Latest News
The boom of virtual gaming tournaments
The global gaming industry is undergoing rapid change and is seeing significant growth year on year. It is currently worth around £116 billion, and it is expected to grow by a Compound Annual Growth Rate percentage of 12.9% between now and the year 2027.
There are a number of key factors that are driving this, including the availability and advancement of technology. Both the hardware and software of games consoles, computers and gaming accessories are improving greatly in terms of efficiency, innovation and usability.
Increased access to internet services with decent connection and speed has also influenced this, as well as the relatively new development of influencer marketing through streaming platforms. Of course, it is also undeniable that recent global events have meant that people have had to spend more time at home social distancing and have found themselves playing more games. Gaming has provided entertainment and social engagement to people who may have been too busy to play regularly before. There are game types to suit everybody, from action and adventure games to strategy and puzzle games. All gaming sectors have seen an increase of gameplay during this period and one in particular is the casino industry. In the last several months, many people have signed up to one of many casino sites to play their favourite games like blackjack and poker. The increase of players has been forced by the closure of land-based casinos meaning people had to move online to access casino games. And it was not just normal casino games that had to take place online, many large gambling events like the World Series of Poker tournament also had to move online due to the recent pandemic. Many events and competitions were already taking place virtually, however this year has seen more events than ever make the transition online, is this phenomenon going to stay?
Virtual Competitions
There has also been a boom in virtual gaming tournaments, or esports tournaments, during this time. The number of tournaments has skyrocketed in comparison to previous years, so too has the audience numbers on streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube. As conventional tournaments across the sports and entertainment industries have faced cancellations or postponements, virtual competitions have acted as their replacements.
There are three main types of esports that are run as virtual gaming competitions. One is first person shooters (FPSs), these can be player v player or team games, with popular examples including Call of Duty, Doom and Counter-Strike. There are also fighter gaming competitions, such as those held for Super Smash Bros or Street Fighter. However, some of the most anticipated tournaments are those in the Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) category, with League of Legends and DOTA 2 being the big names in this area.
Many players participate in these events due to their financial incentives. Large corporations sponsoring these events draw in professional players with the promise of huge cash prizes. Pros train for these events all year round, gaming to them is a career choice as they fund their passion through prize winning and sponsorship deals scored through their streaming channels. DOTA 2 is by far one of the biggest tournaments in terms of the amount of prize money it gives out. Since the game was released in 2013, there have been 54 tournaments and the average prize has been a hefty sum of $111,111 US dollars. This year’s prize money hase totalled $6 million.
Replacing Sporting Events
Virtual gaming tournaments this year have acted as a good replacement for some of the major sporting events.
After F1 was forced to postpone earlier this year, Torque Esports’ All-Star Esport Battle took over in March. Racers from a variety of motorsports joined in on the action, including the legendary Max Verstappen. Verstappen found victory at the Redline’s Real Racers Never Quit competition series when he won the first qualifier, however the final saw Rudy Van Buren take home the top prize after he dropped out. Van Buren actually holds the title of ‘World’s Fastest Gamer’ in 2017.
There was also the virtual Formula One Grand Prix which attracted both pro gamers and champion F1 stars. This was the second time the event ran and this year it was based on Albert Park circuit in Melbourne. Competitors included Ben Stokes, an England cricketer, and racing driver Alex Albon. The trophy was won by two time Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc.
Another high-profile esports tournament was the Fortnite World Cup. In the summer of 2019, the Fortnite finals were streamed across Twitch, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and within the game itself. Weekly online tournaments started in April, with players from each region competing to qualify for the finals and be in for a chance of winning a cut of the $1,000,000 prize pool. The overall winner was 16 year old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf, who lifted the trophy at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. This year however, Epic Games have had to put a stop to the World Cup this year due to the cross-region nature of the event. They instead moved all over competitions exclusively online this year, including the Fortnite Champion Series and the Fortnite Cash Cups.
Virtual Gaming Industry is Growing
At the rate that the virtual gaming industry is growing, in the future we may see the same kind of media coverage and attention for these tournaments as we do some of the major traditional sports competitions. Huge audiences already enjoy watching these events via live streams, and many also place bets too. As stadium events around the world continue to be cancelled and postponed, virtual gaming tournaments are continuing to become a more mainstream form of entertainment for fans of competitive sports.
Powered by WPeMatico
Artificial Intelligence
Pay4Fun integrates payments into Betconstruct AI ecosystem for Brazil
Integration adds Pix, account validation, fraud controls and compliance tools for operators targeting Brazil’s regulated betting market.
Pay4Fun has integrated its financial infrastructure with Betconstruct AI’s platform in Brazil, giving operators connected to the ecosystem access to payments and compliance tooling built for the country’s regulated betting market.
Pay4Fun said Betconstruct AI clients will be able to use Pix payment processing, account ownership validation, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention, and compliance tools aligned with Brazil’s regulatory requirements.
