eSports
How BETBY is enhancing the esports product
Brands are placing more of an emphasis on enhancing their esports offering within and with the news of a new CS:GO game to continue the popularity of that title, we got the views of Ivan Sazanov, Project Coordinator at BETBY, to find out about the added importance of esports within the brand’s strategy.
How important is the esports offering to your brand and the wider gambling industry?
It is no longer possible for gambling brands to have a competitive sportsbook that does not have an esports offering that sits alongside that.
Moreover, as the popularity of esports increases, brands should capitalise on the popularity and provide content to significantly improve its product portfolio.
Naturally for us, esports is one of the most important elements of the modern sportsbook. BETBY’s fully-fledged product suite satisfies the demand of a diverse esports audience, currently containing about 20 sports, including classics with Starcraft and Warcraft III alongside mobile games like Mobile Legends, Wild Rift, and Arena Of Valor.
But in order for an esports offering to be considered high-quality and attractive to end users, it is no longer enough to cover just the most recognised titles like CS:GO, Dota 2, League Of Legends, FIFA and Overwatch. Aiming to broaden and strengthen esport offer, BETBY created a unique and special product – Betby.Games, a proprietary esports offering.
This unique collection, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), organizes tournaments across popular sports such as Football, Cricket, and Basketball. The game mechanics of well-liked gaming titles in Betby.Games are entirely controlled by AI, eliminating the need for any human interaction to sustain the tournaments. This aspect guarantees the longevity of the collection, making it an invaluable asset to our sportsbook offering.
Has the perception of esports changed?
I think it would be fair to say that esports has turned from a niche activity into a strong and competitive industry in its own right.
You only need to look at the budgets of the biggest esports tournaments, the sizes of the audience, the broadcast coverage garnered and other indicators that continue to grow from year to year.
There is however one important point. Over the years, when esports gained momentum, its audience was constantly replenished with young people. Naturally, that audience grew up with the games, as they entered adulthood.
Having this following has helped the esports audience become more financially reliable and solvent, which has a direct impact on the betting industry.
The time when esports in betting was perceived as something that was not very profitable is over. Experienced online bookmakers understand that the average user registering on their sportsbook will most likely depend on how good the complementary esports content is.
What further developments do you anticipate in esports betting?
The ratio of the number of bets and the total turnover on esports to regular sports will continue to grow. Esports has already become an integral part of the betting industry, but it can and will still develop.
I expect greater technological advancements to make esports more of a professional and sought after form of online betting.
This includes potential agreements with more data operators to enable real-time trading without delay, which is currently a key hindrance to esports becoming a more attractive proposition for players.
Obviously, the breadth of markets for esports events does not yet reach the classic sporting events, even considering the fact that in popular tournaments it is common to bet on ‘Player Props’.
Within the games, there is a huge amount of different information that can be used to generate various unique markets. There is a huge opportunity for the first company that can implement this effectively will make a splash not only in the field of esports betting, but in the entire industry.
CS:GO 2 has generated a great deal of interest in the global community. A new, updated game in this popular series will not only to attract new players and viewers, but also the return of old ones, which will increase demand in the market.
We expect an increase in the number of semi-professional tournaments and teams that are created not for the sake of increasing interest, but with the aim of profiting from dishonest play and ensuring matchups are competitive.
This is happening on a regular basis already, and it will require more attention from both the tournament organisers and the risk management departments of betting companies to curtail irregular activity.
Has having your own in-house product allowed you to stand out in the market, rather than relying on major competitions and tournaments for traffic?
Our competitive advantage is encapsulated with the Betby.Games product that we created during the pandemic.
Despite forecasts that with the return of real sports traffic would begin to decline and the content would lose its relevance, it continues to develop and attract an ever-increasing audience. This in large part is thanks to its flexibility and customer-oriented approach.
Betby.Games has turned from a part of our sportsbook into a stand-alone and in-demand product. By generating a large amount of traffic, it makes a significant contribution to our customers who use the sportsbook in its entirety, and to individual companies outside of BETBY, to which Betby.Games supplies its product as a feed provider.
What is needed to convince operators that a gap can be bridged between traditional sports bettors and esports bettors?
From my perspective, esports has become so firmly integrated alongside sports betting that there is practically no difference between players who bet on CS:GO and Soccer.
The Super Bowl, and the concluding tournament on the Dota 2 circuit, The International, will attract millions of people from all over the world. The audiences of these most popular events will not overlap with each other, and you must be able to find a solution that appeals to both audiences.
If an operator wants to attract a large audience and, moreover, to continue to compete with other betting companies, it must be able to provide users with a high-quality offering for both regular sports and esports to engage players.
The numbers do not lie. In the world of betting, esports already occupies a significant share of all sports. Bookmakers that do not pay enough attention to its esports products are already losing money, and it will only be more difficult for them to compete in the future.
The Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Boston Major 2026 has officially become the most-watched event in Rocket League esports history, setting a new benchmark for global engagement and competitive excellence.
Held at Agganis Arena in Boston, the Major concluded with a thrilling all-French Grand Final, where Gentlemates defeated tournament favourites Team Vitality 4:2 to claim the first Major title of the 2026 season.
Record-Breaking Viewership Milestone
The RLCS Boston Major 2026 delivered unprecedented audience numbers:
- Peak Viewers: 624,316 concurrent viewers
- Average Viewership: Over 270,000 viewers
- First RLCS event ever to surpass 600,000 concurrent viewers
This milestone represents a 33.3% increase over the previous all-time peak recorded at the 2022–23 RLCS World Championship, highlighting sustained year-over-year growth and expanding global interest in Rocket League esports.
