typical fashion, Sergey spoke candidly to give the audience insights into some of the most pressing industry issues as well as his plans for Parimatch…

The esports boom

Parimatch is one of the few betting companies to have already shifted its focus to esports – and we are now looking to consolidate our position in the sector. Parimatch has a dedicated team with influential leaders responsible for our development strategy for esports. We will continue to seek out sponsorship deals in the esports sector and innovate our esports offering. The reality is that esports is here to stay and this is not just a temporary attempt to participate and jump on the hype bandwagon. Esports is in our DNA, it is our top priority.

With sports fixtures cancelled across the world, many sports fans have turned to esports, and the popularity of esports will continue perhaps even with the return of sports matches. Looking to the near future, it might be that traditional sports matches are held without crowds of people. For the betting industry, it actually doesn’t matter. We just need the match to take place and to be broadcast. Looking further ahead, there will likely be plans drawn up to avoid having to stop all sport like this again, and there will be conditions agreed for how the sport industry can continue to operate if faced with another situation like the one we’re in now.

At Parimatch, we are also considering creating our own sports, to increase the opportunities for betting and entertainment for our players. For example, we could broadcast penalties, involving just a player and a goalkeeper. During normal times, you don’t have these kinds of ideas – which is why a crisis can be an opportunity to innovate.

Emerging from a crisis stronger and faster

With sports fixtures cancelled around the world, betting companies are seeing the majority of their players fall away. The challenge is how to engage wider audiences with simulated sports – and this is a challenge shared by all bookmakers who have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Some operators will withstand this crisis better than others, because they have adapted their business model, by pivoting to online casinos or adding alternative sports – such as FIFA and table tennis.

Although Parimatch has been affected, we are poised to be one of the structural winners to emerge from the crisis, as we are adapting and finding new solutions so that we remain one step ahead. In every sector, this is great time to optimize your business, identify weak spots in the company and fulfil goals that have been put off.

For me personally, I feel comfortable during a crisis, maybe because I love fighting and it has given me the fighting spirit that you need to prosper during difficult conditions. My advice to those who struggle is to always stay calm to avoid being guided by emotions and making rash decisions under pressure. A person who can distinguish between truth and artificial pressure will be right in their decisions.

Parimatch & The Notorious: A meeting of minds

Our contract with UFC was a prerequisite for Conor as our brand ambassador – and Conor is picky, he doesn’t just collaborate with any brand for money. It was our connection to UFC that initially attracted him. But why did Parimatch choose Conor? Firstly, because there a few examples of celebrities who have really changed their industry. Conor is one of those few people – he has made the UFC popular globally, bringing MMA into the mainstream. In fact, Conor is the face of MMA, and has attracted millions of fans to UFC not just because of his fighting skills, but for what he does

outside the ring. He can gather a crowd of people at a click of a finger – you could say he is a great magician! That kind of power and energy is what we wanted for our brand.

In the ring: Beating the competition

At Parimatch, we of course keep an eye on our competitors, but we mostly compete with ourselves – not on a personal level, but on a company wide scale. We are focused on meeting our own goals, and not trying to copy competitor products, no matter how great they are. We know our weaknesses as a business and we know how to fight them.

For Parimatch, the main priority is solidifying our position as a technology company. Already 99.9% of our business operates online and 70% of it is mobile based. However, we want to become a leading technology business, and not just within the betting sector. We want to be a role model for related industries. We know this may take a few years, but we are confident that we will do it – and will become one of the very few betting companies to have made a major technology breakthrough.

BETBY

BETBY CONTINUES UPWARD TRAJECTORY WITH SOLID Q3 2025 PERFORMANCE RESULTS

Published

5 hours ago

October 15, 2025

George Miller

betby-continues-upward-trajectory-with-solid-q3-2025-performance-results

Reading Time: 2 minutes

BETBY, a leading sportsbook supplier, has reported another strong quarter, with its Q3 2025 performance underlining consistent growth and sustained engagement across its global partner network. The results highlight the provider’s continued expansion, innovation, and ability to deliver competitive value to operators worldwide.

During the third quarter, BETBY’s sportsbook recorded a 56.07% year-on-year increase in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), a 24.92% rise in total bets placed, and a 19.45% increase in active players, aligning with the solid upward trend seen in the company’s H1 results.

Importantly, these results were achieved despite a non-idyllic September, which was marked by uncompetitive margins due to sporting outcomes. This resilience further underscores the company’s ability to maintain growth momentum even in unfavourable market conditions.

This performance further demonstrates the scalability and reliability of BETBY’s sportsbook solution, which continues to attract new partners and drive growth across regulated markets. The supplier’s investment in proprietary trading models, AI-powered tools, and tailored partner support remains central to its strategy.

