Asia
Enforcement Directorate Freezes Rs 123 Crore in Crackdown on Chinese Betting Apps
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), a law enforcement agency of the Government of India that is responsible for enforcing Economic Laws and fighting Economic Crime, announced on Wednesday that it had frozen bank deposits worth Rs 123 crore following searches at 10 locations in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against “Chinese-controlled” betting and loan apps, which allegedly defrauded numerous individuals.
According to a statement by the ED, the searches were conducted on February 23 and 24 at the premises of NIUM India Pvt Ltd and its directors in Mumbai, Xoduz Solution Pvt Ltd, Vikrah Trading Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Tyrannus Technology Pvt Ltd, M/s Future Vision Media Solutions Pvt Ltd, M/s Aprikiwi Solution Pvt Ltd in Chennai and Raphael James Rozario in Kochi.
“The search operations also resulted in the recovery and seizure of several digital devices, various incriminating documents, multiple bank accounts used for laundering, and details of various movable and immovable assets of the accused persons and entities,” the ED stated.
The searches were aimed at “tracing and unearthing the proceeds of crime in the case of illegal online loan/gambling/betting apps through a cluster of mule accounts in Kerala,” the ED elaborated.
The investigation was initiated based on FIRs registered by Kerala and Haryana Police regarding allegations of exploitation and cheating through online loan, gambling, or betting apps controlled by Chinese entities.
“The proceeds of crime generated from the above apps/other platforms are aggregated and laundered through mule accounts opened in various banks in Kerala State using payment aggregators,” the ED explained.
Additionally, funds collected through multiple shell companies in several states, including Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, were being remitted outside India through various channels such as cryptocurrency, against fake imports of software from Singapore and Forex currency purchases.
The ED disclosed that the accused had established numerous shell entities in India and used them to transfer proceeds of crime to shell companies established in Singapore. “These Singapore shell entities would raise fake invoices for the supply of software/other services in the name of the shell Indian entities in India, where the proceeds of crime would have already been aggregated,” the statement said.
“These invoices are processed by a global forex settlement platform named M/s NIUM Singapore Pte Ltd. (Singapore), which has an Indian subsidiary Company, namely NIUM India Pvt. Ltd., to collect money from Indian entities based on fake invoices and transfer the same as outward remittances to M/s NIUM Singapore Pte Ltd in the name of payment for technical services. These funds will then be credited to the virtual wallet of Singapore shell entities,” the ED added.
According to the ED, NIUM India collected no other documentation besides the fake invoices from the remitters.
“In this manner, the shell remitter, the shell remittee, and the sham import transactions were concealed from the Bank and monitoring agencies, and the proceeds of crime are thereby laundered out of India,” the ED concluded.
“We wanted our users to experience the emotions, dynamics, and uniqueness of the Aviator game not only on the platform, but also in real life. This idea became the foundation of the teaser campaign, which resulted in a successful launch and strong interest from players,” said Victorya Harutyunyan, Head of Product Marketing at Totogaming.
“Launching Aviator on Totogaming is an important milestone for SPRIBE in the Armenian market. This partnership allows us to bring our flagship crash game to a highly engaged local audience, while ensuring the premium level of experience that players worldwide expect from Aviator. We value Totogaming’s commitment to innovation and are delighted to see such a strong reception from players from day one,” said Taras Kozovit, Head of Business Development at SPRIBE.
The post Totogaming.am Adds SPRIBE’s Aviator in Long-Awaited Release appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Indian esports landscape is transitioning from a period of rapid “spectacle” growth to a phase defined by lasting institutional structure. Following the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), 2026 is set to be the year where regulatory clarity, international competition, and domestic grassroots development converge.
The Impact of PROGA: Policy into Practice
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), signed into law in August 2025, has officially moved from policy to practice. Its primary contribution to 2026 is the explicit separation of esports from money-based gaming.
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Legitimacy: By categorizing esports as a legitimate competitive pursuit, PROGA has unlocked state-level adoption and cleared the way for schools and colleges to integrate gaming into their sports frameworks.
