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Casinomeister’s 23 Year Anniversary

Published

5 years ago

June 11, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Casinomeister, the advocate of fair play, has reached a significant milestone: twenty-three years since the launch of the website – 10 June 1998.

What began initially as a hobby site was transformed into a one-man business in the early years of the Internet. Since 1998, Casinomeister has stuck to its original mission statement:

“Trust is what it’s all about. Our mission at Casinomeister is to provide verified information; information that enables players to make smart choices. Since trust is generated by information, the more players know about online casinos, the more at ease and safer they will be.”

And so it began. Casinomeister was run primarily by Bryan Bailey, the director and owner of the website, and it was his unique vision that drove the mission of the site. In the first two months a forum was created – which is now the one of the largest and most active gamblers’ forums on the Internet. Casinomeister began publishing newsletters and a news section, and Bailey began his podcasting before “podcast” was a word in the year 2000.

Within the first few months, “Standards for Online Casinos” were established. This was a first – no other website had established any standards for advertising partners, in fact – no licensing jurisdictions were doing this either. Casinomeister thus established itself as a beacon of light for the player of online casinos. These standards have evolved into the “Standards for Casinomeister Accredited Casinos”, and now Casinomeister is one of the only sites that requires these casinos to be vetted by its membership.

Most importantly, by Casinomeister’s reach and influence within the online casino industry, he began solving players’ complaints, and is now recognized as a leading and certified Alternative Dispute Resolution service for the player community. The pioneers of the online gaming industry wanted to work with Casinomeister since it was the heartbeat of the players.

It was not until 2007 that Casinomeister evolved into a two-man band taking on Max Drayman as the Complaints Manager. This freed Bailey up to manage the other areas of areas of the website, the Rogue Casino section (“Rogue Casino” was coined by Bailey in 2000), casino reviews, webcasts, newsletters, news, the forum, and attending and speaking at iGaming Conferences around the world.

Casinomeister has since evolved into a small business with a handful of full-time employees, part-timers, and a couple of other webmasters who assist in the forum. After 23 years, Casinomeister remains a viable and leading influence on the iGaming community.

Director of Casinomeister Bryan Bailey stated, “It’s hard to fathom that an idea that was initiated during a lunch at Oscars in San Diego became what it is today. To me it’s not only a business, but a service and a gathering of like-minded people – many of whom I have grown close to. I am humbled by the fact that Casinomeister has brought so many folks together, spawned friendships, romances, and in one instance (that I know of) – a marriage. I take pride in the site, and will always stay true to my vision, my community, and to my friends. It’s been an amazing ride these past 23 years, and I’m planning to ride this out until the end of the Internets.”

1xBet

HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor

Published

6 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

hltv-awards-returns-to-belgrade-on-january-9,-2027,-adding-lifetime-achievement-honor

HLTV will stage the HLTV Awards presented by 1xBet in Belgrade, Serbia on January 9, 2027, returning to the Sava Center. The company said more than 1,000 players, industry professionals, creators, and fans are expected to attend.

HLTV also confirmed Dust2 creator David Johnston will feature as an award announcer. HLTV linked the booking to the 25th anniversary of Dust2.

For 2026, HLTV is updating its Hall of Fame process and eligibility rules. Four players will be inducted again, with “at least two and up to three” slots reserved for players from the Counter-Strike 1.6 and early eras. HLTV also removed the former “neo rule,” allowing players to be inducted for their playing careers even if they remain active in other roles such as coaching.

HLTV is adding a Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be decided by the Hall of Fame Board. The ceremony will also move Community Awards onto the main stage show for the first time, rather than the pre-show segment.

Separately, HLTV will kick off the 2027 Awards season with an invite-only “HLTV Awards by 1xBet Launch Party x GRID” in Cologne during the Major. HLTV said industry members can apply for an invite to the ceremony via its awards page.

The post HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Benjamin Bradtke Co-Founder of ThrillTech

ThrillTech lands Gibraltar B2B supplier licence

Published

6 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

thrilltech-lands-gibraltar-b2b-supplier-licence

Approval from HM Government of Gibraltar’s Gambling Division lets the supplier serve Gibraltar-licensed iGaming operators.

ThrillTech has been granted a Gambling Services (B2B) Licence by the Gambling Division of HM Government of Gibraltar, allowing the supplier to provide its opt-in jackpot and mystery reward products to regulated iGaming operators licensed in Gibraltar.

The company said the licence supports its international expansion plans and will enable it to deploy its ThrillPots product with additional operators in the jurisdiction, which hosts a number of tier-one betting and gaming brands.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing a B2B licence in Gibraltar is an important step for ThrillTech and a testament to our market-leading jackpots technology. Gibraltar is home to some of the industry’s most prestigious operators. This approval not only accelerates our global expansion strategy but now allows us to provide these major operators with new layers of player engagement which generate incremental revenue.”

ThrillTech said it seeks market-specific licences and certifications because its side-bet jackpots operate independently of operators’ core casino games and betting products. The company added that its jackpots are powered by a proprietary, certified RNG and do not alter core game RTP, with funding coming from opt-in player contributions.

According to ThrillTech, its regulated market licences and certifications also include the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Peru, and Brazil.

The post ThrillTech lands Gibraltar B2B supplier licence appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026

Published

8 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul’s-league-of-legends-roster-qualifies-to-represent-india-at-asian-games-2026

S8UL Esports’ League of Legends roster has qualified to represent India at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, running from September 19 to October 4. The organisation said the team secured qualification through the regional qualifiers after winning the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, described as the official national qualification tournament for the Asian Games.

S8UL said the roster competing under India’s banner is Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Ahmed Shahid (Nero), and Rahul Bisht (Bob). The regional qualifiers featured 14 teams across a group stage and a split stage, with top performers advancing to the Asian Games main event.

In Group B, the team went unbeaten against Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan to progress, according to S8UL. In the split stage, it lost to Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia but did enough to secure a berth. India will now face opponents including Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam at the main event.

Four players—Kat Bot, Infi, Deadcorporal, and Lotus—were also part of India’s League of Legends contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where S8UL said the team finished fifth.

Akshaj Shenoy aka Kat Bot, captain of India’s League of Legends team, said, “Qualifying for the Asian Games is a proud moment for all of us. We knew the regional qualifiers would be extremely competitive, and every match demanded complete focus. For many of us, this will be our second Asian Games, which makes this qualification even more special because we understand the level of competition that awaits us. We are grateful to S8UL for believing in this roster and providing us with the support, stability, and opportunities needed to keep improving as a team. Representing India is always an honour, and we’ll do everything we can to make the country proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”

S8UL co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug added, “Representing India at the Asian Games is among the highest honours an athlete can achieve, and seeing our League of Legends roster earn that opportunity is incredibly special. This team has demonstrated resilience, discipline, and a willingness to continually improve, qualities that are essential for success at the international level. At S8UL, our goal has always been to create pathways for Indian athletes to compete on the biggest stages in the world. We have no doubt they will give their all when they step onto the stage in Aichi-Nagoya and compete for the nation with pride,” S8UL also noted that Gurashish Singh (Soul) and Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt) previously qualified for the Asian Games in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 after winning at NESC 2026.

The post S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.