eSports
New Pro VALORANT Invitational, Home Ground by Red Bull, Begins in January
Home Ground by Red Bull, in Partnership with AOC, a new pro VALORANT competition will showcase the best teams in Europe as they battle in a unique format for supremacy and a £24,000 prize pool from 28-31 January, live on twitch.tv/redbull. A star-studded international lineup of the best teams in VALORANT, G2, Team Liquid, Guild Esports, SUMN FC, Futbolist, Ninjas in Pyjamas and a special guest team are all directly invited to compete in Home Ground by Red Bull. The competition includes a twist to the normal VALORANT rules, adding a new layer of strategic importance and unpredictability to map picks. A Home Ground by Red Bull explainer video can be seen here. Opening the event to talented players across Europe, open qualifiers will take place from January 23-24, and sign ups are live now at smash.gg/redbullhomeground to source the final squad to complete the eight team lineup.
Unfolding across four days of the best competition in VALORANT, the Home Ground by Red Bull Finals will be brought to fans by a stellar roster of UK broadcast talent. Frankie Ward joins as host, with CS:GO veteran Lauren “Pansy” Scott, and Mike “hypoc” Robins providing expert analysis to viewers around the world. The on-stream team is completed by household names Mitch “MitchMan” Mcbride and James Banks offering play-by-play commentary, following some of the biggest storylines in VALORANT as they happen. The standout European team of 2020 having emerged victorious at every single Ignition Series event, G2 will look to reassert their dominance in the competition.
Looking ahead to the event G2 said “we have learned from our mistakes during First Strike and will return stronger than before at Home Ground by Red Bull to sweep our competition the way we did during all Ignition Series tournaments.”
Home Ground by Red Bull is the first pro Red Bull event for VALORANT, and marks the further evolution of the brand’s global work with Riot Games. As well as the new competition for the groundbreaking FPS, Red Bull hosts a series of League of Legends events, including Red Bull Solo Q, the official global 1v1 League of Legends competition. Red Bull M.E.O., now in its third season, is a global mobile tournament, featuring Riot Games’ round-based strategy game Teamfight Tactics.
Home Ground by Red Bull will be broadcast from 11:30am (GMT)/12:30 (CET) each day from 28-31 January at twitch.tv/redbull.
Powered by WPeMatico
data providers
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.
energy drinks
Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier
Multi-year deal adds Laboratoires Gilbert’s new brand to jerseys across CS2, VALORANT, Rocket League and LoL teams ahead of a September 2026 launch.
Team Vitality has signed a multi-year partnership with FYZIO, naming the brand its new official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier. FYZIO is a sports nutrition and hydration brand developed by Laboratoires Gilbert, a French healthcare company established in 1904.
The partnership will put FYZIO branding on the left sleeve of Team Vitality’s official jerseys for several flagship rosters, including CS2, VALORANT (VCT), Rocket League, and League of Legends teams across the LEC, LFL, and Rising Bees. FYZIO will also support Team Vitality teams competing in Teamfight Tactics, Tekken, and Trackmania.
FYZIO is scheduled to launch in September 2026. Team Vitality said the brand will supply products intended to support areas including hydration, fatigue and stress reduction, concentration and memory, and sleep quality.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with FYZIO and proud to support the launch of this ambitious new brand from the French group, Laboratoires Gilbert. By integrating its specialised nutrition products into our teams’ routines, we are further strengthening our commitment to high-performance excellence,” comments Vas Roberts, Co-CEO of Team Vitality.
“For more than 120 years, Laboratoires Gilbert has been developing solutions dedicated to health and well-being. With FYZIO, we are bringing this expertise to a new ambition: helping everyone achieve their goals, whatever they may be, through a modern, accessible, and responsible approach to sports nutrition. Our partnership with Team Vitality reflects this shared vision of progress, high standards, and sustainable performance. Your performance, our nature“, explains Cédric Batteur, Chairman & CEO, Laboratoires Gilbert.
The post Team Vitality names FYZIO official sports nutrition and energy drinks supplier appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel
McDonald’s Germany has partnered with G2 as presenting partner of G2 NORD, the organisation’s League of Legends academy team competing in Germany’s Prime League. The deal also includes support for the return of G2 Hel, G2’s women’s League of Legends team.
Under the agreement, McDonald’s Germany branding, including the “ich liebe es” (I’m lovin’ it) tagline, will appear on G2 NORD and G2 Hel jerseys. The partners also plan a year-long content programme focused on player storytelling and behind-the-scenes access, including a series featuring team president Niklot “Tolkin” Stüber.
G2 positioned the partnership around its regional development pathway. G2 NORD was formed earlier this year through a collaboration between G2 and NORD Esports, and the organisation said the roster has already won the Prime League Winter Snowdown and reached the playoffs in its first EMEA Masters run.
The company said McDonald’s Germany’s backing enables G2 Hel’s return, with the team set to compete in the upcoming Game Changers circuit. “This partnership goes beyond traditional sponsorship, it’s a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of talent development and creating meaningful opportunities within the space,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO of McDonald’s Germany, added: “We’re proud to support G2 Nord and to celebrate the return of G2 Hel – a strong signal for equity, visibility and inclusion in esports.”
To launch the collaboration, McDonald’s and G2 released an announcement video featuring Jankos, Sola, Tolkin, Team Nord and Caltys, produced in-house by G2. McDonald’s Germany said its lead agency Scholz & Friends supported the development and execution of the partnership.
The post McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
BETANO5 days agoBetano unveiled as Tournament Supporter of FIFA World Cup 2026™ for Europe and South America
-
Australia5 days agoRegulating the Game Rolls Out Four-Level Partnership Structure Ahead of Sydney 2027 Program
-
Brazil5 days agoTaDa Gaming to showcase its solutions at Peru Gaming Show 2026
-
Booming Games5 days agoBooming Games Releases “Diamond Forge: Link & Loot”
-
Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation5 days agoBrightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery
-
GAMOMAT5 days agoGAMOMAT Releases Multi Machine, a New Classic Fruit Title
-
Compliance Updates5 days agoIncentive Games wins interim Pennsylvania gaming licence
-
Ahmed Baker Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games5 days agoIncentive Games Secures Interim Pennsylvania Gaming Licence



