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Esports Players League Aims for Accelerated Growth with Esports During the Lockdown, Enters into a Strategic Partnership with Paytm First Games

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Esports Players League (ESPL), the new global esports tournament network and platform has entered into a strategic partnership with Paytm First Games, India’s leading gaming destination.

Paytm First Games is India’s fastest growing gaming destination and sees more than half a million daily active gamers on the platform, spending anywhere between 30 to 45 minutes per session. It has witnessed 200 percent growth in the last month, with over 75,000 new users joining the platform every day. Paytm First Games is the digital gaming platform of Gamepind Entertainment Private Limited, which is a joint venture between AGTech Holdings Limited and One97 Communications Limited, which is the parent company of India’s largest digital payments & financial services platform Paytm (valued at $17 billion).

With its strong position, Paytm First Games will introduce ESPL’s unique, mobile and online focussed tournaments to gaming enthusiasts in India. It will oversee the rollout of ESPL’s amateur esports platform in India and execute tournaments, acquire users, secure local sponsorship and partnership deals, and create local media content. ESPL will support Paytm First Games’ efforts by delivering the complete tech solution, global sponsorships, media deals, and winning esports strategy. The first ESPL season is scheduled from May to November 2020.

ESPL’s tournaments platform is largely online focussed and is expected to gain traction in the current global COVID-19 pandemic situation that has forced more than 1 billion people to stay at home due to the various movement restrictions imposed by governments.

“India has over 300 million gamers and will roll out 5G connectivity in 2020, making the country a key market for ESPL’s rapidly expanding network of amateur esports tournaments that create a bedroom-to-champion pathway for online gamers,” said ESPL CEO Michael Broda. “We can’t think of a better-positioned partner than Paytm for our expansion into the highly-desirable Indian mobile gaming market.”

Sudhanshu Gupta, COO – Paytm First Games said, “As malls, movie theatres and popular hangout options shut down temporarily in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, online gaming is picking up as a popular option for stay at home entertainment. E-sporting is fast expanding its gamer base in India. Our partnership with ESPL focuses on grass-root amateur leagues and the mobile esports space. This partnership will help us to launch the unique esports tournaments in India that will further expand the online gaming landscape in India.”

ESPL is a global esports tournament platform provider focused on creating mobile and online ecosystems for amateur esports leagues globally. Through ESPL’s national franchise model, up-and-coming esports talents can easily participate in global competitions. By facilitating grassroots participation in what is a rapidly expanding market, ESPL has direct access and exposure to a large, valuable and often overlooked segment of the esports industry.

Phase one of ESPL’s global roll-out has yielded franchise partnership agreements in Southeast Asia and Latin America. ESPL also entered its first media partnership with eGG Network, the largest esports TV network in Southeast Asia and Australia that reaches approximately 100 million TV viewers. ESPL will announce additional key international partnerships soon.

ESPL is co-founded by former eSports.com CEO Michael Broda, Kin Wai Lau, founder of iCandy Interactive Limited (ASX: ICI), and Datuk Azrin Bin Mohd Noor of behavioral data and technology firm Sedania Innovator Berhad. eSports.com is a leading global esports media company, and iCandy Interactive is a mobile game developer that serves a community of 350 million gamers.

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National Lottery starts UK Powerball sales ahead of £300m first draw

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The National Lottery has started selling tickets for Powerball in the UK, with the first draw set for Thursday 23 July 2026 and an estimated £300 million jackpot. Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said tickets are available online via The National Lottery app and in retailers nationwide, priced at £4 per line.

Allwyn said the first UK Powerball ticket was sold at Sewell On The Go in Pocklington, York shortly after 5am, and the first online ticket was purchased via The National Lottery App by a player in Brighton at 5.54am. Players can buy tickets for the first draw until 11.55pm on Wednesday 22 July, with the draw taking place at around 4am UK time.

Powerball is launching in the UK in partnership with the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), the non-profit association owned and operated by its member lotteries. Allwyn said 48 US-based lotteries currently participate in Powerball, and UK draws will take place three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) from the Powerball studio in Florida.

