eSports
EXCEL ESPORTS launches BT Power of Better Awards, names gaming charity SpecialEffect as inaugural winner of main award
EXCEL ESPORTS, the leading British competitive gaming culture brand, has today announced that UK based gaming charity SpecialEffect has won EXCEL’s inaugural BT Power of Better Award, the focal award at its recently launched BT Power of Better Awards.
- The BT Power of Better Awards, organised by EXCEL and its lead partner BT, is a new series of awards for EXCEL, its staff, players and its community.
- The focal award is the BT Power of Better Award itself, which recognises an individual or organisation in the esports community that has made a lasting better change for the esports community in 2020.
- UK Gaming Charity SpecialEffect has been presented with the award due to its ongoing support in 2020 for severely physically disabled and vulnerable people, by continuing its life-transforming work through online assessments, remote support and equipment supervision, despite the impact of COVID-19.
- SpecialEffect is a charity that specialises in helping physically disabled people play video games. The organisation works with developers to create personalised game control devices as well as make their games more accessible.
- Other BT Power of Better Awards include the LOL Player of the Year, LOL Blooper of the Year, LOL Fan of the Year, LOL Doggo of the Year and LOL Moment of the Year.
- The Power of Better Awards follows EXCEL’s recent brand update which included the unveiling of a bold and unique visual identity in esports that saw it evolve into a professional team that adds purpose to its passion for gaming through its unique vision of The Power of Better; a commitment to improve in everything it does and to use its platform to have a positive impact on the wider gaming and esports community.
- As part of the award win, EXCEL and BT have made a donation of £500 towards the charity.
Kieran Holmes Darby, Co-Founder and Chief Gaming Officer of EXCEL ESPORTS said: “Every single year I’m completely blown away by the work that SpecialEffect does and in the face of a global pandemic, the charity has gone above and beyond to continue to support the vulnerable people it exists to help, by bringing them the fun and inclusivity that video games have to offer. I’m truly honoured to name the charity the winner of the inaugural BT Power of Better Award, there is simply no other organisation that I know of that deserves this more than them.”
Tom Donegan, Fundraising and Communications Team Leader, at SpecialEffect, said: “Kieran and the team at EXCEL ESPORTS were one of the first organisations to welcome us into the world of esports several years ago, when we first started attending events and tournaments to raise awareness of SpecialEffect amongst the community. Since then, we’ve been really lucky to make many great friends from across the esports ecosystem, from individual players and teams, to national and international organisations, who have all been incredibly generous in their support of the charity. What seems to be true across the board is a real affinity with our work and a deep understanding of how enabling people with physical disabilities to play videogames can have such a positive and life-changing impact. In a year that has brought with it so many serious challenges, it is wonderful to have our work recognised with this award and we are incredibly grateful to everyone involved.”
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Bohdan Holovnov Head of Esports at DATA.BET
DATA.BET Reports +79% Profit Growth in Esports Betting for Q3 2025
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The company continues to drive revenue across the esports vertical
DATA.BET, a trusted sportsbook solution supplier, reports a significant increase in esports betting performance in the third quarter of 2025. The results demonstrate sustained market demand, disciplined trading operations, and growing player engagement across partner platforms, leading to revenue growth and commercial performance for DATA.BET.
In the third quarter of 2025, esports delivered strong results across all major performance indicators. Compared to Q3 2024, the stake volume improved by 60%, while total profit grew by 79%, supported by a 12% improvement in margin efficiency. Player activity also strengthened, with the total number of placed bets up by 33%, and multiples seeing a rise of 53%. The active player base expanded by 126%, and the average bet size increased by 22%, indicating higher confidence and deeper involvement from users.
Across major esports titles, performance dynamics show how player preferences and event availability shaped the quarter. CS2 maintained its position as the leading discipline, with results including a 26.7% uplift in turnover and a 55% growth in profit, while the number of bets grew moderately by 2.5%. League of Legends demonstrated significant momentum, moving from the fourth to the second most popular discipline, overtaking Dota 2. Turnover increased by 290%, profit by 416%, and the number of bets by 221%. Rainbow Six also strengthened its position within the top five disciplines due to broader coverage and regional expansion across LatAm, leading to a 126% enhance in turnover, a 504% jump in profit, a 12.4% rise in bets placed, and a 100% expansion in match coverage.
According to Bohdan Holovnov, Head of Esports at DATA.BET, this performance is linked to deliberate product and trading enhancements aligned with player behavior: “We focused on improving uptime for the most popular in-play markets, including ‘Map – Total Kills’, ‘Map – Duration’, ‘Map – Winner’, and ‘Player – Total Deaths‘, especially in late-game phases where engagement peaks. This applies to both shooters and MOBA titles. Additionally, interval-based kill markets were introduced in League of Legends and Dota 2, enabling more frequent and dynamic betting opportunities. Another major driver was the expansion of Player Props across all top-tier disciplines, including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant, in both pre-match and live formats. In shooters, ‘Total Deaths’ became a standout exclusive market, while official data coverage allowed us to expand Player Props across all tiers as well. This combination boosts both activity and margin efficiency across our clients.”
