Gaming
Q GamesMela Launches In-App Purchases and Digital Trading
QYOU Media Inc., a company operating in India and the US producing and distributing content created by social media stars and digital content creators, has announced that its newly launched casual mobile gaming app, Q GamesMela, has moved from beta to full release of its in-app trading and e-commerce storefront. Entering the world of what is becoming known as “G-Commerce” or “Gaming-Commerce”, the storefront provides the opportunity for players to maximise their winnings by trading them for real products available in the Q GamesMela store.
This unique and groundbreaking feature provides a new added dimension of rewards and monetisation wherein winnings can be exchanged for actual products. Q GamesMela winners of free games are awarded “stars” that can be stored in their in-app wallet and exchanged for products. In addition, Real Money/Cash gamers can also go into an in-app inclusive “Star Store” where you can buy and sell stars on an auction basis with other gamers. The intent is the creation of a socially active commerce community where real trading is done among active players to keep them both more engaged and involved, even when not actually playing games.
The online gaming industry has increasingly been seeing a variety of initiatives to drive more commerce through the games themselves. For years, the industry has driven a growing level of in-game commerce where gamers purchase additional merchandise to be used during gameplay. In 2025, estimates show that the market value of in-game purchases in games is projected to surpass $74.4 billion. Recently, online rumours abound regarding the upcoming 2024 version of Grand Theft Auto 6 featuring a greater move into so-called G-commerce. The games available for players to be awarded prizes in cash or be awarded stars on Q GamesMela include the addictive 2 minute gameplay of LUDO Express along with classic skill based games including Gin Rummy, Solitaire King and Call Break.
The gaming market in India continues to be one of the fastest growing in the world. With an estimated CAGR of 27%, industry reports suggest that this market will likely be worth over seven billion U.S. dollars in 2025. Most estimates predict nearly 450 million gamers across all platforms in 2023 with forecasts for the user base to reach 641 Million in 2027. Much of this growth is being driven by increased smartphone penetration and availability of lower-cost smartphones, coupled with more affordable data plans. India’s mobile gaming market is expected to generate 4.32 billion downloads in 2023 rocketing past former global leaders including the US and Brazil.
Curt Marvis, CEO and Co-Founder of QYOU Media, said: “This is a simple, yet super compelling, addition to our gaming platform. Winners need to be engaged in more than just game play and e-commerce within entertainment and gaming content is experiencing explosive growth. We saw a massive untapped opportunity to include this into our overall experience for Q GamesMela players. In addition, it allows winning and rewards to happen for both free and real money gamers under the same concept of our ‘star’ rewards system, including the use of a trading platform to engage our players and winners. Our early tests have shown great interaction and attraction for this offering and we look to build and grow our commerce offering alongside the pure gaming opportunity as we push the app further ahead moving into 2024.”
Gaming
Polemos Announces Partnership With Guinevere Capital to Drive Monetisation and Growth Across Gaming Ecosystems
Polemos, a Web3 gaming infrastructure platform, announces a strategic partnership with Guinevere Capital, a prominent esports and gaming investment firm known for its investments and advisory roles in projects such as GiantX, iTero, Perion, Skybox, and various other projects across the industry. Guinevere Capital has established a strong reputation for its work across global Web2 gaming titles, including League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League, and many more. This partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise of Polemos.io and Guinevere Capital to enhance and further monetise audiences across publishers, infrastructure players, gaming companies, studios, and platforms.
The collaboration will focus on integrating advanced asset management and engagement tools from Polemos.io’s Forge platform with Guinevere Capital’s extensive network and experience in both Web2 and esports ecosystems. This will create new monetisation opportunities and improve player experiences by bridging traditional gaming with blockchain-enabled innovations.
Carl Wilgenbus, CEO of Polemos.io, stated, “Partnering with Guinevere Capital marks a significant milestone in our mission to expand access to gaming rewards and unlock new revenue streams for the entire gaming industry. Together, we will empower publishers and studios to better engage their audiences and capitalize on the evolving landscape of gaming and esports.”
