Asia

Fosun Sports Group Announces New Entity to Deepen Global Sports Industry Footprint

Published

4 years ago

October 21, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

On October 19, Fosun Sports Group (hereinafter referred to as “Fosun Sports”), a global pan-sports industry operating group company and subsidiary of Fosun International’s happiness segment, announced the formal establishment of Fosun Sports as a holding entity, and the acquisition of core operating assets and management team of Foyo, in games, esports and sports. At the same time, Fosun Sports has received a minority strategic investment from the U.S. finance and technology firm, PEAK6 Investments, which will continue to deepen the global industrial layout around the core business of sports, esports and games in the future.

Since Fosun acquired Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club in 2016, Fosun Sports has relied on the group’s global resources and built a professional team to operate the club consistently and steadily, which has greatly enhanced Wolves’ brand value. In 2018, Wolves won the EFL Championship title and returned to the English Premier League, with 7th placed-finishes in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons and a last-eight finish in the UEFA Europa League. Wolves ranked 19th in the Brand Finance 2020 football club brand value rankings.

Meanwhile, Fosun Sports has built a sports-focused platform to offer its community of loyal football and esports fans a unique and innovative range of products (merchandising, sports fashion…) + content (music, mobile gaming, social media) + experience (matches, gaming portal…). Today, Fosun Sports has found its unique path to directly communicate with young audiences and connect with core users.

In 2019, Fosun Sports established the trendy sports brand WWFC based on the Wolves IP (Intellectual Property) and launched a collaboration series. Through “Wolves Fashion Night” and “Wolves Fan Night”, Fosun Sports harnessed the combined power of its projects, fully deploying the resources of fashion, trend, and partner brands. Wolves has now been successfully transformed from a traditional soccer brand to a diversified pan-sports lifestyle brand and is known as a practitioner of “sports + fashion” in the industry. Such IP operation capability also makes Fosun Sports the exclusive authorised partner of CFA (China Football Association) China Team to develop licensed products and create a new “content + trend + youth” lifestyle brand “My Home Field”.

In addition, Fosun Sport actively entered the esports industry. Since 2018, Wolves has been one of the most active Premier League clubs in esports, with three teams in the UK – FIFA 22, Rocket League and Le Mans/Formula Pro Series sim racing, as well as strong collaborations with other popular esports titles such as Fortnite. From 2019, Fosun Sports has entered the China esports market with the “Wolves Esports” brand, currently with five divisions including Honor of Kings, QQ Speed, Identity V, Call of Duty Mobile, FIFA Online 4, and has won multiple titles in international and domestic major competitions. Three out of the five squads have won championships in various national or global competitions.

The acquisition of Chongqing QGhappy (now renamed as Chongqing Wolves), the Honor of Kings professional league team with six championship titles, in September, was one of the most critical moves by Fosun Sports to connect with young audiences in the esports world, further expanding its esports footprint by entering KPL, the top league of mobile gaming with 100 million daily active users. The addition of a Wolves KPL squad has made the Wolves Esports brand one of the best in Asia.

The strategic investor in Fosun Sports, PEAK6, is the owner of North American esports powerhouse Evil Geniuses, a team with a long and decorated history since its foundation in 1999, and the winner of the fifth International DOTA2 Championships (Ti5). Fosun Sports then made a strategic investment into Evil Geniuses in July 2021, building deep cooperation between Wolves and Evil Geniuses, and thus entering the North American esports market.

From DOTA2, Honor of Kings, FIFA, Call of Duty Mobile, QQ Speed, Identity V and virtual 24 hours of Le Mans combined with traditional sports, Fosun Sports has advanced in the esports market in China, North America and Europe, achieving “full coverage” in esports both geographically and in terms of projects.

Fosun Sports has reached more than 30 million fans worldwide through its two core businesses of soccer and esports, which brings infinite possibilities for business development to form a global sports ecosystem.

Mr. Jeff Shi, Chairman of Fosun Sports, said he was delighted to have PEAK6 join the Fosun Sports family. “Our organisations have great synergy, from our mutual desire to challenge conformity, to our openness for collaboration, and of course our shared passion for sports, technology and achieving success through hard work, intelligence and innovation.”

“We are confident PEAK6 can help bring Fosun Sports and Wolves a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and learning, and support Fosun Sports to become a sports industry group with global influence and much success.”

Fosun Sports is also one of the key business units of Fosun’s happiness segment. After the restructuring, the company will have the opportunity of rapid development with empowerment from Fosun’s ecology, and to gain greater synergies through mutual empowerment with other member brands in the Fosun system.

Asia

Fight vs. illegal gambling gets boost with Php50M PAGCOR grant to NBI

Published

3 days ago

September 29, 2025

Wladimir P.

fight-vs.-illegal-gambling-gets-boost-with-php50m-pagcor-grant-to-nbi

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) on Monday committed Php50 million in financial assistance to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to strengthen operations against illegal gaming, including the banned Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

The support was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed at the PAGCOR Corporate Office in Pasay City by PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco and NBI Director Jaime Santiago.

An initial Php25 million was immediately turned over by PAGCOR to the NBI, representing the first tranche of the total assistance, during the MOA signing.

In his message during the ceremony, Tengco said the partnership with the NBI underscores PAGCOR’s mission not only to regulate gaming and generate revenues for nation-building but also to protect the integrity of the industry.

