eSports
Virtus.pro triumphs at ESL Challenger Katowice and secures a spot at ESL Pro League Season 18

ESL Challenger Katowice came to a thrilling conclusion on June 11, as Virtus.pro rose above the competition to lift the coveted trophy, take home $50,000 of the $100,000 total prize pool, and earn a spot in the upcoming ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 18!
ESL Challenger provides an opportunity for rising Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) teams to prove themselves and climb the ladder within the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) for CS:GO to ultimately reach the top. As the tournament made its way to the Polish city of Katowice – a place that has solidified its position as a breeding ground for new champions for over a decade – it was a remarkable moment for Virtus.pro to emerge victorious.
This weekend was filled with many exciting moments as eight teams faced off in ESL Challenger Katowice. After a flawless performance in Group A, Virtus.pro was the first team to confirm their spot in the Playoffs, followed by ENCE, 9z, and FORZE. Continuing their dominating streak, Virtus.pro secured their spot in the Grand Final after a 2-0 win against 9z, while ENCE effortlessly progressed after a 2-0 win over FORZE in the other Semi-final matchup.
After three thrilling maps of the Grand Final and both teams showcasing their skills and determination, Virtus.pro ruled over the reigning Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Dallas 2023 Champions ENCE and managed to secure a hard-fought victory with a 2-1 score.
By winning ESL Challenger Katowice, Virtus.pro has now qualified for the next season of EPL, which is set to take place in Malta, beginning on August 30 and running for five weeks until October 1. The tournament will see 32 of the world’s best CS:GO teams pit against one another to ultimately secure the coveted title, the lion’s share of the $850,000 prize pool, and a win in the Intel® Grand Slam V race.
This is what the current line-up for EPL Season 18 looks like:
- Astralis (Partner team)
- BIG (Partner team)
- Complexity (Partner team)
- ENCE (Partner team)
- Evil Geniuses (Partner team)
- FaZe Clan (Partner team)
- Fnatic (Partner team)
- FURIA (Partner team)
- G2 Esports (Partner team)
- Heroic (Partner team)
- MOUZ (Partner team)
- Natus Vincere (Partner team)
- Ninjas in Pyjamas (Partner team)
- Team Liquid (Partner team)
- Team Vitality (Partner team)
- Movistar Riders (Qualified via ESL Challenger Melbourne)
- Virtus.pro (Qualified via ESL Challenger Katowice)
- Monte (Qualified via ECL S44 EU)
- MIBR (Qualified via ECL S44 NA)
- Lynn Vision (Qualified via ECL S44 Asia)
- Apeks (Qualified via ECL S45 EU)
- ATK (Qualified via ECL S45 NA)
- Rare Atom (Qualified via ECL S45 Asia)
- The remaining nine teams will qualify via ESL National Championships (four teams), their spot in the ESL World Ranking (three teams), or regional qualifiers (two teams).
eSports
GRID Launches GRID Insights: Real-Time AI Context for Esports Tournaments

GRID, an in-game data infrastructure platform trusted by the leading game publishers and sportsbooks, has unveiled GRID Insights — a new AI-driven product delivering real-time, predictive context to live esports broadcasts and betting experiences.
GRID Insights transforms raw gameplay data into dynamic, predictive insights in milliseconds — surfacing real-time narratives like player streaks, weapon stats and record chases, all tailored to the stream’s brand and audience.
“With GRID Insights, we’re building the storytelling engine of live esports, powered entirely by official data. We use official in-game data and real-time pipelines to generate predictions, contextual stats, and behavioral patterns that previously required an analyst team. Now it’s automated and scalable, enabling our partners to create more immersive, informative, and engaging experiences that today’s digital-native audiences expect,” said Moritz Maurer, CEO of GRID.
Thanks to GRID’s deep partnerships with top game publishers and tournament organisers, Insights is built on structured, official data, enhanced by large language models (LLMs) and available via plug-and-play SDKs or APIs. The product supports major esports titles including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends and VALORANT, with full customisation across branding and output formats.
GRID Insights made its live debut during the Champion of Champions Tour Season 3 (CS2), with broader adoption already underway. Among early adopters is the European Pro League (EPL), now integrating GRID Insights into its tournament broadcasts.
“GRID Insights is a game-changer for how fans engage with the action. At EPL, we’re always looking for new ways to elevate the viewer experience—and with GRID Insights, the instant, story-driven context keeps fans both informed and immersed. Whether you’re a dedicated follower or a casual viewer, it makes every moment more exciting,” said Oleksii Krasnikov, CEO of EPL.
The post GRID Launches GRID Insights: Real-Time AI Context for Esports Tournaments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Ana Carolina Luna Maçães
Esportes Gaming Brasil unveils Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as Compliance Manager to reinforce regulatory commitment

Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has unveiled Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as its new Compliance Manager. The hire reinforces the company’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and good governance in Brazil’s evolving betting market.
Esportes Gaming Brasil’s new Head of Compliance, Ana Carolina Luna Maçães, commented: “Esportes Gaming Brasil has set a high standard in Brazil’s betting market with its total commitment to integrity, governance, and responsible gaming. It’s a privilege to join this exceptional team as Compliance Manager. My role is to reinforce our culture of compliance, navigating us through complex regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions with as little friction as possible. Our mission is to deliver secure, transparent, and competitive services for our partners and clients.”
A seasoned legal and compliance professional who has spent time at NSX Brasil, Maçães joins with expertise in financial crime prevention, responsible gambling, and corporate ethics. She has earned a CPC-A certification from LEC (Legal, Ethics & Compliance), and she significantly strengthens the group’s in-house compliance work.
Esportes Gaming Brasil CEO Darwin Filho, added: “It’s more than just complying with and supporting regulations. Esportes Gaming Brasil has been actively leading the process of maturing the betting sector in the country. Our commitment to governance has been an essential part of our business model since the beginning. The arrival of Ana Carolina represents a strategic reinforcement, further strengthening the culture of compliance that has always guided the company.”
Esportes Gaming Brasil is proud to be one of the Brazilian-licensed operators under the SPA/MF framework and is renowned for impactful responsible gambling measures, including self-exclusion tools, behaviour monitoring, and an addiction support network.
With deep relationships to national sport and culture through major football sponsorships and experiential collaborations, and a growing digital presence via Onabet, the group is committed to shaping a safe, sustainable, and responsible future for Brazil’s gaming sector.
The post Esportes Gaming Brasil unveils Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as Compliance Manager to reinforce regulatory commitment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Gamercraft Fully Adopts ESIC Integrity Codes and Joins Commission to Elevate Global Esports Standards

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) announced that Gamercraft has joined ESIC as a Platform Tournament Organiser Member, formally embedding ESIC’s Integrity Codes into its Terms & Conditions and Terms of Use.
As part of its membership, Gamercraft will:
• Integrate ESIC’s Anti-Corruption, Anti-Cheating and Player Conduct Codes directly into every user agreement.
• Work hand-in-hand with ESIC to manage integrity-related complaints and appeals, including reviews of platform bans, to ensure transparent and independent resolution.
As an esports tournaments platform, Gamercraft delivers skill-based competitive experiences powered by proprietary tournament formats and performance-driven systems. With its integration into ESIC, Gamercraft solidifies its commitment to competitive integrity by adopting the ESIC Integrity Programme across all its operations.
Gamercraft joins a growing list of distinguished international tournament organisers and stakeholders who rely on ESIC’s Integrity Programme to form the foundation for competitive integrity within their operations.
Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC, said: “We are pleased to welcome Gamercraft, Inc. into ESIC membership. As a tournament organiser operating in the fast-evolving space of platform-based esports competition, their adoption of the ESIC Integrity Program is a meaningful step toward upholding fairness and ethical conduct across online tournaments. We look forward to supporting Gamercraft as they continue to scale their efforts with integrity at the core.”
JJ Garcia-Rovira, CEO of Gamercraft, said: “At Gamercraft, integrity forms the foundation of fair competition. Joining ESIC formalizes our commitment to maintaining the highest standards across our tournament ecosystem. As we pioneer new formats in skill-based competition and esports, this partnership ensures our community can compete with complete confidence in the fairness and transparency of our platform. We’re excited to work alongside ESIC in elevating integrity standards throughout the competitive gaming ecosystem.”
The post Gamercraft Fully Adopts ESIC Integrity Codes and Joins Commission to Elevate Global Esports Standards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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