eSports

1xBet to take esports betting to new heights in 2021

Published

5 years ago

February 1, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

After winning SBC’s Esports Operator of the Year award in 2020, the 1xBet Team is looking forward to developing its offer with new partnerships and tournaments over the next 12 months as the esports market continues to flourish.

Casino Review: How exciting is it for the company to win Esports Operator of the Year?

1xBet Team: We are pleased with the results and intend to keep moving forward. Winning the SBC Award is the result of hard work and improvement. The results of the year showed that we offered players the best opportunities for betting on esports.

We reinforced our interest in esports both with a broad line and top partnerships with NAVI and Cascade.

1xBet intends to develop this direction of betting and retain the best esports operator’s title already in 2021.

CR: How important has esports become to 1xBet’s big picture in recent years? Has this accelerated this year?

1xBet Team: Esports has become part of the wide range of entertainment that 1xBet offers. Recognition of reputable awards proves that for us, this is not just another discipline in the line.

In 2020, many significant tournaments took place with huge prize money and millions of viewers. In the organization of some events, 1xBet was directly involved, as it was in the NAVI’s show match between the legends and the current CS: GO roster.

We see the interest of a significant part of the audience in this area, and therefore we offer users the most exciting promotions and events for betting.

CR: Is there a difference between your average esports bettor and your average football bettor? What’s the main challenge to converting esports fans into bettors, and how does 1xBet overcome it?

1xBet Team: Any discipline has its target audience, which may have its characteristics. Esports fans are somewhat younger than football fans. This is supported by numerous studies that show the average football fan is growing in age.

Otherwise, esports fans, like football fans, also want to test their forecasting skills, support idols, or just make money on the bet.

We know the esports audience’s values, and therefore we offer them what is of interest to them. For example, contests for the recently released Xbox Series X and Sony Playstation 5. What gamer doesn’t want to win a new console?

CR: What obstacles does the esports market face right now? Are game publishers becoming more open to working with betting companies?

1xBet Team: If we talk about esports betting, now, on the contrary, it is a very favorable environment for development. Dozens of tournaments are held every day; teams enlist the support of sponsors. Today bookmakers are contributing to the development of esports.

As far as game developers are concerned, this is a partnership issue. We would love to collaborate with a developer if the opportunity presents itself.

CR: With technology being a huge driver behind the advancement of esports, how bright is the future of esports, and what developments – tech or otherwise – are the 1xBet team most looking forward to?

1xBet Team: Cutting-edge technology doesn’t have a big impact on the development of esports. Accessibility and speed of work are what games strive for, which claim to be an esports discipline. This is a product that will run on medium systems and will be comfortable to play.

Today, Dota 2 and CS: GO are still among the most popular cyber disciplines, which will soon celebrate their 10th anniversary. We would like to see new solutions that could compete with these legendary games. The emergence of new fields would give a new impetus to the development of esports since this area is now developing quantitatively, but not always qualitatively.

eSports

NODWIN Gaming partners Runestone on integrity and real-time data for esports events

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

nodwin-gaming-partners-runestone-on-integrity-and-real-time-data-for-esports-events

Deal launches with NODWIN Clutch Series as the companies target better oversight and more interactive broadcasts across Tier 2 CS2 and beyond.

NODWIN Gaming has signed a strategic partnership with Prague-based esports technology company Runestone to add integrity monitoring and real-time data tools across NODWIN’s global tournament portfolio. The companies said the collaboration has launched with the NODWIN Clutch Series.

NODWIN and Runestone positioned the deal around tournament oversight and broadcast engagement, as organizers increasingly use data-driven tooling to support fair competition and build more interactive viewing experiences.

The partnership begins on a Tier 2 Counter-Strike 2 property. The latest edition ended with BIG winning NODWIN Clutch Series 5, beating ECSTATIC 2–1 in the grand final of the $50,000 online tournament.