Betby.Games, BETBY’s proprietary esports feed, also delivered a positive quarter, achieving an 8.43% year-on-year increase in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), a 6.18% rise in total bets placed, and an 11.85% growth in active players compared to the same period last year.

Leonid Pertsovskiy, Chief Executive Officer at BETBY, commented: “Q3 once again demonstrates the strength of our products and the trust we’ve built with our partners. We continue to deliver solid results across both sportsbook and esports verticals, driven by innovation, user-centric solutions, and our commitment to excellence. As we approach the end of the year, our focus remains on accelerating growth and reinforcing our position as a Tier-1 provider in the iGaming industry.”

To find out more about BETBY’s cutting-edge sportsbook solution visit booth 4045 during SiGMA Central Europe. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with BETBY’s team, and discover how the company’s solutions and services can be their winning aspect for their iGaming project.

The post BETBY CONTINUES UPWARD TRAJECTORY WITH SOLID Q3 2025 PERFORMANCE RESULTS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Beşiktaş Esports

HAVIT Partners with Three Top International Esports Teams to Expand Global Presence

Published

1 day ago

October 14, 2025

Niji Narayan

havit-partners-with-three-top-international-esports-teams-to-expand-global-presence

Reading Time: < 1 minute

HAVIT, a leading global consumer tech brand, officially announced strategic partnerships with three internationally renowned esports teams: Brazil’s Vivo Keyd Stars, Turkiye’s Galatasaray Esports and Beşiktaş Esports. This marks a new stage in HAVIT’s global esports expansion, further strengthening its influence in the global esports ecosystem.

HAVIT has achieved remarkable results in the esports sector across both the Turkish and Latin American markets.

In Turkiye, HAVIT’s gaming headsets consistently rank No.1 on the leading platform Trendyol. To further integrate into the local esports ecosystem, HAVIT partners with Galatasaray Esports and Beşiktaş Esports, celebrated for their prestigious legacy and youthful energy, each with a massive fan base. This collaboration not only reinforces HAVIT’s market leadership but also deepens its connection with the local esports community.

Moreover, HAVIT enters the second year of its partnership with Vivo Keyd Stars, Brazil’s leading esports team, providing high-performance gaming gear to support the team’s play. With HAVIT’s gear and their own relentless drive, VKS won the championship in LTA South 2025 Split 3 and will represent Brazil at the 2025 League of Legends World Championship. This partnership underscores both the team’s strength and HAVIT’s commitment to empowering Brazil’s esports development.

Brand Vision: Build a Global Esports Network

This strategic partnership across Brazil and Turkiye is a key step in HAVIT’s regional market expansion and lays a solid foundation for HAVIT’s future presence in wider esports ecosystems of Europe, the Americas and beyond.

“Partnering with these teams is a crucial implementation of HAVIT’s ‘For Fun. For Games. For Champions’ vision. By merging technology with esports, we aim to inspire gamers worldwide to break boundaries and shape the future of gaming,” Doug Pollard said.

The post HAVIT Partners with Three Top International Esports Teams to Expand Global Presence appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

2XKO

DATA.BET the First to Launch 2XKO Offering

Published

5 days ago

October 10, 2025

George Miller

data.bet-the-first-to-launch-2xko-offering

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Introducing Riot Games’ newest title to the esports landscape

DATA.BET, the award-winning sports betting solution supplier, has pioneered the betting market by launching 2XKO, a new dynamic competitive format.

2XKO marks a new addition to the global esports scene. With its fast-paced, double-elimination structure, it brings a distinctive rhythm of short yet high-stakes matches — a setup that potentially opens new avenues for betting engagement and audience retention as the format evolves.

At this stage, DATA.BET’s coverage focuses on key pre-match markets, including Winner and To Reach the Final for overall tournament outcomes, as well as Winner within individual matches. During the final stages of the competition, the company also plans to expand its offering with Map Winner markets for each map.

What makes 2XKO unique is the combination of short-form, high-intensity gameplay. This setup maximizes player engagement, mirroring the popularity of competitive fighting games worldwide while translating seamlessly into a betting environment.

DATA.BET debuted its 2XKO betting coverage at the upcoming 2 NICE KO tournament in Nice, France (Oct 10–12, 2025), featuring nearly 300 players across top fighting titles.

Bogdan Holovnov, Head of Esports at DATA.BET, said: “Esports thrives on creativity and innovation, and 2XKO is the perfect example of how new formats can drive excitement for players and bettors alike. At DATA.BET, we’re proud to be the first to bring this to market — giving our partners exclusive access to content that captures the speed, intensity, and global appeal of fighting games. This launch reinforces our commitment to expanding esports betting with fresh, high-impact experiences.”

The post DATA.BET the First to Launch 2XKO Offering appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.