Eastern Europe

Parimatch partners with UESF for the Ukrainian Esports Championship of CS: GO and Dota 2

Published

4 years ago

June 16, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Ukrainian Esports Federation is thrilled to announce the largest newest CS: GO and Dota 2 esports championship—the UESF Parimatch Championship of Ukraine with a total competition prize pool worth UAH 1,500,000.
UAH 1,000,000 will go to competition winners as will another UAH 250,000 but in the shape of game devices from the tournament partners, and the remaining UAH 250,000—also made up of game devices, monitors, and game PCs—will constitute the prize draw for tournament spectators and UESF subscribers on social networks.

The online part of the competition from UESF, Parimatch, and Eldorado will take place from July 17 to October 3, 2021, and the Grand Final of the Championship of Ukraine will take place in Kyiv’s WePlay Esports Arena in mid-October 2021 (exact date to be announced later).
Competition matches will be broadcast on TV with the support of the Megogo media service.

Format of the Championship of Ukraine in stages
In the first qualifying round, the matches will be held in a Best of One (BO1) Round-Robin format. The total number of registered competing teams will be divided into 16 groups.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

In the second qualifying round, matches will again be played according to the BO1 Round-Robin system. Based on the results of the groups in the first qualifying stage, the TOP-4 teams will be invited to 4 groups (A, B, C, D); 16 teams will be competing in each group.

The main stage is the last qualifying stage before the playoffs of the Championship of Ukraine. It will be held according to the BO2 Round-Robin match format. The main stage consists of two leagues: League A and League B. The teams that took the first 6 places groups A and B are invited to compete in League A, while the top 6 teams from groups C and D receive invitations to League B.

In addition, the Organizing Committee of the Ukrainian Esports Federation invites another 4 teams to compete in this stage— two teams in League A and two in League B.

Hatemania, EC Dnipro, Purple Pills, and BlackSea have been invited to the semifinal stage of the CS: GO Championship of Ukraine.
The semifinals consist of playoffs in Leagues A and B and are held according to the single-elimination system with the BO2 match format—8 teams in each playoff. The teams that take the first 6 places in League A and B compete in this stage. In addition, the Ukrainian Esports Federation also invites 4 teams to perform at this stage—2 each from League A and League B.

Akuma, Esports Club Kyiv, Marlian Esports, and TBA have been invited to participate in the semifinals of the CS: GO Championship of Ukraine. And Burning Fire, BackStreetBoys, Cascade Esports, and PayForWin will take part in the semifinals of the Dota 2 tournament.

The 8 teams competing in the final, Super Playoffs, stage will be the TOP-4 teams from the playoffs of both League A and League B. The matches will be held according to the double-elimination system with the BO3 match format.

Compliance Updates

CEO of PIN-UP Global claims the charges against the Ukrainian partner to be legally absurd

Published

1 week ago

February 13, 2025

George Miller

ceo-of-pin-up-global-claims-the-charges-against-the-ukrainian-partner-to-be-legally-absurd

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) of Ukraine initiated criminal proceedings against the owner of the PIN-UP Ukraine operator (Ukr Game Technology LLC), Ihor Zotko, on charges of high treason and aiding and abetting Russia. It entailed freezing of the company’s accounts and complete suspension of its operations.

The accusations are based on license payments that Ukr Game Technology LLC (Brand PIN-UP.UA) transferred to PIN-UP Global (GuruFlow Team LTD), an international iGaming holding company registered in a European jurisdiction.

Marina Ilina, CEO of PIN-UP Global, strongly denies the accusations, stating that these are legitimate payments under the software license agreement. She emphasizes that GuruFlow Team LTD has transparent operations, is licensed in Europe and has no financial transactions with Russia.

“These accusations do not stand up to criticism. I am a Ukrainian and openly support my country. All the activities of my company are transparent and can be easily verified. We have no financial transfers to Russia, but only legitimate business operations. The case against Ukr Game Technology LLC may create a dangerous precedent in which standard commercial operations, such as royalty payments to international companies, are equated with a crime,” Ilina said.

According to her, the mere fact of the investigation led by the SBI raises serious concerns and looks like an element of pressure, since, according to the legislation, cases of high treason are in the competence of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), not the SBI.

Ilina believes that the development of the situation around Ukr Game Technology LLC may affect the international business perception of the investment climate in Ukraine and create risks for operation of foreign iGaming companies in the country.