According to Leonardo Baptista, CEO and Co-Founder of Pay4Fun, regulation is pushing operators to look beyond basic processing. “The Brazilian market has entered a new phase of maturity. Today, operators require solutions that go far beyond payment processing. They need partners capable of delivering security, compliance, and operational efficiency in an increasingly demanding regulatory environment. By integrating our solutions with Betconstruct AI, we are expanding access to a financial infrastructure specifically designed to meet the needs of the Brazilian market.”
Betconstruct AI said the integration strengthens its Brazil-facing offer for clients operating in the country or planning entry. “Pay4Fun was selected based on the expertise and industry knowledge the company has built within the Brazilian betting market. As the industry continues to evolve, the importance of working with specialized partners capable of delivering security, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance continues to grow,” said Beatriz Lopes, the Brazil Regional Director.
Pay4Fun said it was the first payment institution serving the betting industry to receive authorization from the Central Bank of Brazil, and that the company’s infrastructure combines monitoring, identity verification, fraud and anti-money laundering controls, and compliance processes tailored to regulated iGaming operations.
The post Pay4Fun integrates payments into Betconstruct AI ecosystem for Brazil appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Artificial Intelligence
BetConstruct AI hosts Harmony Predictstreet event in Yerevan
Eighth Harmony edition runs July 8–9 and spotlights ADI Predictstreet collaboration ahead of the FIFA World Cup Final.
BetConstruct AI held its Harmony Predictstreet event on July 8–9, 2026 in Yerevan, Armenia, bringing together more than 300 guests for two days of networking and company updates.
The eighth edition introduced the “Predictstreet” branding to reflect BetConstruct AI’s strategic collaboration with ADI Predictstreet, described in the release as “FIFA’s Official Prediction Market Partner.” BetConstruct AI said the partnership includes integrating ADI Predictstreet’s prediction market solutions and official match streaming rights into its platform, timed for “the most important commercial moment in the four-year sports calendar, with the FIFA World Cup Final just days away.”
Day 1 was hosted at Garni Temple for an evening reception, including a live performance by the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, a mapping show and music from DJ Leblanc.
Day 2 began at SoftConstruct headquarters with an office tour and networking session, before moving to Dvin Music Hall for the Harmony Predictstreet Gala Dinner. BetConstruct AI said founders and executive leadership presented updates on Eventbook, the ADI Predictstreet partnership, Betting Mate, The Last Battle Universe, Betbuilder & Powerbank, Softgates, and “the latest updates driving Vivaro.me and Open Stake forward.”
The company positioned the event as a forum for discussing future direction across its ecosystem, and confirmed plans to continue the series with a ninth edition.
The post BetConstruct AI hosts Harmony Predictstreet event in Yerevan appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
ESPN Networks
THE 57th ANNUAL WORLD SERIES OF POKER® CONCLUDES AN EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND ELITE COMPETITION
This summer’s event also saw huge growth in reach and engagement across WSOP’s social media channels, with over 378 million views
With 51 days of thrilling, high-stakes competition in the bag, the 57th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP®) at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas officially concluded its summer tournament schedule on July 15, 2026. Featuring a massive slate of 100 live gold bracelet events, this year’s festival once again demonstrated the unparalleled scale, passion, and global community of live tournament poker.
“The 57th annual World Series of Poker proved that Las Vegas remains the undisputed epicenter of the poker universe,” said Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the WSOP. “The energy inside Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas was nothing short of electric. What is truly remarkable this year is how our community expanded far beyond the physical walls of the casino floor. Through our newly redesigned final table arena, extensive linear broadcast schedule, and unprecedented digital engagement, we brought the drama, excitement, and glory of winning a WSOP gold bracelet to millions of new fans worldwide. We are incredibly proud of this summer’s success and cannot wait to witness the Final Nine battle for the World Championship on ESPN next month.”
Redefining the Live Experience on Poker’s Biggest Stage
Throughout the summer, the Las Vegas Strip was the focal point of the poker world as players from around the globe competed for poker’s ultimate prize: a WSOP gold bracelet and a place in poker history.
