eSports

Work hard, play hard: Parimatch means business in esports

Published

6 years ago

August 11, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When Parimatch looks for ambassadors, they favour the bold; Connor McGregor, Mike Tyson, and most recently, Daniil ‘Zeus’ Teslenko. However, while the former two are revered for their physicality, Teslenko is famous for equal shows of fighting spirit in esports – a market that Stepan Shulga, Head of Esports at Parimatch, believes will be in the top three for sports betting by 2021.

Parimatch has shown its ambition to remain at the forefront of the esports betting market with the appointment of Counter Strike 1.6 and CS:GO legend Daniil ‘Zeus’ Teslenko as brand ambassador.

Sticking to its philosophy of signing ambassadors who share the brand’s abundance of fighting spirit, Parimatch’s announcement of Teslenko signifies a continued belief that esports will continue to move up the charts as a sports betting market, and Stepan Shulga, Head of Esports, wants Parimatch to remain a leader of it.

“We have long been at the forefront of the burgeoning esports industry, recognising its growth potential early on and paying it the same amount of attention as traditional sports. A significant proportion of R&D at Parimatch is focused on developing esports features to dramatically enhance user experience, which is why the brand is considered to be one of the top esports bookmakers,” he explained. “Having ambassadors in different sports is a great practice, but we think it’s especially important to have ambassadors that exemplify our values of fighting spirit. Daniil is a unique sportsman, his career spanned two parts of the history of the legendary game Counter-Strike, he was the world champion in version 1.6 and reached the same heights in the current version of CS:GO. To do it twice, in different eras, shows more than just talent; it displays an elite mentality, and that’s why we brought Daniil on board.”

And it’s stars like Teslenko that have been pushing esports to new heights in 2020, with many analysts predicting that it is now on track to becoming the world’s most watched sport. It’s trajectory as a betting market has followed this upward trend, and Stepan expects to see esports overtake many of the more traditional markets by 2021.

“We are sure that esports is already in the top five sports worldwide if we talk about all sports betting globally,” he continued. “Our expectations are to see esports in the top three games in terms of turnover by 2021. The quarantine and global lockdown only strengthened our hypothesis that investing in esports is justified.”

Indeed, Parimatch invested in esports relatively early on in its journey to becoming a fully-fledged sports betting market, and it has found success by focussing on quality over quantity.

“More often, the average rate in esports is higher than in traditional markets, such as football, where naturally there is a much more significant volume,” said Stepan. “In football, it is also more obvious how to engage the audience of an event, and there are thousands of events with thousands of different audiences. In esports, there are much fewer events, and the audience, while large, can be harder to engage. Our challenge is to find the key to the audience, speak the same language with them, and give them the quality of service and product they expect.”

Another challenge for operators that separates esports from traditional sports is the lack of centralized regulation. Stepan explained that in sports, there is a governing force in the form of federations that have an established hierarchy and structure. In esports, there is no such authority yet, and that makes it more difficult for operators to establish a large supply of fixtures for customers to bet on. The events that Parimatch do offer, however, are always backed by reams of data and statistics to provide customers with a full view of the field.

“The most interesting aspect of esports is the accessibility of detailed data; about players, teams, and all sorts of various statistics,” concluded Stepan. “We always give our players the maximum amount of information relevant to them on all devices, as esports fans know how much fine margins can matter when it comes to winning or losing.”

With another natural born winner on its side in Teslenko, Parimatch has shown customers that it remains committed to leading the way in esports, while indicating to the industry that the market is well worth its attention and investment in 2020.

Asia

Mumbai to Host the Prestigious Global Esports Games (GEG) World Finals from March 19–22

Published

10 hours ago

March 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

mumbai-to-host-the-prestigious-global-esports-games-(geg)-world-finals-from-march-19–22

India to host the Global Esports Games World Finals in Mumbai, from 19-22 March 2026, providing India’s growing esports and gaming ecosystem an international stage to compete. The Global Esports Federation’s flagship, Global Esports Games Mumbai, is organised by Eflag Corp with the support of Maharashtra Tourism. GEG Mumbai features 70 esports athletes from 23 countries and territories. This premier event will also feature GEFcon and GEFestival.

After successful editions in Singapore, Istanbul and Riyadh, the Global Esports Games, the international national-team esports championship, makes its South Asia debut with India hosting the World Finals in Mumbai. The tournament will witness leading esports nations competing in DOTA 2 and Clash Royale. The national teams of leading esports nations like Argentina, Australia, the US, Great Britain, Indonesia and Türkiye will compete alongside India and teams from 16 more countries and territories, marking a significant milestone for India as it steps onto the global stage as a host of one of esports’ most prestigious international competitions. The global broadcast reach is projected at 40 million+ viewers.

The programme will feature a Grand Opening Ceremony, GEFCon, GEFestival, fan experiences and meet-ups, playoffs, the grand finale, and medal and trophy presentations, before concluding with a ceremonial handover to Los Angeles for the Los Angeles 2026 Global Esports Games in December 2026.