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Commercial Confidence: With a clear regulatory environment, brands in sectors like FMCG, automotive, and BFSI are now viewing esports as a stable, long-term youth engagement platform rather than a risky experiment.
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Athlete Pathways: PROGA facilitates the creation of standardized national registries for athletes, ensuring that competitive integrity is maintained across grassroots and professional tiers.
The Asian Games 2026: A Global Stage
The Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, serves as the most critical milestone for the ecosystem this year.
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Medal Status: Esports will feature as a full medal event with 11 confirmed titles, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version), and Pokémon UNITE.
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Indian Prospects: India’s best historical result (quarter-finals in League of Legends at Hangzhou) has set a high bar. For 2026, the focus has shifted toward high-performance training camps and long-term athlete mentorship to secure a podium finish.
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Multi-Sport Integration: Participation alongside traditional athletes reinforces the narrative that esports is a viable professional career, further encouraging government investment through schemes like Khelo India.
Market Evolution and Key Trends
The Indian gaming market is projected to reach approximately $5.02 billion in 2026, driven by a massive player base exceeding 500 million gamers.
| Trend | Impact in 2026 |
| Mobile Dominance | Over 95% of the market remains mobile-first, fueled by 5G expansion and affordable hardware. |
| Beyond BGMI | 2026 is seeing a push to diversify the market into fighting games, sports simulations, and PC titles to avoid “one-title dependency.” |
| Monetization Shift | Revenue is shifting from pure advertising toward battle passes, subscription models, and in-game progression. |
| Tier II & III Growth | Most new user acquisition is coming from smaller cities, demanding more vernacular and localized content. |
The post Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament
La Imperia, a new all-female esports IP by The Insurgence Gaming Company, will make its competitive debut this month with an online VALORANT invitational tournament running from December 19 to 21, 2025. Designed as a visibility-first platform for women competitors, the event brings together four invited Indian teams for a three-day broadcast competition.
La Imperia marks the inaugural tournament by the Insurgence Gaming Company, a newly founded esports company led by Jasper Shabin, who previously served as a poject manager at Skyesports. Positioning itself as a community-first tournament operator, the Insurgence Gaming Company aims to refocus attention on grassroots competition and long-term ecosystem building at a time when entry-level and women-led esports pathways remain limited.
The tournament will be played in VALORANT and feature a round-robin group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs, culminating in a BO5 Grand Final. All matches across the three days will be broadcast live on YouTube, along with additional watch-parties.
The four invited teams competing at La Imperia include Huntrix, Sin Sisters, Plushie Gang and MyKil. All teams feature all-female rosters, aligning with La Imperia’s positioning as a dedicated women’s esports IP.
Broadcast production for the event will be handled by Momentum Gaming, serving as the official Broadcast Partner. The on-air talent lineup includes Star Tania, Nekroz, Odawg, and Hikari Jane, who will guide viewers through the tournament across all three days.
Beyond competition, La Imperia is also placing emphasis on player well-being. Sattva by Pallavi joins the tournament as the Mental Health Partner, integrating conversations around mental health and holistic wellness into the event’s broadcast and content output. The partnership reflects a growing recognition of sustainability and mental resilience within competitive gaming environments.
Speaking on the launch, Jasper Shabin, Founder of The Insurgence Gaming Company, said: “La Imperia is built to be a visibility platform first. There is no shortage of talent in the women’s VALORANT scene, but there are very few consistent stages where that talent can be seen, supported, and taken seriously. With the Insurgence Gaming Company, we want to return focus to grassroots competition and create formats that players can grow with, not just compete in once.”
The tournament carries an INR 15,000 prize pool, with the primary focus placed on competitive exposure, broadcast quality, and long-term ecosystem value rather than one-off incentives.
With its inaugural edition, La Imperia sets the foundation for a new women-led esports property in India—one that combines structured competition, professional broadcast standards, and a community-first philosophy.
The post Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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