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ESPL, India’s first-ever franchise-based Esports league signs Infinix Mobile as title sponsor

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India’s first-ever franchise-based Esports league, the Esports Premier League (ESPL) has partnered with smartphone maker Infinix Mobile as the title sponsor for its inaugural edition with an aim to revolutionise the Esports in the country and bring its excitement to the mainstream through the nationwide tournament. The tournament wants to tap into the growing landscape of esports in the country to help the competitive gaming community. This segment has received a significant boost in the last year as an increasing number of users are spending time on smartphones for gaming.

Aiming to give Esports ecosystem in India a complete makeover and rise Esports and gaming in the Indian market with the upcoming top-notch event, India Today Group, which has forayed into esports, is geared up to roll out Season 1 of the league from June 16. The league will witness a massive total prize pool worth Rs 25 lakhs. It has teamed up with Garena to create an exclusive gaming platform for Free Fire—the most popular battle royale game currently played by gamers and gaming enthusiasts in India. ESPL will enable players from across the country to showcase their skills on this mega national stage for the first time.

The league will be streamed on multiple platforms including OTT giant Disney+ Hotstar as well as the official YouTube and Facebook channels of India Today and Aaj Tak along with their websites.

ESPL intends to be the largest platform to discover and nurture new gaming talent across India. As part of the effort to push gaming to the mainstream, ESPL will offer all the 8 teams and their players’ comprehensive media coverage across various media platforms including digital, print, TV, and more. This will help upcoming esports professionals gain fame and stardom on par with other conventional sports.

While talking about the launch of Esports Premier League (ESPL) and its association with Infinix Mobile, India Today Group Vice Chairperson, Kalli Purie said: “This pandemic and the resultant lockdown have contributed to propelling the esports industry into mainstream entertainment. India Today’s Gaming and Esports platform will provide a thrilling experience to its users through a wide range of games, online tournaments, and an opportunity to win exciting prizes. These are very exciting times as smartphone usage continue to grow exponentially and I believe the partnership with Infinix Mobile will help us intensify our mission of taking Esports to the next level in India.”

With the pandemic and lockdown still in place, ESPL will be played as a virtual tournament in its inaugural edition and comprise of more than 700 online matches with about 300 plus hours of streaming. The Hong Kong-based smartphone giant, Infinix Mobile is keen on pushing the envelope when it comes to the latest and greatest in technology with its upcoming, Note 10 line-up of devices.

“The Indian online gaming industry is growing at a rate of almost 27% per annum and is estimated to reach $2.8B by 2022. The current pandemic situation has further fuelled the growth of the gaming industry in India. At Infinix, we are part of this revolution by making devices for the mid-range segment that is feature-rich and enhance the users gaming experience, to further amplify the gaming capability of a user our R&D has developed a technology called Darlink which optimizes and improves the performance of a device on several parameters. Our partnership with India Today for the Esports Premier League is just another step towards achieving the same goal. We look forward to a fruitful association and intend to encourage budding talent in this field,” Mr. Anish Kapoor, CEO of Infinix Mobile said while announcing the association.

The tournament, which will be played over a period of two and a half months, will have initial two levels to screen the best eight teams which progress into the grand finale representing eight cities across the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

To participate in the league, gaming enthusiasts and gamers can register themselves on www.indiatodaygaming.com/espl

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PAGCOR Enforces Accreditation for All iGaming Service Providers by 2026

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The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has given gaming affiliates, developers and support service providers until early 2026 to comply with its newly implemented B2B Accreditation Framework, a regulatory system that formalises participation in the iGaming supply chain.

Companies that submit applications by December 31, 2025, will qualify for a three-year initial accreditation, while unaccredited foreign content providers face removal from licensed platforms after March 31, 2026.

The framework, which took effect on October 2, sets mandatory accreditation requirements for all third-party entities providing gaming content, systems or technical support to PAGCOR-licensed operators.

Accreditation covers several categories, including gaming affiliates, game content providers (GCPs) and support service providers (SSPs). Gaming affiliates may act as aggregators that distribute multiple game titles to operators, while GCPs are developers or studios supplying electronic game software or live-streamed content.