Under the UK version, players choose five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26 (or opt for a Lucky Dip). Allwyn said UK winners of the shared jackpot are paid over 30 years. The UK game also adds a ‘Match 2 main numbers’ prize tier exclusive to UK players, with a fixed £8 prize, while the ‘Match 5 main numbers’ tier offers a fixed £1 million.

Allwyn cited new research of 2,000 UK adults suggesting large jackpots could influence consumer intentions around spending and giving. Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, said: “I’ve seen first-hand how a big win can transform lives. But when people start imagining jackpots in the hundreds of millions of pounds, the conversation changes.

“People move beyond buying a bigger house or taking a dream holiday and start thinking about making a difference, whether that’s supporting loved ones, helping their local community, backing a cause they care about or turning a lifelong dream into reality.

“Powerball Money brings a whole new level of possibility to UK players. It’s a chance to win the biggest jackpot ever offered through The National Lottery and to dream bigger than ever before.”

The post National Lottery starts UK Powerball sales ahead of £300m first draw appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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PokerStars Casino adds ELK Studios’ Quackers as sixth 2026 Slotlist pick

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PokerStars Casino has added ELK Studios’ Quackers as the sixth release in its 2026 The Slotlist series, positioning the title as the featured slot on the operator’s Casino tab.

Quackers is a 6 column, 6 row slot with a stated maximum win of up to 10,000x the player’s bet. ELK Studios said the game includes a global multiplier, wilds, symbol multipliers, a bonus, and a super bonus.

According to the companies, players can access the Coin Game by collecting 20 coins, with additional rewards delivered through coins, chests and multipliers. Three Bonus symbols trigger an 8×8 Bonus Game, while landing a Super Bonus symbol activates the Super Bonus, which starts with all ducks on the grid. The game also includes ELK’s X-iter™ feature, offering five game modes ranging from a 2.5x bet option “with more than three times the chance to trigger the bonus” to a 500x bet Super Bonus.

“We’re delighted to see Quackers featured in PokerStars Casino’s The Slotlist this month,” said Daniel Rydh, Senior Product Owner at ELK Studios. “Our goal with Quackers was to create a game that’s easy to pick up but continues to surprise players over time. The game combines personality with rewarding features and distinctive graphics, animations, and sound that we believe players will enjoy discovering.”

“Every title in The Slotlist is carefully chosen to give players something memorable, from innovative features and striking visuals, to immersive gameplay,” said Ed Fogarty, Associate Director of PokerStars Casino Commercial. “Quackers embodies exactly that. From its distinctive duck characters to its variety of features, rewarding bonus mechanics, and impressive win potential, it’s a fantastic addition to this month’s The Slotlist, and we’re delighted to bring it to our players.”

The post PokerStars Casino adds ELK Studios’ Quackers as sixth 2026 Slotlist pick appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Hub88 integrates Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming in double supplier deal

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Aggregator adds high-volatility slots including Hades Harvest, Deep Sea Mafia and Radiate to its operator network.

Hub88 has added Backseat Gaming and sister studio Clutch Gaming to its supplier network via a double integration deal, expanding the content available to operators on its aggregation platform.

The integration makes a number of titles available through Hub88, including Hades Harvest, Deep Sea Mafia and Radiate. Hub88 positioned the move as a way to broaden its catalogue with high-volatility content.

Ollie Castleman, Managing Director at Hub88, said: “Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming bring a level of craft and personality that stands out.

“By choosing both complementary studios run by the same team, our partners gain the flexibility to reach different player preferences. With both brands already making a splash in the industry, we’re sure this content will become an unmissable addition to lobbies.”

Debbie Cooper, Head of Commercial Operations at Backseat Gaming, said: “Partnering with Hub88 marks an exciting next step for Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming as we look to expand our reach across the iGaming industry.

“Hub88’s proven aggregation platform and extensive operator portfolio give us the ideal network to get our content in front of new audiences quickly and efficiently. We’re excited to work alongside their team and bring our game content to their partners.”

The studios said they plan to release one game per week from each provider, with both brands managed by the same team and positioned to target different player tastes.

The post Hub88 integrates Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming in double supplier deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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