Asia

i3 announces BLITZPOKER’s, largest India Biggest Online Poker Event, the IOPC

Published

5 years ago

January 21, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Since its launch in August of last year, BLITZPOKER, majority owned by i3 Interactive Inc, has established itself as a premier destination for poker players of all skill levels with a particular focus on welcoming new players to poker. Determined to start the New Year with a bang, BLITZPOKER has launched the Indian Poker Online Championship (IOPC). This year, the IOPC features a guaranteed prize pool of INR 28 crores (almost $4MM USD) – making it India’s biggest online poker event. The tournament officially started on the 14^th of January and is right now ramping into the most exciting parts of the event, which will conclude on 31st January 2021 with the main event “IOPC the Crown” with a 3.5Crore prize pool.

Tapping into and further growing the already exploding gaming market in India, BLITZPOKER has established a foothold within the poker community, continuing its rapid growth since its launch. With its unique tournaments and competitions, BLITZPOKER has seen overwhelming adoption as the market has responded to its brand positioning bringing unique excitement to new and established poker players alike. BLITZPOKER’S latest event, the Indian Poker Online Championship (IOPC), is set to be the biggest online poker tournament by BLITZPOKER in India to date.

Commenting on their rapid rise and their latest offering, BLITZPOKER Management added, “Thanks to the support of the Indian online poker community, we finished the year 2020 on a very high note with a lot of optimism entering 2021. We witnessed the enthusiasm via the community’s participation in our initiatives, either directly into tournaments or cash games or our general marketing initiatives designed to bring fun and engagement to the skill-based game of poker. This support continues to encourage us to bring new and exciting opportunities to help our players have fun learning the game of poker and to present opportunities to win industry leading prize pools. To start this New Year the BLITZ way, we are very pleased to announce the biggest online poker tournament in India, the Indian Online Poker Championship 2021 (IOPC). This tournament offers the adrenalin rush that every single online poker player in the country has been looking for. The IOPC reflects our faith in the Indian poker community, and we look forward to continuing to deliver above expectations and further advance the quality and quantity of the poker community across the board.”

To make the IOPC more exciting, BLITZPOKER has introduced a long list of promotional offers, allowing their players to get more for their money and even win tickets to the tournament events. All players who deposit INR 250 and above will get a 20% bonus of up to INR 25,000.

Key highlights of the Indian Online Poker Championship:

The IOPC offers INR 28 crore (~ $4MM USD) guaranteed (GTD) in the prize pool.
The IOPC will host multiple tournaments with a total GTD of INR 24 Crore.
INR 1 Crore in giveaways to the top players on the leaderboard.
The Four Feature tournaments will be live streamed.

The BLITZPOKER app allows players to earn real cash starting with zero to deposit amount. No better way to lean and get started! BLITZPOKER has their support team available on call, chat, email and social media to solve all player queries to ensure smooth gameplay and hassle-free cash outs/deposits, welcoming questions of any kind, any day of the year.

Armenia

Totogaming.am Adds SPRIBE’s Aviator in Long-Awaited Release

Published

11 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

totogaming.am-adds-spribe’s-aviator-in-long-awaited-release

Aviator is SPRIBE’s top crash game, launched in 2019. In this rapid and vibrant setup, the payout multiplier rises as the plane ascends, with players individually choosing when to cash out by pressing the “Cashout” button.

To enhance the launch of this already iconic game in the Armenian market, Totogaming kicked off an innovative teaser campaign, allowing 10 users to win a private flight for three.

“We wanted our users to experience the emotions, dynamics, and uniqueness of the Aviator game not only on the platform, but also in real life. This idea became the foundation of the teaser campaign, which resulted in a successful launch and strong interest from players,” said Victorya Harutyunyan, Head of Product Marketing at Totogaming.

“Launching Aviator on Totogaming is an important milestone for SPRIBE in the Armenian market. This partnership allows us to bring our flagship crash game to a highly engaged local audience, while ensuring the premium level of experience that players worldwide expect from Aviator. We value Totogaming’s commitment to innovation and are delighted to see such a strong reception from players from day one,” said Taras Kozovit, Head of Business Development at SPRIBE.

SPRIBE’s Aviator is solely offered on Totogaming in the Armenian market, underscoring the company’s commitment to broadening its selection with internationally acclaimed games while providing unique experiences to its local players.

The post Totogaming.am Adds SPRIBE’s Aviator in Long-Awaited Release appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Akshat Rathee

Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone

Published

1 week ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

indian-esports-2026:-strategic-growth-and-the-asian-games-milestone

The Indian esports landscape is transitioning from a period of rapid “spectacle” growth to a phase defined by lasting institutional structure. Following the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), 2026 is set to be the year where regulatory clarity, international competition, and domestic grassroots development converge.

