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Women in Esports launches women-only tournaments with FACEIT and separate community Discord

Published

5 years ago

November 26, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The British Esports Association, the not-for-profit organisation set up to promote and support grassroots esports, has partnered with FACEIT, the world’s leading platform for competitive online gaming, as part of its ongoing Women in Esports initiative.

Women in Esports will have its own organiser page on FACEIT and will create women-only tournaments and hubs. The Women in Esports initiative aims to create a welcoming community which encourages more women (including trans and cis women) and femme identifying/femme presenting non-binary players to take part in esports tournaments at any level.

Women-only tournaments are viewed by Women in Esports as a stepping stone to give women more confidence and experience to then aim for further involvement in other tournaments (mixed or otherwise) in the future.

The organiser page will initially focus on Counter Strike:Global Offensive (CS:GO) as the first title for tournaments and hubs, primarily due to the fantastic female community prevalent on FACEIT for this title. The variety of tournaments and hubs will later expand with future pilots for other titles.

The first 5v5 CS:GO tournament, The Lioness League, will open for registrations on Friday November 27th and occur on Saturday December 12th. There will be a max of 32 teams in a single elimination bracket. Participants will be able to join as a premade team or join as a solo player and form a team. The prize will be 3000 FACEIT points: 2000 points for the winning team, and 1000 points for second place. This will be the start of regular monthly tournaments.

Our CS:GO hub will enable players to create teams and scrim against each other. The hubs will be private by application, open to women (including trans and cis women) and femme identifying/femme presenting non-binary players to join.

Women in Esports has also created its own separate community Discord server to further its aim of providing an inclusive community space. The server will be public and open to everyone, with many social channels, announcements, an industry section, along with specific tournament chat. It will be vetted, moderated and constantly updated as per feedback and changes in line with the initiative.

“We’re delighted to partner with Women in Esports, a team that shares our passions and values. FACEIT is committed to developing grassroots opportunities and supporting the community. We want everyone to feel comfortable and confident when taking their first steps into esports and we’re hoping this hub will offer a safe space for women to come together and compete,” said Sue Lavasani, Account Manager at FACEIT.

Alice Leaman, Schools and Colleges Liaison Officer at British Esports, said: “Through Women in Esports we aim to build a community and encourage more women to get involved in the industry. By partnering with FACEIT we can start to develop more regular tournaments and opportunities for all skill levels and the creation of a community Discord will provide a dedicated space for diversity in esports to be celebrated.”

asia-pacific

Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026

Published

6 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

groove-shortlisted-for-best-aggregator-at-sigma-asia-awards-2026

Groove has been named a finalist for Best Aggregator 2026 at the SiGMA Asia Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for 2 June 2026 at the SMX Convention Centre Manila during the SiGMA Asia Summit.

The shortlist was announced by Global Gaming Insider, according to the company. Groove said its platform aggregates more than 15,000 games from over 150 providers via a single API.

Giusy Campo, Business Development Director at Groove, said: “This shortlist is external recognition of a truth we already feel internally: Groove is moving at a different pace. Asia is not a single market, it is a collection of distinct regulatory environments, player behaviours, and partnership opportunities”

Campo added: “Our platform is built to respect that complexity, not smooth it over. Being named a finalist for Best Aggregator tells us that our approach; deep integration, localised content strategies, and commercial precision; is resonating with the operators who matter most in this region. We are not just bringing games to Asia. We are bringing a roadmap for sustainable growth.”

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, said: “The aggregation space is crowded. Differentiation is everything. This nomination confirms that our vision, transforming aggregation from a commodity into a strategic growth discipline, is taking hold.” He added: “Operators across Asia are no longer asking for just volume or speed. They are asking for structural resilience, data intelligence, and a partner who can execute across fragmented regulatory landscapes with precision. Groove delivers that. To be recognised alongside the best in Asia is a privilege, but the real work continues in Manila and beyond. We are here to win, not just awards, but the trust of the operators who build their businesses on our platform.”

The post Groove shortlisted for Best Aggregator at SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

data providers

DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026

Published

6 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

data.bet-reports-168%-turnover-growth-from-virtual-content-in-q1-2025–q1-2026

DATA.BET says turnover from its virtual content grew 168% between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026, with the supplier reporting the product accounted for 39% of total virtual sports turnover and 45% of profits over the period.

The company said the content is developed fully in-house and delivered through automated bot-vs-bot matches that run 24/7 without dependence on real-world fixture schedules. DATA.BET positioned the format as a way to provide continuous events and reduce operational overhead for operators.

Across the same period, DATA.BET reported +299% active users, +129% across clients GGR, +246% events per quarter, and +218% bets placed.

DATA.BET also said the audience profile overlaps with live football bettors, which it believes supports retention during seasonal breaks. The supplier added that the algorithm-driven format “carries no fraud exposure,” supports In-Stream Betting overlays, and provides near-zero latency between broadcast and market updates.

“Over the past year, our bot-vs-bot virtual content has delivered consistent, measurable results across every operator deployment. Building e-Football in-house gives us the flexibility to configure it to what each operator actually needs — whether that is a specific league structure, a particular mix of bot and player content, or a branded competition format,” mentioned Rostyslav Likhtin, Head of Product at DATA.BET.

The post DATA.BET reports 168% turnover growth from virtual content in Q1 2025–Q1 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

content studios

155.io makes fintech debut with Coverd partnership

Published

6 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

155.io-makes-fintech-debut-with-coverd-partnership

155.io has signed a partnership with US-based fintech platform Coverd, marking the content studio’s first move into fintech. The deal was announced Thursday 21st May 2026.

Under the agreement, 155.io’s real-world games will be integrated into Coverd’s platform. Coverd said the integration is designed to turn everyday transactions into interactive experiences where users can win the chance to have purchases covered through 155.io gameplay.

Sam Jones, Founder & CEO of 155.io, said: “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring our content to a completely new audience. We share a philosophy with Coverd around disrupting and modernising industries through more interactive experiences. They understand that younger audiences expect entertainment and engagement across every digital touchpoint, including finance, which is exactly how we think about design.”

Albert Wang, Coverd co-founder, added: “Today’s consumer is actively embracing gamified products across every category, so there’s no reason personal finance should stay in the stone age. We’re excited to work with 155.io to make financial experiences more interactive and give everyone a chance to live big by winning back their purchases. 155.io’s next-gen content fits perfectly with what we’re building at Coverd.”

155.io said the integration will bring its interactive content—built around live-action footage and real-time mechanics—to Coverd users. The studio’s portfolio includes Rush Hour from its CCTV Game library, alongside Ducks.io and Snow Run.