eSports

The Russian Association for Electronic Communications announces the new Gaming industry and esports cluster

Published

5 years ago

September 22, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Russian Association of electronic communications (RAEC) announces the creation of the Gaming industry and esports cluster.

The new cluster’s purpose is to solve practical problems in the communication field of communication with the media, opinion leaders and the general public.

Priority tasks will be:

Work with public opinion, convey a common industry position on the role of video games in society and their impact on it through a pool of experts, release and aggregation of information materials;
Identification, coordination and verification of unified data on the gaming and esports markets based on independent research and market participants ‘ own information;
Development of educational projects and activities.

The cluster is designed to bring together leading organizations and experts from the gaming industry and provide them with the necessary platform for communication with target groups, to become an intermediary between representatives of the gaming world and society.

The initial group of cluster experts includes:

Karina Konkova, Communications Director at MY.GAMES (cluster co-chairman in the “Gaming industry” direction);
Yaroslav Meshalkin, Chief Strategic Communications Officer at ESforce Holding (cluster co-chairman in the “Esports” direction);
Ilya Salamatov, CEO of META Publishing;
Artem Vinokurov, Vice-President of the Russian Esports Federation;
Elena Grigoryan, Marketing and Advertising Director at MY.GAMES;
Vladislav Arkhipov, PhD in law, head of the Theory and history of state and law department at Saint Petersburg state University, adviser to the practice of intellectual property, information technology and telecommunications of the international law at Dentons, author of the course “Legal esports issues”;
Sergey Glamazda, Virtus.pro General Manager;
Stepan Shulga, Head of esports at Parimatch, esports evangelist;
Nikolay Petrosyan, Head of Media direction at ESforce Holding, Head of Cybersport.ru;
Olga Morozova, author of the “Igrology”, researcher at the Institute of Psychology in the Russian Academy of Sciences, specialist of the Moscow center for video game research;
Anton Oleynik, General Producer of RuHub Studio;
Leonid Koen, senior consultant (sports industry and esports) at Odgers Berndtson Russia.

The cluster is open for new participants, and the conditions for joining the expert group are described on the official website of RAEC: https://raec.ru/en/ All applications will be reviewed jointly by RAEC and cluster experts.

Sergey Plugotarenko, Director of the Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC):

“RAEC has long been interested in gaming and esports — not only as a hobby for employees, although many of us like to play, but also as drivers of the media and entertainment industry. For several years in a row, we held panels about video games within Russian Internet forum and Russian Internet Week. As a result, we realized the need for a strong communication platform, within which industry representatives can form a consolidated position and build a dialogue with society. This platform should be our new cluster. To create it, we turned to the largest market players and recognized experts, and as a result, we found a strong mutual interest.”

Karina Konkova, Communications Director at MY.GAMES, co-chairman of the RAEC Gaming industry and esports cluster:

“Games are one of the fastest growing segments of the global entertainment industry, with a global audience of more than 2 billion people. The role and prospects of this market in the digital economy are well understood by its participants, but not always obvious to audiences far from game development. We believe that open dialogue, systematic research and educational initiatives will allow games and esports to better identify their real economic potential and enable talented Russian specialists and developers to achieve success both locally and internationally.”

Yaroslav Meshalkin, Chief Strategic Communications Officer at ESforce Holding, expert on the esports mass culture on the Council of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs, co-chairman of the RAEC Gaming industry and esports cluster:

“Video games and esports like to be periodically blamed for all the deadly sins, masking real social problems behind it. Thanks to RAEC, we are able to work systematically with the perception of games and computer sports at all levels that interest us. The second and no less important task that our cluster is designed to solve is the formation of a unified approach to market assessment, since now the figures of different research companies are very different from each other and need to be verified by the industry Association.”

The Gaming industry and esports cluster started working. You can find out about the results of its activities on the cluster’s page: https://raec.ru/clusters/gaming-esports/.

€20

GG.BET Launches €20,000 CS2 Betting Tournament for IEM Krakow 2026

Published

42 minutes ago

January 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

gg.bet-launches-e20,000-cs2-betting-tournament-for-iem-krakow-2026

GG.BET has announced the launch of a dedicated €20,000 betting tournament to coincide with Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Krakow 2026, one of the most anticipated Counter-Strike 2 events of the year. Running from January 22 to February 9, the promotion rewards GG.BET customers for placing winning bets on CS2 matches, with the top 100 participants sharing the total prize pool.

Betting meets competition during IEM Krakow

IEM Krakow 2026 will take place from January 28 to February 8, marking a historic moment for the Intel Extreme Masters series. For the first time, the iconic IEM playoffs will move away from Katowice and be hosted in Krakow, adding an extra layer of excitement to an already legendary esports tournament.

As the world’s best CS2 teams battle on the main stage, GG.BET is offering fans an opportunity to compete off the server through its Legendary Krakow Tournament, designed to reward consistency and smart betting throughout the event.

How the GG.BET tournament works

Participation in the tournament is simple and open to eligible customers:

Log in or register at GG.BET (21+ only).
Navigate to the Competition section, select “Legendary Krakow Tournament”, and click Join.

All winning bets placed on IEM Krakow 2026 and other CS2 tournaments at odds of 1.50 or higher count toward the leaderboard. Each successful bet earns points equal to the stake amount — for example, a €100 winning bet earns 100 points.

€20,000 prize pool and leaderboard rewards

The tournament features a €20,000 total prize pool, distributed among the top 100 players on the leaderboard. The highest-ranked participants can earn cash prizes of up to €2,000, making every winning wager an opportunity to climb the standings.