“This morning, we are signing a Memorandum of Agreement that underscores the shared responsibility of PAGCOR and the NBI in promoting lawful, fair, and responsible gaming in the Philippines,” he said.

“This assistance will defray the cost of food and expenses for POGO detainees, as well as support the Bureau’s legitimate operations against illegal gaming activities.”

Mr. Tengco said the agreement likewise demonstrates PAGCOR’s resolve to safeguard the gaming industry and ensure that revenues from legal gaming truly benefit the Filipino people.

“Illegal gambling operators undermine our laws, exploit our people, and put our communities at risk. By working hand in hand with the NBI, we are sending a strong message that we will not allow unlawful gaming practices to persist,” he said.

For his part, NBI Director Santiago said PAGCOR’s assistance would boost the Bureau’s capabilities to pursue its mandate.

“The NBI welcomes PAGCOR’s assistance as it will enable us to step up our operations against illegal POGOs and other unlawful gaming activities. This partnership affirms our shared duty to uphold the law and protect the Filipino people,” he said.

The post Fight vs. illegal gambling gets boost with Php50M PAGCOR grant to NBI appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Asia

BETBY EXPANDS ASIAN MARKET PRESENCE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADWAY PLATFORM

Published

1 week ago

September 25, 2025

George Miller

betby-expands-asian-market-presence-through-partnership-with-broadway-platform

Reading Time: 2 minutes

BETBY, the innovative sportsbook provider, has entered into a new partnership with Broadway Platform, a leading operator that manages over 30 online platforms while also delivering bespoke B2B services and B2C brands worldwide. As part of the deal, Broadway Platform will integrate BETBY’s award-winning sportsbook solution across its portfolio.

Through this collaboration, Broadway Platform will gain access to BETBY’s comprehensive sportsbook, featuring 500,000+ events per month, 8,000+ betting markets, and coverage of 125+ sports and 50+ esports disciplines.

The agreement also includes Betby Games, BETBY’s proprietary esports feed, which delivers 400,000+ live matches per month across 25 sports simulations with 100% video coverage, as well as AI Labs, a full suite of AI-driven sportsbook tools. With dedicated modules for odds creation, risk management, UX optimisation, and operations, AI Labs empowers operators with real-time insights, personalisation, and operational efficiency.

The Broadway Platform project is supported by SPRIBE, a leading iGaming company recognised for its innovative products and next-generation, mobile-first gaming experiences that resonate strongly with modern players. SPRIBE has made a significant impact on the online gaming industry, and its involvement underlines the ambition and innovative spirit of the collaboration.

Broadway Platform’s move to partner with BETBY underscores the supplier’s commitment to innovation and scalability, while strengthening its focus on the Asian-facing market, where it has been actively localising its solutions to meet regional demands.

Stefanos Karakidis, Business Development Director at BETBY, commented: “We are delighted to partner with Broadway Platform, a company with an outstanding reputation in both B2C and B2B operations. By integrating our sportsbook, Betby Games, and AI Labs, Broadway is set to enhance its offering and deliver a cutting-edge experience to its customers. This partnership highlights our shared vision of growth, innovation, and market leadership.”

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, Chief Commercial Officer, added: “Working with BETBY marks an important step for us as we extend our global footprint. Their technology, depth of content, and AI-driven tools provide us with the flexibility and scale needed to deliver a world-class betting experience. We are confident this collaboration will unlock significant opportunities for growth.”

The post BETBY EXPANDS ASIAN MARKET PRESENCE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADWAY PLATFORM appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

ArenaPlus

DigiPlus Announces Partnership with PhilFirst

Published

1 week ago

September 23, 2025

Niji Narayan

digiplus-announces-partnership-with-philfirst

Reading Time: 2 minutes

DigiPlus Interactive Corp., the Philippines’ premier digital entertainment provider behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, announced a landmark partnership with Philippine First Insurance Co. Inc. (PhilFirst), the country’s first domestic insurance company. Together, they have introduced the Philippines’ first-ever surety bond programme for online gaming players – setting a new benchmark in player protection. The programme takes effect immediately.

For players, this means more peace of mind every time they log in, as long as their eKYC (electronic Know-Your-Customer) information is up to date and they continue to play within the platform’s guidelines. Whether it’s a casual gamer or a loyal fan celebrating a big win, they can enjoy BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone knowing their wallets and balances are even better protected.

Through this initiative, eligible players benefit from an added financial safeguard. The surety bond protects player balances of up to ₱1 million per player, without requiring customers to purchase a separate policy.

“DigiPlus is proud to be the first in the industry to roll out this level of consumer protection. We are committed to putting our players first. With this surety bond, they can play confidently on BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, knowing that their funds are safeguarded,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio H. Tanco.

How does the DigiPlus surety bond work?

Eligibility: Players must be eKYC-verified, have made at least one successful deposit, and be in good standing within the platform’s guidelines.

Coverage: The surety bond safeguards player wallets and balances up to ₱1 million per player.

Activation: Protection is in place immediately and applies automatically for all eligible players across BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone.

This latest measure strengthens DigiPlus’ commitment to reliable customer service and protection, adding the surety bond to its 24/7 customer support and 130+ physical BingoPlus stores nationwide, which already serve as convenient and trusted outlets for players.

With the addition of the surety bond, DigiPlus continues to raise industry standards – delivering not only engaging and innovative gaming offerings but also a stronger guarantee of trust, security and peace of mind for its customers.

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