Accreditation is valid for two years from the date of PAGCOR Board approval, an increase from the previous one-year term.

Foreign data or content streaming providers that fail to secure accreditation by the March 2026 deadline will have their content deemed “non-compliant and unauthorized.” They may appoint a Philippine-registered company or a PAGCOR-accredited Gaming System Administrator as their exclusive distributor instead of setting up a local office.

PAGCOR has warned that licensed operators using unaccredited service providers may face sanctions.

The post PAGCOR Enforces Accreditation for All iGaming Service Providers by 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Aquisitions/Mergers

Gregorio Araneta to Sell its Entire 57% Stake in PhilWeb to Nexora Holdings and Velora Holdings

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Philippine eGames provider PhilWeb’s principal shareholder Gregorio Araneta Inc (GAINC) is going to sell its entire 57% stake in PhilWeb to Nexora Holdings Inc and Velora Holdings Inc for a total consideration of Php1.8 billion (US$30.8 million), representing 829,574,354 common shares.

GAINC is owned by Gregorio “Greggy” Araneta III, a member of the powerful Araneta family and the brother-in-law of Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Given that the transaction would involve control of more than 35% of the outstanding voting shares of PhilWeb, the buyers will be required to conduct a mandatory tender offer to remaining shareholders to acquire full control of the company as per local laws.

PhilWeb noted that the buyers are closely linked to the company, with current PhilWeb President & Director Edgar Brian K. Ng also serving as President, Chairman & a Director of Nexora, while current PhilWeb Vice Chairman and Director Crisanto Roy B. Alcid is a Director and the Treasurer of Nexora.

The post Gregorio Araneta to Sell its Entire 57% Stake in PhilWeb to Nexora Holdings and Velora Holdings appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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DigiPlus Announces Partnership with Bayad

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DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), the pioneer in digital entertainment in the Philippines, announced an exclusive partnership with Bayad, a trusted authority in bills payment services, to expand over-the-counter (OTC) or physical payment options for players of BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone.

The partnership was formally signed on October 8, 2025, led by top executives from both companies: Eusebio H. Tanco, Chairman of DigiPlus; Jasper Vicencio, President of AB Leisure Exponent Inc., a subsidiary of DigiPlus; Ray C. Espinosa, Chairman of Bayad; and Lawrence Y. Ferrer, President and CEO of Bayad. The agreement is effective immediately, making DigiPlus Bayad’s only gaming partner for OTC cash transactions.

Through this collaboration, DigiPlus customers gain access to Bayad’s extensive network of payment touchpoints, present across 800+ Bayad Center branches and Bayad Partners in malls, supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.

Bayad is accredited by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as an Electronic Money Issuer (EMI). DigiPlus partners only with BSP-accredited payment channels in accordance with the requirements of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), ensuring that all player wallet transactions are processed through secure and compliant payment platforms.

BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone players can now make cash-ins or deposits through Bayad. Additional features including cash-outs or withdrawals and access through the Bayad App will be rolled out in next phases, providing DigiPlus customers with more options to manage their funds conveniently and safely.

“At DigiPlus, our priority is to deliver engaging entertainment while ensuring safe and reliable services for our players. This partnership with Bayad provides customers with more secure and convenient ways to manage their transactions, reinforcing our commitment to player protection and dependable service at every touchpoint,” said Eusebio H. Tanco, Chairman of DigiPlus Interactive Corp.

“Today, we take another meaningful step forward through our partnership with DigiPlus. Together, we’re expanding access to digital channels and offering new, engaging, and responsible ways for Filipinos to experience convenience and entertainment made possible by accessible and inclusive financial services,” said Atty. Ray C. Espinosa, Chairman of the Board at Bayad.

The Bayad payment channels partnership adds to DigiPlus’ growing customer service network and player support, which already includes its in-house 24/7 customer support, 130+ physical BingoPlus stores nationwide and a surety bond for player wallets. These expanding service touchpoints reflect DigiPlus’ continued commitment to delivering digital entertainment with safe, reliable and accessible service for Filipinos.

The post DigiPlus Announces Partnership with Bayad appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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