The event’s performance reinforces RLCS as one of the fastest-growing competitive circuits in modern esports.
A Grand Final Worthy of the Record
The Boston Major culminated in a high-stakes French showdown between Gentlemates and Team Vitality. The 4:2 victory secured Gentlemates’ first Major trophy of the season and signaled a shift in competitive power dynamics heading deeper into 2026.
The all-French final further amplified international audience engagement, particularly across European broadcast markets, contributing significantly to the event’s record-breaking concurrent viewership.
Global Broadcast Reach and Multi-Language Coverage
Beyond peak numbers, the Boston Major showcased:
- Multi-language broadcast streams
- Cross-platform digital distribution
- Strong in-arena attendance
- Expanded regional fan engagement
Hosted in front of thousands of live fans at Agganis Arena, the event combined traditional arena esports spectacle with robust online streaming performance — a formula that continues to fuel RLCS’s accelerating global momentum.
What This Means for Rocket League Esports
The 2026 Boston Major marks a defining moment for the RLCS ecosystem:
- Sustained Global Growth – The consistent upward trend in viewership confirms Rocket League’s staying power within the esports landscape.
- Mainstream Momentum – Breaking the 600K peak threshold positions RLCS among elite-tier esports events globally.
- Competitive Depth – The diversity and intensity of international competition continue to elevate the broadcast product.
- Commercial Validation – Record audience metrics strengthen sponsorship, media rights, and long-term circuit investment potential.
As the 2026 season progresses, the Boston Major sets a new performance benchmark that future Majors and the World Championship will aim to surpass.
The post RLCS Boston Major Becomes Most Watched Event in Rocket League History appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brazilian Carnival
Esportes da Sorte transforms Carnival 2026 into a nationwide immersive experience
Leading Brazilian iGaming company Esportes da Sorte has transformed Carnival 2026 into a nationwide immersive experience, activating urban art installations, hydration stations and large‑scale attractions across nine cities in Brazil. As part of its expanded cultural engagement strategy, the brand is serving as an official sponsor in key Carnival locations and delivering experiential initiatives designed for revelers in the streets and major public spaces.
Esportes da Sorte’s nationwide platform builds on its history of investing in popular culture and public events, moving beyond traditional branding to create meaningful on‑site activations that enhance the urban environment and respond to the unique character of each city’s Carnival celebrations.
In Rio de Janeiro, the company’s efforts focus on the street Carnival experience with hydration points, cool zones and shaded areas in high‑traffic celebration routes. São Paulo’s megabloc circuits feature water trucks, hydration stations and on‑site urban support.
In Recife Antigo, one of Carnival’s cultural centers, Esportes da Sorte installed a standout Ferris wheel at Marco Zero, offering panoramic views of the festivities and historic landscape. Urban transformations like video mapping on iconic buildings and aerial installations along Rua Marquês de Olinda further blend public space with the Carnival experience.
Other cities such as Olinda and Salvador also feature tailored activations, including sensory design, refreshment tunnels and themed artistic displays that align with local traditions and festival dynamics.
In addition to physical structures, the initiative includes a robust communications strategy, sensory activations, public well‑being supports and content campaigns that amplify the carnival‑street experience across digital and traditional media.
According to Germana Casal, Production Coordinator at the Esportes Gaming Brasil Group, the goal is to “be present in a meaningful way at the country’s biggest popular celebration,” respecting each city’s identity and delivering initiatives that improve the Carnival experience for participants.
Esportes da Sorte’s Carnival 2026 project builds on the brand’s presence at more than 100 Carnival parties and street blocos in 2025, reinforcing its leadership role in Brazil’s largest cultural event and deepening its connection with urban celebration culture nationwide.
The post Esportes da Sorte transforms Carnival 2026 into a nationwide immersive experience appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Team Vitality, one of France’s leading esports organizations, has announced a strategic new partnership with French retail giant E.Leclerc, naming the supermarket chain as the club’s Main Partner for 2026.
Under the agreement, E.Leclerc’s logo will feature prominently on Team Vitality’s international team jerseys, including rosters for League of Legends (LEC and LFL), Valorant (VCT EMEA), Rocket League, Rising Bees and Chess.
Shared Values and Fan Initiatives
The partnership aims to promote accessibility, wellness, and nutrition within the esports community, while bringing gaming culture into E.Leclerc retail spaces through immersive experiences, tournaments and activations designed to engage fans across France.
Team Vitality’s holistic wellbeing program, KARE, which supports performance, nutrition and mental health, aligns closely with E.Leclerc’s focus on responsible lifestyle initiatives. Together, they plan to champion inclusivity, provide unique gaming opportunities, and celebrate esports culture in both digital and physical environments.
With a global audience exceeding 10 million followers, Team Vitality’s influence in competitive gaming makes this partnership a landmark moment for both brands. E.Leclerc’s commitment to youth engagement and cultural connection positions the retailer as a significant non‑endemic supporter of the growing esports ecosystem.
Nicolas Maurer, CEO and Co‑Founder of Team Vitality, described the alliance as a historic milestone that will broaden esports’ reach across everyday life in France and reinforce its cultural legitimacy.
The post Team Vitality announces E.Leclerc as new Main Partner appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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