eSports
Exclusive Q&A with Alex Shybanov, Senior Sales Manager for CEE Region/PandaScore
What is the difference between PandaScore and big suppliers?
The biggest difference is that we’re solely focused on esports whereas a lot of the bigger suppliers concentrated on traditional sports. For PandaScore esports is the only priority. We’re also fast and agile – we can implement new products and features incredibly quickly allowing our partners to leverage the fast-growing nature of the sector.
Another major difference is the data-led approach we take. We combine this with AI, our own trading models and a team of highly skilled traders which allows us to present one of the best esports betting products in the market.
Our trading models are worth highlighting as this is what really sets us apart. They’re fully automated and cover all of the sports that we have. In comparison, most of the big suppliers are still using manual or semi-manual models.
Finally, the number of markets we offer and our uptime (the percentage of time that lines are open and available for players to place bets) is unrivalled. We are also open to feedback and regularly work with our partners to implement new tools and features.
This enables us to satisfy their individual needs and continually improve performance, something that the big providers cannot offer especially if esports is not considered a priority for them.
What do you have to say about the esports market in Central & Eastern Europe?
It is fast-growing, for sure, and is really well developed when compared with other European regions and markets like the UK. In fact, across CEE esports is often among the top five bets on sports in terms of revenues and turnover.
What is driving this? Several factors but in particular there are some really strong teams that are based out of CEE countries. This includes Na’Vi (CS:GO) and Team Spirit (Dota 2) – 2021 TI champions. This has helped to elevate the popularity of esports across the region.
To bet on esports, you really have to play esports and CEE is a big market in terms of the number of players that play video games. This in turn helps to drive esports engagement and betting on esports as there is a larger pool of consumers that understand how it all works.
What is interesting is the popularity of certain games in CEE, which differs from other European markets. CS:GO is by far the most popular game to play, with Dota 2 number two across the market. But globally, League of Legends is the most popular.
Why is your trading solution specifically suited for the CEE market?
There are several key reasons why PandaScore is perfectly suited for operators targeting the CEE market. The first is our local coverage; we offer odds and markets on all local tournaments across the region including in Poland, the Czech Republic and Russia.
Next, our data-driven approach and unique models allows us to achieve the best uptime. For CS:GO uptime levels are in excess of 90% and with Dota 2 it is 75%. This is between 20-25% more than our rivals which means our partners can offer their players more betting opportunities.
This is achieved via our automated models and not having to change the lines manually. With players able to bet 25% more during the game, this is a major value driver for operators. This is only set to become more significant with the continued growth of live esports betting.
Finally, we have comprehensive margin management, and this is important for operators targeting the region because esports bettors are sophisticated. They are not recreational players and have a deep understanding of how games work and the betting options available to them.
Our partners can set different margins across a range of factors such as pre-match, live, games, markets, and more.
This allows them to maximise their margin but also run promotions around particular games and markets, lowering the odds to make them more attractive on a specific game and then setting a higher margin on second and third-tier games to balance this off.
How do you balance this approach for your partner operators, who may have different needs?
Our trading dashboard has been designed to put the power in an operator’s hands. Their traders can manage everything from booking (such as by game, tournament tier, automated) to margin management (possibility to set different margins for different games, markets, tournaments) and more.We have many different markets, especially for live betting. For CS:GO, for instance, we have 60 pre-match markets and 24 live markets.
As an example, we have recently rolled out player markets for total kills over/under. This allows operators to increase revenues by offering markets on specific players and teams that are popular in that region or market. And it’s becoming more and more popular.
What are PandaScore’s goals for 2022 and esports?
Esports will continue on its rapid growth trajectory. It is already in the top five sports in some markets and I believe this will become the case in more and more regions in 2022. Offline tournaments are also returning which will be a further catalyst for growth.
Regarding PandaScore, we will continue to increase the scale and scope of our coverage and particularly when it comes to local coverage. This will be driven in part by cooperating with local tournaments and securing additional data partnerships.
We will keep building out our market and product offerings – player markets have launched with CS:GO but we plan to extend this to other games such as Dota 2. We are also working on offering multiples for specific games with a bet builder feature also in the works.
2022 is set to be another breakthrough year for esports and esports betting, and as always PandaScore will be at the cutting edge of this incredible sector.
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Compliance Updates
Stake joins ESIC as official anti-corruption partner
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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) is pleased to announce that Stake has joined as an Official Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner.
As a global entertainment and technology brand, Stake’s collaboration with ESIC underscores a shared commitment to strengthening integrity frameworks and supporting fair competition across the esports ecosystem.
ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program brings together key industry stakeholders who contribute directly to the detection, analysis, and investigation of suspicious betting activity. Through data sharing, operational cooperation, and collaborative monitoring, the program enhances ESIC’s capacity to identify and address potential issues in real time.
As part of Stake’s Anti-Corruption Partner role, Stake will contribute to ESIC’s integrity monitoring network, helping advance the Commission’s efforts to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability within the global esports industry. This collaboration reinforces both organisations’ commitment to safeguarding the credibility and long-term development of competitive gaming worldwide.
Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC, commented: “The addition of Stake to ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter network reinforces the sentiment that integrity is a shared responsibility. ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program relies on the active collaboration of partners like Stake, whose operational insights contribute directly to our ability to identify and mitigate integrity threats. Together, we are building a stronger foundation of trust and accountability that supports the sustainable growth of esports worldwide.”
Jarrod Febbraio, Director of Stake, commented: “This partnership formalizes Stake’s commitment to protecting integrity and transparency across the global esports ecosystem. As the world’s leading online-first betting operator, supporting the industry is central to our strategy and our scale makes this collaboration with ESIC essential to safeguarding its integrity. Together, we’re ensuring the ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and trusted by fans and participants worldwide.”
The post Stake joins ESIC as official anti-corruption partner appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Oddin.gg Wins the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe for the Second Year in a Row
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For the second consecutive year, Czech-based esports technology company Oddin.gg has taken the top spot in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe, underscoring the company’s sustained momentum and highlighting the global demand for an innovative and high-performing esports betting infrastructure.
The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe program recognizes the region’s fastest-growing technology companies across sectors including fintech, software, communications, environmental tech, hardware, healthcare, media and entertainment. Rankings are based on percentage revenue growth.
Commenting on the win, CEO and Co-Founder Vlastimil Venclík shared: “Being recognized by the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for the second year in a row is an honor. It reflects not only our growth, but the trust our partners place in us and the hard work of our team. Esports is evolving quickly, and we’re committed to delivering reliable, high-performing infrastructure that helps operators succeed, now and in the years ahead.”
Founded in 2018, Oddin.gg is dedicated to elevating the excitement of digital esports competitions and equipping sportsbook operators with reliable solutions that maximize engagement, betting activity and profitability.
Vlastimil Venclik credits the company’s growth to its industry expertise, its focus on the betting vertical, and its forward-thinking, customer-first product strategy.
“Our team blends former professional players with data scientists and engineers. That mix gives us the deep esports knowledge and technical capability needed to solve real challenges for operators and deliver measurable results, while also reducing their exposure to risk.”
Oddin.gg stands apart by offering a unified, end-to-end ecosystem for esports betting, allowing operators to work with a single vendor for odds feeds, risk management, widgets, BetBuilder, iFrame and 24/7 eSimulators while also producing and managing everything in-house. This integrated approach is a core pillar of Realms Group, where Oddin.gg leads the effort to shape how audiences experience live digital entertainment.
“We’re expanding in two major directions. First, by building faster, smarter, more interactive products that deepen engagement for fans and bettors. Second, by growing geographically, supported by recent certifications in Brazil as well as earlier approvals in the United States and Canada. This makes us one of the most secure and trusted providers in the market,” Venclik said.
The post Oddin.gg Wins the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe for the Second Year in a Row appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Adrian Jones
Personar Partners with StarLadder as Official Technology Partner for Budapest Major 2025
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Personar, an award-winning provider of AI sports technology, announced its partnership with StarLadder as the official technology partner for the Budapest Counter-Strike 2 Major 2025. This collaboration marks Personar’s entry into esports. It will bring advanced real-time communications and interactive fan features directly into the live broadcast across all stages of the tournament, making one of Counter-Strike 2’s most distinctive elements – team communications – accessible to a global audience.
As part of the partnership, the tournament will carry the title Presented by PERSONAR, with branding integrated throughout the arena, live streams and digital broadcasts. The event will bring thousands into the stadium and reach millions of viewers worldwide.
TrackSwift, Personar’s award-winning platform for real-time sports decision intelligence, will power several key broadcast innovations throughout the tournament:
• Live In-Match Voice Communications: The broadcast will feature live transcriptions of every key communication moment.
• Voice Communication Replays: Dedicated replay segments that provide fans with a deeper understanding of the tactical decisions and split-second calls that define championship-level Counter-Strike 2 play.
• Fan Engagement Features: Personar TrackSwift will enable fans to support their favourite teams and players throughout the broadcast with real-time information.
“The Budapest Major represents one of the most significant events in competitive gaming, and we’re thrilled to bring our TrackSwift technology to enhance the fan experience. Team communications are at the heart of Counter-Strike 2’s excitement, and our technology removes barriers, giving fans unprecedented insight into the strategic brilliance of the world’s best teams. This is a bold moment for Personar. Esports is global, fast-paced, and redefining how audiences experience competition. TrackSwift now brings the precision, analytics, and broadcast intelligence of professional sports communication to competitive gaming,” said Adrian Jones, CEO of Personar.
“Partnering with Personar allows us to bring fans closer to the teams than ever before. TrackSwift adds a new level of clarity and insight to live Counter-Strike 2, and we’re excited to showcase this innovation at the Budapest Major as part of our ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of the esports experience,” said Tina Balan, COO of StarLadder.
TrackSwift’s real-time processing capabilities let fans experience the intensity and strategy of competitive Counter-Strike 2 without missing crucial context of live team communication.
The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 will take place from 24 Nov to 14 Dec in Budapest, Hungary, featuring a USD 1,250,000 prize pool and 32 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for esports’ highest honours.
The post Personar Partners with StarLadder as Official Technology Partner for Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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