“Polemos has built an impressive piece of infrastructure that has plugged a huge gap in the gaming sector. We look forward to working with them to commercialise this.” said Dave Harris, a partner at Guinevere Capital. Dave’s previous experience includes investing in and operating top teams and leagues in the Riot Games and Activision Blizzard ecosystems.
Guinevere Capital’s strategic involvement will accelerate the adoption of blockchain gaming infrastructure while supporting the growth of esports and gaming communities worldwide. This alliance underscores a shared vision to drive innovation, education, and monetisation in the gaming sector by combining Web2’s reach with Web3’s potential.
Today, Polemos also started the official Token Generation Event (TGE) for the $PLMS utility token. The TGE began at 5:00 AM UTC on June 23rd, 2025, marking a step in the platform’s development to integrate blockchain technology within the gaming sector. Now available on MEXC and Uniswap, $PLMS gives users entry into the Polemos GameFi ecosystem.
The $PLMS token is designed to serve as the utility and governance token for the Polemos ecosystem. It is intended to facilitate platform functionalities, including asset management, player incentives, and participation in ecosystem governance. The TGE follows prior development phases and strategic partnerships, contributing to the framework of Polemos’ Web3 gaming offerings.
Details of the $PLMS TGE:
- Official TGE Start: June 23rd, 2025, at 5:00 AM UTC.
- Exchanges: MEXC & Uniswap.
The post Polemos Announces Partnership With Guinevere Capital to Drive Monetisation and Growth Across Gaming Ecosystems appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Good news for games companies in Germany: the Federal Government’s budget plans provide for the significant increase in the games funding budget long demanded by game – The German Games Industry Association. The Federal Government’s draft budget provides for a total of 125 million euros annually from 2026. The new funds are in line with the calculations made by the game association for the funds required until the introduction of additional tax incentives for games, as announced in the coalition agreement.
“That’s encouraging! The new federal government, and above all Federal Minister for Research and responsible for games Dorothee Bär, is following up its words with action. Following the clear statements in the coalition agreement, the significant increase in games funding less than 50 days after taking office has already set a key course. The funding will ensure growth again and provide the necessary breathing space to implement the additional tax-based games funding planned in the coalition agreement at the same time. This decision is an important and encouraging sign that Germany is creating internationally comparable conditions and wants to catch up quickly in the competition between games locations,” said Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – The German Games Industry Association.
The post German Federal Government Significantly Increases the Budget for Games Funding appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Executive Summary – Optimove US Gaming Pulse Report (May 2025)
The May 2025 report analyzes data from over 3.2 million U.S. players and 21 million global players to benchmark performance across casino and sports betting.
Key Insights:
U.S. Players Spend More: U.S. bettors consistently outperformed the global average in deposit amounts, averaging $604 in May 2025 marking a 10% year-over-year increase for the US compared to just 2% globally.
Casino Activity Remains Strong: U.S. casino bettors averaged $8,259 over the period, 6.2x the global average of $1,329 — ending at $7,928 in May 2025. Despite a slight slowdown since January, the number of U.S. casino bettors grew 30% year-over-year by May, compared to 14% globally.
Sports Betting Surges, Then Slows: U.S. average monthly sports betting peaked at $1,001 in May 2025, versus $380 globally. However, the number of U.S. sports bettors declined, showing only a 14% year-over-year increase in May — while global numbers remained stable, slightly decreasing to 97% compared to the May 2024 baseline.
Global Players More Engaged: Global players showed consistently higher engagement, averaging 8.9 days per month per active customer in May 2025, compared to 7.9 days in the U.S. — a 12% engagement gap.
Retention Higher Globally: While close, global retention remained stronger, reaching 71% in May 2025, compared to 65% in the U.S.