This upward movement is not only reflected year over year, but also quarter-to-quarter growth, with a profit percentage up by 13% compared to Q2 2025. This consistency highlights both sustained user interest and the stability of DATA.BET’s esports offering, even after expanding into sports betting in June 2025.
Bohdan Holovnov, the Head of Esports, mentioned: “Esports has proven its strength and reliability as a betting vertical. Quarter after quarter, we see steady engagement, growing turnover, and tangible revenue impact for operators. We’re pleased with the performance and even more excited about the momentum ahead, and we are scaling it together with our partners.”
The post DATA.BET Reports +79% Profit Growth in Esports Betting for Q3 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026
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UniPin, the leading digital entertainment and esports enabler across Asia, had launched the UniPin Campus Championship India, a large-scale interuniversity esports tournament designed to unite and empower student gamers through competition, collaboration and community building.
Running from October to December 2025, the championship will bring offline esports tournaments to eight major cities: Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. Winners from each campus qualifier will advance to the Grand Finale in January 2026, where they will compete for national recognition and esports glory.
The championship officially kicked off in Pune (MIT Pune, Oct 30) and Mumbai (NMIMS Mumbai, Oct 31). Both campuses recorded overwhelming enthusiasm from students eager to represent their universities, demonstrating the growing momentum of esports within India’s student communities. Packed audiences, spirited support and competitive gameplay marked a strong opening for the multi-city series.
“The UniPin Campus Championship India underscores UniPin’s ongoing commitment to cultivating the next generation of esports talent while strengthening a culture of collaboration, discipline, and sportsmanship among young players. As India’s gaming ecosystem continues to grow, we are proud to provide a platform that empowers students to showcase their skills, connect with the community, and pursue their passion at a competitive level,” said Paras Gupta, Manager of Esports, Community & KOL at UniPin India.
Expansion Vision: 2026 and Beyond
Building on the momentum of this inaugural championship, UniPin India is preparing an even larger nationwide initiative for 2026, with plans to reach more than 50 universities across India. The expansion aims to elevate intercampus esports into a mainstream student activity by integrating workshops on esports careers, community networking and developer engagement — not only fostering competition, but also building pathways into the gaming and digital entertainment industry.
This upcoming expansion signals UniPin’s long-term investment in India’s esports ecosystem and strengthens its commitment to making esports accessible, structured and sustainable at the grassroots level.
“This expansion is not just about growing the tournament footprint. By 2026, we aim to reach every major campus so they can have a thriving esports community supported by the right infrastructure, education, and exposure,” Paras added.
Through the UniPin Campus Championship, UniPin reinforces its mission to accelerate the growth of esports and digital entertainment in Asia by creating inclusive opportunities for young players to connect, compete and thrive.
The post UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Globant and Riot Games Announce Partnership
Globant and Riot Games announced a multi-year strategic partnership to support some of Riot’s most critical innovation initiatives and fan communities across League of Legends and VALORANT Esports. This collaboration brings together Riot’s world-class esports experiences with Globant’s global expertise in digital reinvention.
As its new digital transformation partner, Globant will support some of Riot Games’ most critical tech initiatives, including future explorations in artificial intelligence that augment esports viewing experiences and mobile integration capabilities. During the multi-year partnership, the two companies will push the boundaries of technology to unlock teams to deliver richer, more tailored experiences for millions of players and fans globally.
“Globant shares our commitment to deliver the most resonate and engaging experiences for players and fans around the world. Their deep expertise in technology will help us accelerate areas of the business so Rioters can focus on pushing creative boundaries of what’s possible in esports and live events,” said David Mulhall, Global Head of Esports Partnerships and Business Development at Riot Games.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Riot Games to expand the future of gaming and esports. This partnership reflects our shared belief that technology and creativity can reshape how communities connect, play, and experience entertainment,” said Martin Migoya, Co-founder and CEO of Globant.
Globant brings extensive experience across media, entertainment, and gaming that reinforces its role as a transformative technology partner. Through its Media & Entertainment and Games Studios, the company supports global organizations in areas such as content creation and management, streaming platforms, game development, art services, quality assurance, product management, and ongoing live operations. Globant is also a trusted partner to leading sports and entertainment brands, including FIFA and Formula 1. By combining deep industry expertise with advanced technologies like AI, Globant has established itself as a key enabler of innovation and fan engagement for some of the world’s most influential organizations in sports, media, and gaming.
The post Globant and Riot Games Announce Partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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