The more points accumulated during the tournament period, the greater the chance of securing a top-100 finish and a share of the prize money.

Multiple betting options, including Bet Builder

GG.BET customers can earn points using a wide range of betting formats, including:

Single bets
Accumulators
System bets

Players can also take advantage of Bet Builder, which allows the creation of custom bets by combining multiple markets from a single CS2 match. Available options include map winner, individual player kills, total rounds played, and other popular CS2 markets, often with boosted combined odds.

A timely promotion for CS2 esports fans

With IEM Krakow 2026 set to redefine the Intel Extreme Masters legacy and showcase elite Counter-Strike 2 competition, GG.BET’s €20,000 tournament offers fans an additional way to engage with the action. By combining esports knowledge with strategic betting, participants can turn every winning pick into leaderboard points and real cash rewards.

Further details about the tournament and participation rules are available directly on the GG.BET platform.

The post GG.BET Launches €20,000 CS2 Betting Tournament for IEM Krakow 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

Insurgence Gaming Company Expands Grassroots Vision with MOBA Legends 5v5 Discord Play-Ins

Published

1 day ago

January 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

insurgence-gaming-company-expands-grassroots-vision-with-moba-legends-5v5-discord-play-ins

Following the launch of its inaugural women-focused VALORANT tournament La Imperia, the Insurgence Gaming Company has announced its second competitive initiative, MOBA Legends 5v5 Discord Play-Ins, a series of open community tournaments created to make organised competition more accessible to emerging players.

While La Imperia introduced a visibility-led invitational format, the MOBA Legends 5v5 Discord Play-Ins take a different approach. The series is built around open participation and will be hosted entirely online, with all tournament operations managed through Discord. This allows teams from across India to compete in a structured setting without the restrictions often associated with invite-only events.

The Play-Ins are designed as a starting point for players and teams who want to experience organised competition. Matches will be played in a 5v5 MOBA Draft Pick format, with scheduling, match reporting, and communication handled through dedicated Discord channels.

The announcement continues Insurgence Gaming Company’s early focus on grassroots esports. The company was created to address gaps in India’s competitive ecosystem, particularly at the amateur and semi-professional level where consistent tournament opportunities are still limited.

Speaking on the launch, Jasper Shabin, Founder of the Insurgence Gaming Company, said: “With La Imperia, we focused on visibility. With the Discord Play-Ins, the focus shifts to access. Competitive players need regular places to play, improve, and test themselves, not just one-off tournaments. MOBA Legends 5v5 is one of the most accessible competitive titles on mobile, which makes it a strong fit for an open, community-driven format.”

Beyond competition, the Discord Play-Ins are also intended to build a sense of continuity. Players will have access to channels dedicated to match coordination, tournament updates, and post-game discussion, helping teams stay connected beyond a single tournament run.

With the MOBA Legends 5v5 Discord Play-Ins, the Insurgence Gaming Company continues to shape its identity around community-first formats, pairing visibility-led initiatives like La Imperia with open competitive pathways that support long-term grassroots growth in Indian esports.

The post Insurgence Gaming Company Expands Grassroots Vision with MOBA Legends 5v5 Discord Play-Ins appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

EMEA ESPORTS

MOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2026

Wladimir P.

movember-teams-up-with-riot-games-emea-esports

TLDR:

Movember is partnering with the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA, and Game Changers EMEA Championship as the Official Mental Health Partner, supporting players, team staff and the wider community for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Date: January 20, 2026 [London]

What you need to know:

Riot Games and Movember announce a multi-year partnership focused on embedding mental health and wellbeing into the EMEA esports ecosystem.
The partnership will integrate mental health and wellbeing frameworks, support systems, and initiatives across the leagues.
Movember will provide tools and resources to better manage competitive pressure, build healthier habits, and be encouraged to discuss mental health openly.
Planned initiatives for the upcoming year include mental health training for players and staff, and player-only roundtables on stress and coping strategies, with a view to use this to cascade content and guidance to the wider esports community.
Movember will share messaging on the broadcasts and on-site during events that highlight the importance of mental health and help reduce the stigma around honest discussions and seeking help when needed.
Together, Movember and Riot Games aim to make the gaming environment a healthier environment for all.

Quote from Daniel Ringland, Head of VALORANT Esports, EMEA:

“Supporting the wellbeing of the VCT EMEA community, our players, and team staff is something we are committed to strengthening, so we’re thrilled to welcome Movember as a partner. While supporting open conversations and ensuring our players know trusted resources are available is a priority, this partnership also helps raise awareness around mental health and wellbeing across the wider VCT EMEA community. Movember’s expertise will help normalize these discussions beyond the competitive stage, and provide the tools so everyone connected to our ecosystem feels supported by professionals committed to making a positive impact.”

Quote from Maximilian Peter Schmidt, Director of League of Legends Esports, EMEA

“Partnering with Movember allows us to take our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our players and teams to the next level. We want our community to feel empowered to speak openly about the challenges they face and know resources are available if needed. Gaming should be a safe and healthy space for everyone, and this partnership will help us ensure that the environment is maintained and strengthened.”

Quote from Dan Cooper, Global Director, Innovations at Movember:

“Movember is committed to bring community first solutions to today’s most urgent mental health challenges. Esports is a focus area for our work in mental health, and by working with Riot Games we aim to have a real impact and drive positive change in esports.”

The post MOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.