Conclusion:
While the U.S. market continues to lead in player spend and betting volumes, global markets show superior engagement and retention. U.S. growth remains closely linked to seasonal events and regulatory expansion, with future success tied to boosting long-term customer engagement and retention strategies.
Report Metrics:
- Source: Betting trends in United States compared to the global benchmark in the trailing 12 months (May 2024-2025)
- Database: A 12-month average of over 3.2 million active players per month in the U.S. and over 21.3 million globally.
Category: Average Deposit Amount
Key findings: Average Deposit Amounts Greatest in the US
In terms of monthly average total deposit amounts, the US consistently outpaces the global average, with an average deposit value 2.6 times higher throughout the period.
The U.S. average kept the highest global average in May 2025 with $604 average deposit amount. marking a 10% year-over-year increase, while the 12-month average leading to May 2025 stood at $550.
Global deposit amounts remained relatively stable, reaching $214 in May 2025, representing a 2% increase in May year over year.
Definition of Average Deposit Amount: The average deposit amount is calculated by taking the total sum of all deposits and dividing it by the number of Sports and Casino bettors (players) who have made at least one deposit.
Category: Total Monthly Casino Betting Amount & Number of Casino Bettors Growth
Key findings: The US has been leading in both betting amount and number of casino bettors’ growth
Throughout the period, the US consistently outpaced global averages, with an average of $8,259 per bettor over the period compared to $1,329 globally. US ending at $7,928 in May 2025 while the global average stands on $1344.
The number of casino bettors in the US market showed a slowdown over the past two months following a peak in January. However, the year-over-year growth remains strong, reaching 130% by May 2025 compared to the May 2024 baseline of 100% (a 30% increase). In contrast, global growth was more moderate, rising to 114% over the same period.
Definition of Total Monthly Casino Bet Amount: The average casino bet amount is the total sum of all casino bets and divided by the number of bettors who have placed at least one casino bet.
Definition of Casino Bettors Growth Trend: calculated by dividing the total number of casino bettors each month by the number of casino bettors in May 2024, which serves as the baseline (100%).
Category: Total Monthly Sports Betting Amount & Number of Sport Bettors Growth
Key findings: The US consistently outpaced global averages in monthly average sports bet amounts peaking at $1,150 in March 2025, however with a decrease in number of sport bettors by May 2025.
Throughout the period, the US keeps outpaced global averages in monthly average sports bet amounts. The US average was at $1,001 in May 2025, however with a notable decrease compared to May 2024.
In contrast, the global average remained steady, reaching $380 in May 2025.
In terms of the number of sport bettors, the US market experienced a sharp decrease in May 2025, reaching only 14% increase in May 2025 compared to May 2024.
Global growth remained more stable, changing from 100% to 97% over the same period.
Definition of Total Monthly Sport Bet Amount: The average sport betting amount is the total sum of all sports bets and divided by the number of bettors who have placed in least one sport bet.
The Sport Bettors Growth Trend: calculated by dividing the total number of sport bettors each month by the number of sport bettors in May 2024, which serves as the baseline (100%).
Category: Average Number of Activity Days per Active Customer
Key findings: the global market consistently maintained a higher engagement level than the US.
The global market keeps consistently maintaining a higher engagement level than the US, with 12% more activity days on average per active customer throughout the period. In May 2025 the US average stands at 7.9 days per month per active customer while the global average stands at 8.9.
Definition of Average Activity Days: The average number of activity days is the total number of activity days divided by the number of bettors who have at least one activity day.
Category: Average Active Retention Rate
Key findings: Although retention rates remained relatively close, the global market consistently outperformed the US.
While retention rates between the US and global markets remained close throughout the period, the global rate consistently outperformed the US in most months.
The global average on May 2025 stands at 71% compared to 65% in the US.
Definition of Active Retention Rate: The percentage of bettors who were active in the preceding month and remained active in the current month.
The post Optimove US Gaming Pulse Report – May 2025 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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