The Impact of PROGA: Policy into Practice

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), signed into law in August 2025, has officially moved from policy to practice. Its primary contribution to 2026 is the explicit separation of esports from money-based gaming.

Legitimacy: By categorizing esports as a legitimate competitive pursuit, PROGA has unlocked state-level adoption and cleared the way for schools and colleges to integrate gaming into their sports frameworks.
Commercial Confidence: With a clear regulatory environment, brands in sectors like FMCG, automotive, and BFSI are now viewing esports as a stable, long-term youth engagement platform rather than a risky experiment.
Athlete Pathways: PROGA facilitates the creation of standardized national registries for athletes, ensuring that competitive integrity is maintained across grassroots and professional tiers.

The Asian Games 2026: A Global Stage

The Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, serves as the most critical milestone for the ecosystem this year.

Medal Status: Esports will feature as a full medal event with 11 confirmed titles, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version), and Pokémon UNITE.
Indian Prospects: India’s best historical result (quarter-finals in League of Legends at Hangzhou) has set a high bar. For 2026, the focus has shifted toward high-performance training camps and long-term athlete mentorship to secure a podium finish.
Multi-Sport Integration: Participation alongside traditional athletes reinforces the narrative that esports is a viable professional career, further encouraging government investment through schemes like Khelo India.

Market Evolution and Key Trends

The Indian gaming market is projected to reach approximately $5.02 billion in 2026, driven by a massive player base exceeding 500 million gamers.

Trend	Impact in 2026
Mobile Dominance	Over 95% of the market remains mobile-first, fueled by 5G expansion and affordable hardware.
Beyond BGMI	2026 is seeing a push to diversify the market into fighting games, sports simulations, and PC titles to avoid “one-title dependency.”
Monetization Shift	Revenue is shifting from pure advertising toward battle passes, subscription models, and in-game progression.
Tier II & III Growth	Most new user acquisition is coming from smaller cities, demanding more vernacular and localized content.

The post Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament

Published

4 weeks ago

December 18, 2025

Wladimir P.

insurgence-gaming-company-introduces-la-imperia,-a-community-first-all-female-valorant-tournament

La Imperia, a new all-female esports IP by The Insurgence Gaming Company, will make its competitive debut this month with an online VALORANT invitational tournament running from December 19 to 21, 2025. Designed as a visibility-first platform for women competitors, the event brings together four invited Indian teams for a three-day broadcast competition.

La Imperia marks the inaugural tournament by the Insurgence Gaming Company, a newly founded esports company led by Jasper Shabin, who previously served as a poject manager at Skyesports. Positioning itself as a community-first tournament operator, the Insurgence Gaming Company aims to refocus attention on grassroots competition and long-term ecosystem building at a time when entry-level and women-led esports pathways remain limited.

The tournament will be played in VALORANT and feature a round-robin group stage followed by single-elimination playoffs, culminating in a BO5 Grand Final. All matches across the three days will be broadcast live on YouTube, along with additional watch-parties.

The four invited teams competing at La Imperia include Huntrix, Sin Sisters, Plushie Gang and MyKil. All teams feature all-female rosters, aligning with La Imperia’s positioning as a dedicated women’s esports IP.

Broadcast production for the event will be handled by Momentum Gaming, serving as the official Broadcast Partner. The on-air talent lineup includes Star Tania, Nekroz, Odawg, and Hikari Jane, who will guide viewers through the tournament across all three days.

Beyond competition, La Imperia is also placing emphasis on player well-being. Sattva by Pallavi joins the tournament as the Mental Health Partner, integrating conversations around mental health and holistic wellness into the event’s broadcast and content output. The partnership reflects a growing recognition of sustainability and mental resilience within competitive gaming environments.

Speaking on the launch, Jasper Shabin, Founder of The Insurgence Gaming Company, said: “La Imperia is built to be a visibility platform first. There is no shortage of talent in the women’s VALORANT scene, but there are very few consistent stages where that talent can be seen, supported, and taken seriously. With the Insurgence Gaming Company, we want to return focus to grassroots competition and create formats that players can grow with, not just compete in once.”

The tournament carries an INR 15,000 prize pool, with the primary focus placed on competitive exposure, broadcast quality, and long-term ecosystem value rather than one-off incentives.

With its inaugural edition, La Imperia sets the foundation for a new women-led esports property in India—one that combines structured competition, professional broadcast standards, and a community-first philosophy.

The post Insurgence Gaming Company Introduces La Imperia, a Community-First All-Female VALORANT Tournament appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.