Key milestones from the summer tournament action include:
- Colossal Main Event Field: The legendary $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship (the ‘Main Event’) attracted a massive field of 9,208 entrants, creating a colossal prize pool and proving the enduring allure of the world’s premier freezeout tournament
- The New Final Table Arena: WSOP officially unveiled a completely redesigned, state-of-the-art Final Table Arena and broadcast environment. The new stage integrates advanced lighting and large-scale digital displays to elevate the presentation of poker’s most prestigious final tables
- Historic Broadcast Expansion: Live coverage of the Main Event returned to ESPN alongside a new multi-year broadcast agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to distribute coverage across HBO Max, Eurosport, and TNT Sports globally
- The “Final Nine”: The final nine players survived a grueling field to punch their ticket to the historic Main Event Final Table. They will return to Las Vegas from August 3 to 5, 2026, to play down to a champion live on ESPN
- Summer of Superstars: This year’s event saw an unprecedented number of bracelets won by poker luminaries with impressive records in the game’s history books; Daniel Negreanu won his eight WSOP bracelet by taking down Event #76 $100,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha for over $2.2M, while reigning WSOP Main Event champion Michael ‘The Grinder’ Mizrachi further burnished his reputation by winning Event #70 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, claiming his ninth WSOP bracelet and a $1.35M prize. The poker world’s undisputed power couple Kristen and Alex Foxen also made history by each claiming a WSOP bracelet in 2026, taking down Event #19 $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em and Event #44 $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em, respectively
- Seamless Player Experience: The WSOP Live mobile app continued to enhance the playing experience, streamlining registration, virtually eliminating cage lines, and providing real-time seat alerts to thousands of players throughout the summer
WSOP 2026 By The Numbers
- 251,899 entries – a new record for the total number of entries in a single WSOP series
- $469,975,059 – total 2026 WSOP gold events prize amount
- 35,157 places paid
- 22,811 entries to Event #63 $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold’em – the biggest field in the 2026 series, the largest Mystery Millions event, and the largest $1,000 event in live tournament poker history
- 1,368 entries to Event #68 $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship – the largest Ladies event in live tournament poker history
- 11,933 entries to Event #18 $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em – the largest Monster Stack event in live tournament poker history
- 4,764 entries to Event #87 $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha – the largest Pot-Limit Omaha event in live tournament poker history
- 12,560 entries to Event #72 $1,000 Mini Main Event – the largest Mini Main event in live tournament poker history
- 41 – The number of $1M+ prizes won across the 2026 series
- 57 events exceeded $2+ million prize pools – equalling last year’s record
- 8 events exceeded $10+ million prize pools
- 149 – number of countries represented in the WSOP 2026 playing field
- Top Ten Countries by WSOP 2026 participants: 1 – United States, 2 – Canada, 3 – France, 4 – Great Britain, 5 – Japan, 6 – China, 7 – Israel, 8 – Germany, 9 – Brazil, 10 – Mexico
- 111 – number of countries represented in the WSOP Main Event 2026 playing field, a new record
- Oldest Player – Merle Vangieson, born June 28, 1931
- Youngest Player – Easton Jorgensen, born July 13, 2005
Worldwide Broadcasts Drive Growth Of Game
With thrilling WSOP action broadcast exclusively on ESPN Networks, Eurosport, TNT Sports, Abema Japan, Groupe M6 in France, and other media partners, poker fans had more opportunities than ever to follow their heroes, new and old, at the felt in 2026.
Comprehensive linear and digital coverage, available in more than 300 million homes across 70+ countries, ensured that countless big moments – from calculated bluffs to cunning value bets – were analyzed and enjoyed by enthusiasts on every continent.
Edited WSOP broadcasts will air from July 21, allowing a worldwide audience to catch up on all the summer’s action.
Explosive Digital Reach: WSOP’s Social Media Footprint
A highlight of the 57th annual WSOP was its unprecedented digital growth. While fans packed the physical tournament rooms, millions more watched the action unfold online. Across all major platforms, WSOP social media channels generated an astronomical 378.3 million total views during the 100-bracelet series, adding 222,828 total new followers across its digital ecosystem.
WSOP 2026 Social Media Performance
|
Platform |
Total Views/Impressions |
New Audience Growth |
|
YouTube |
38.7 million views |
103,128 new subscribers |
|
|
125 million views |
54,450 new followers |
|
|
127 million views |
56,800 new followers |
|
X |
36.6 million impressions |
8,450 new followers |
Looking Ahead: A True Global Season
While the Main Event action in Las Vegas has paused until the Final Table resumes in August, the WSOP excitement continues year-round. This year marks the formal rollout of the ambitious, revamped $1 Million Global Player of the Year (POY) race. The new global leaderboard unifies the brand’s three flagship festival pillars: WSOP Europe (which completed its historic run in Prague earlier this spring), the Las Vegas summer series, and the upcoming WSOP Paradise winter festival.
The global POY winner will be crowned at the conclusion of WSOP Paradise, hosted at Baha Mar resort in The Bahamas from December 1 to 17, 2026. In the meantime, the WSOP Circuit (WSOP-C) continues its action-packed year, including a special concurrent Circuit run in Las Vegas from July 14 to 25, 2026.
Players should follow @WSOP on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram or check WSOP.com for more news and updates on WSOP events.
The post THE 57th ANNUAL WORLD SERIES OF POKER® CONCLUDES AN EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND ELITE COMPETITION appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
-
Canada6 days agoDraftKings Set to Launch its Online Sportsbook and Casino in Alberta
-
Canada6 days agoAltenar Joins Alberta’s New Regulated iGaming Market
-
Latest News5 days agoEveryMatrix’s Fantasma Games launches three-reel slot Bonus Bullets
-
ESPN Networks2 days agoTHE 57th ANNUAL WORLD SERIES OF POKER® CONCLUDES AN EXTRAORDINARY SUMMER OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND ELITE COMPETITION
-
Latest News3 days agoBooming Games launches Tasty Bonanza Max Scatter slot
-
Latest News4 days agoSCCG Management Launches Dedicated SCCG Brazil Division with Local Partner Thomas Carvalhaes
-
Latest News5 days agoBlokotech adds Wicked Games slots in new content deal
-
Latest News4 days agoEsportes Gaming Brasil takes two ClienteSA Awards 2026 wins; exec named Personality of the Year