Speaking on the partnership Teemu Koski, Chief Business Officer at NODWIN Gaming MENA and Global Head of Data Monetization, said, “We’re excited to partner with Runestone as we continue expanding our competitive gaming portfolio across high-growth regions and titles. Integrity and transparency are fundamental to sustainable esports ecosystems, especially in Tier 2 competition where the next generation of talent emerges. Runestone’s expertise in real-time data and integrity infrastructure complements our experience in building scalable esports IPs and competitive ecosystems. Together, we’re able to strengthen tournament operations while unlocking richer engagement experiences for fans. Starting with the NODWIN Clutch Series for CS2, we see strong potential to expand this collaboration across new IPs, new regions, and new competitive formats.”

Michael Schwartz, Head of Partnerships at Runestone, added, “NODWIN Gaming has built one of the most dynamic esports ecosystems across emerging markets, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with a partner that shares our focus on building sustainable competitive ecosystems. By combining NODWIN’s experience in operating global esports IPs with Runestone’s integrity and engagement infrastructure, we can support tournaments with greater transparency, deeper fan interaction, and scalable operational tools. Supporting the NODWIN Clutch Series is an exciting starting point, and we’re looking forward to expanding into new titles, formats, and regions together.”

The post NODWIN Gaming partners Runestone on integrity and real-time data for esports events appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

brand-partnership

G2 names Skin.Club official skin partner for its CS2 team

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

g2-names-skin.club-official-skin-partner-for-its-cs2-team

Skin.Club branding will appear on G2 jerseys, social channels and content series, with in-person activations planned.

G2 has partnered with Skin.Club as the official skin partner for its Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) team, with the deal spanning team jerseys, content and live experiences.

Under the agreement, Skin.Club will feature on G2’s CS2 team jersey as an official partner. The partnership also includes logo placement across G2’s social channels and integration within content series throughout the year, plus a “series of in-person activations,” according to the companies.

“Partnering with Skin.Club marks an exciting step forward for our G2 CS team,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. “We’re always looking to work with brands that genuinely understand the Counter-Strike community, and Skin.Club brings both passion and innovation to the space. Together, we aim to create engaging experiences for fans while continuing to push the competitive ambitions of our roster.”

“At Skin.Club, we’re focused on creating experiences that bring the Counter-Strike community closer together,” said Dan Tar, CMO of Skin.Club. “Collaborating with G2 allows us to work alongside one of the most iconic teams in esports and deliver new ways for fans to engage. Drive, Love, Counter-Strike!”

Financial terms and the partnership duration were not disclosed.

The post G2 names Skin.Club official skin partner for its CS2 team appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Counter-Strike 2

Stake and Team Vitality launch Counter-Strike fan giveaway

Published

2 days ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

Five custom gaming PC rigs, each set up by a Vitality Counter-Strike player, are available via the Stake Community Forum.

Stake has partnered with esports organisation Team Vitality on an exclusive fan giveaway tied to the Counter-Strike 2 ecosystem, offering five bespoke gaming PC rigs customised by players from Vitality’s Counter-Strike roster.

According to the companies, each setup is built to competitive standards and reflects a player’s individual preferences and playstyle. The rigs include an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor, an ASUS RTX 5070 Ti graphics card, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and ASUS B850M motherboards with integrated Wi‑Fi, alongside a 750W 80+ Gold power supply.

Team Vitality is Stake’s official esports partner, and the giveaway is positioned as part of a broader campaign around the Stake Ranked series, described by Stake as the latest instalment in its calendar of Counter-Strike 2 LAN events.

Fans can enter by creating a Stake Community Forum account and replying to the official competition post with their Stake username.

Mezii, Team Vitality said: “I’m really excited to see this PC. It’s a super clean custom build, with great attention to detail and a strong overall aesthetic. Huge thanks to Stake for delivering something that looks sharp and really captures the vibe we’re bringing to the server.”

The post Stake and Team Vitality launch Counter-Strike fan giveaway appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.