Devendra Fadnavis, Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and senior state ministers, will inaugurate the event.

Devendra Fadnavis said: “The future will be shaped by technology, innovation, and digital ecosystems. We are proud that India will host the Global Esports Games, welcoming athletes from around the world to Mumbai. By bringing together sport, technology, and youth talent, this event further strengthens our position as an emerging global hub for digital innovation.”

Sir Paul J. Foster, KStJH, President and CEO of Global Esports Federation, said: “India represents one of the most dynamic growth stories in global esports, and there is no city better suited to host our flagship event than Mumbai. This is a city powered by youth, creativity, and innovation, the same forces shaping the future of esports worldwide. Hosting the Global Esports Games here is about more than competition; it’s about opportunity, connection, and reinforcing our belief that esports is for all.”

Shripad Ashtekar, Founder of Eflag Corp, said: “We are committed to strengthening India’s esports ecosystem and are glad to bring the GEG World Finals to Mumbai, India. This move marks a significant milestone as it will foster talent development, innovation, and global competitiveness while accelerating the rise of homegrown talent, showcasing India’s capabilities on the global esports stage.”

The post Mumbai to Host the Prestigious Global Esports Games (GEG) World Finals from March 19–22 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

International Esports Federation Marks 100 Days of the New Leadership

Published

10 hours ago

March 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

international-esports-federation-marks-100-days-of-the-new-leadership

The International Esports Federation marked the first 100 days of its current leadership by holding an Extraordinary General Meeting and implementing a series of governance, financial and institutional developments aimed at strengthening the federation’s stability and transparency.

At the Extraordinary General Meeting 2026, member federations approved the audited financial reports, further strengthening confidence in IESF’s financial oversight and accountability.

The EGM also introduced updates to the federation’s voting system, designed to enhance the integrity and improve the governance processes.

On the same day, IESF held the fourth Board Meeting in Budapest, Hungary. The in-person meeting allowed Board Members to align strategic priorities for the next 100 days and review governance initiatives aimed at strengthening the federation’s operational framework.

Since the election of the new leadership, the President and the Board have focused on reinforcing the federation’s financial framework and restoring confidence among member federations through improved transparency and accountability measures.

During EGM26, IESF also launched its new official membership platform and the new IESF competition platform. Developed to support national federations in their day-to-day operations, the platforms aim to simplify administrative processes, improve communication and provide a structured environment for managing competitions and federation activities.

These measures reflect the federation’s continued commitment to strengthening democratic governance, financial stability and institutional responsibility across the World of Esports.

As IESF continues its efforts to support national federations and advance esports within the international sports framework, the first 100 days of leadership represent an important step in reinforcing the federation’s institutional foundations.

The post International Esports Federation Marks 100 Days of the New Leadership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Dota 2

Global Esports Prize Pools Exceed $270M in 2025

Published

1 day ago

March 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

global-esports-prize-pools-exceed-$270m-in-2025

Global esports prize pools exceeded $270 million in 2025, a 15.5% increase year-over-year, according to new research from eSportRanker. Despite this growth, prize money remains concentrated. Saudi Arabia, China and the US together hosted roughly half of all prize money across the world’s top ten esports nations, highlighting how a few markets dominate major tournament hosting.

The analysis draws on Esports Charts host-country data covering more than 10,500 tournaments across 100+ esports titles worldwide. The research examines not only how much prize money was distributed, but where tournaments were hosted and what structural factors allowed certain countries to rise to the top.

Saudi Arabia ranked first globally with $39.66 million in hosted prize pools, driven largely by the Esports World Cup circuit in Riyadh, which staged tournaments across titles including Dota 2, PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Honor of Kings.

China ranked second with $34.82 million, supported by its publisher-controlled domestic league system, including Tencent’s King Pro League Grand Finals 2025, which alone carried a prize pool of nearly $10 million.

The US placed third with $23.12 million, reflecting a diversified esports ecosystem with tournaments across multiple publishers and game genres.

The top ten countries by hosted esports prize pools in 2025 were:

Saudi Arabia — $39.66M

China — $34.82M

United States — $23.12M

Romania — $7.79M

France — $7.57M

Thailand — $7.11M

Canada — $5.28M

Germany — $5.22M

South Korea — $5.03M

Japan — $4.28M

Beyond the leading three markets, prize money drops sharply. The remaining seven countries together accounted for just over $47 million, illustrating the concentration at the top of the global esports hosting landscape.

The research also highlights several structural patterns behind these rankings. Sovereign investment programmes, such as those in Saudi Arabia, can rapidly elevate a country’s esports position. Publisher-controlled ecosystems, as seen in China, generate recurring prize pools. Meanwhile, countries like Romania and Germany reached the top ten by consistently hosting international events rather than relying on single flagship tournaments.

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