The post CEO of PIN-UP Global claims the charges against the Ukrainian partner to be legally absurd appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

Imagine Live Receives ONJN License

Published

2 weeks ago

February 10, 2025

George Miller

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Imagine Live, the live casino provider has been approved by ONJN – the Romanian regulator

Imagine Live is thrilled to announce that it has successfully obtained the Class II license in Romania through its subsidiary ImagineLive Ro for the streaming of Live Casino games.

Martin Martirosyan Imagine Live Group CEO, commented: “Imagine Live is an established brand committed to delivering exceptional products and gaming experiences by putting the player at the centre of the live gaming experience. Imagine Live is equally committed to providing premium and customised live dealer solutions with bespoke tables and studios for our Romanian operator partners to ensure a complete brand experience that players enjoy and return, which drives deeper engagement and revenue opportunities.

The successful regulatory Class II approval from the Romanian ONJN regulatory authority further underpins our company’s growth plans and investments for state-of-the-art live dealer studios and customised live dealer product experiences.”

The post Imagine Live Receives ONJN License appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Central Europe

GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12!

Published

2 weeks ago

February 10, 2025

George Miller

gamingtech-cee-awards-2025:-the-online-voting-battle-begins-february-12!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The highly anticipated GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025 is entering its next thrilling phase as the online voting period kicks off on February 12 and runs through February 28, 2025. Nominees, get ready to enter the spotlight and prepare your communications campaigns! From the moment voting opens, all nominated companies and individual professionals will be visible, giving them the opportunity to rally support via social media and beyond to secure votes.

The GamingTECH CEE Awards celebrates outstanding achievements, embracing the latest advancements and industry trends in the region. Following a rigorous nomination process that concluded on January 19, the upcoming online voting session will determine the shortlists.

Key Dates:

Online Voting Period: February 12–28, 2025
Shortlist Announcement: March 4, 2025
Final Live Vote & Awards Ceremony: March 25, 2025, at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit

New Rule for 2025:

This year, the GamingTECH CEE Awards introduces an important update: Each voter will only be allowed one vote for the entire online voting period. Nominees are encouraged to actively engage their industry peers and supporters to maximize their chances of advancing to the finals.

From “Shortlisted” to “Finalist”

Additionally, only shortlisted nominees who confirm their attendance at the Awards by purchasing a ticket for the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit will be eligible to advance to the final voting stage. This ensures a fair competition for the Awards between equally committed finalists, and a strong industry presence at the Summit to foster greater networking and engagement.

The final live vote will take place at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit on March 25, 2025, where all event participants will have the opportunity to cast their votes and determine the ultimate winners. The winners will then be officially announced at the GamingTECH CEE Awards Ceremony, proudly sponsored and presented by Endorphina.

Awards Categories:

Individual Categories:

CEE iGaming Leader of the Year: Recognizing an individual from the CEE region who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and a strong impact in the iGaming industry. This person has driven growth and innovation in the region, setting the benchmark for others.
CEE Rising Star in iGaming: Celebrating an individual from the CEE region who has shown remarkable promise and potential in the iGaming industry early in their career. This award highlights emerging talent that is expected to shape the future of iGaming in the region.
CEE Innovator of the Year: Awarding the individual who has introduced the most groundbreaking innovations in the CEE iGaming sector. This person has significantly contributed to the evolution of the industry through unique products, services, or technologies tailored to the regional market.
CEE iGaming Influencer of the Year: Honoring a prominent individual whose influence and insights have significantly shaped the CEE iGaming community. Their thought leadership, content, or social presence has driven trends and fostered growth within the regional iGaming space.
Best iGaming CEO in CEE: Recognizing the CEO based in the CEE region who has led their company to new heights with outstanding strategic direction and business acumen. This award honors their ability to navigate the unique challenges of the CEE market and achieve exceptional business growth.

Get Involved & Secure Your Spot

Set your reminders and be ready for action on 12 February 2025! Encourage your peers, partners, and clients to participate in the voting process and ensure that your company or favorite nominee makes it to the final stage!

For more details on the awards, voting process, and ticketing information, visit https://hipther.com/events/prague/gamingtech-awards/ or contact HIPTHER at [email protected].

Join us in shaping the future of gaming and technology in CEE – Cast your vote and be part of the journey!

The post GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.