eSports
KAIROS GROUP ACQUIRES GAMING AND ESPORTS ORGANISATION HORIZON UNION
GLOBAL gaming media company, Kairos Group, has acquired gaming and esports organisation, Horizon Union (Horizon).
The latest organisation to join Kairos Group, which is also home to Kairos Media, Kyma Media, Turopium Sports and Entertainment and Kairos Ventures, Horizon will be managed and operated out of its base in Manchester.
Founded by Kieran Wood and Will Mollett in 2017, Horizon has grown to house over 35+ creators who drive and deliver content via an always-on strategy. Working alongside global brands such as GFUEL, Boost Gaming and ChampionUS, the organisation operates on the core principles of working closely with creators to provide strategic business value, within various verticals in the gaming world.
Horizon entered the esports space in January 2022 with the acquisition of esports team Top Dogs, competing in the APEX Legends Global Series (ALGS) league. With the UK esports industry continuing to show extensive growth, Horizon is hyper focused on continuing to develop and nurture grassroot competitive talent as well as establishing stature.
Alongside founding Horizon both Kieran and Will worked at Kairos Media for two years, with Kieran as an account manager and Will as a campaign manager.
Commenting on the acquisition, co-founder and operations and commercial lead at Horizon, Kieran Wood, said: “Working with the Kairos Group team for nearly 2 years has been nothing short of a life changing experience, both professionally and personally.
“The level of progression and development from working at Kairos Media and Horizon simultaneously has worked hand in hand to creating a sustainable and profitable organisation in Horizon.
“I could not be prouder of what we’ve achieved so far but we’ve still got a long way to go. Horizon’s future is looking very strong, with even more partners and creators joining and more esports ventures in the pipeline and we can’t wait to begin this next phase under the Kairos Group umbrella. “
Co-founder and talent and partnerships lead, Will Mollett, added: “A journey with Horizon that began in 2017 is now merely just the beginning come 2022.
“Working with Kairos Group is nothing short of a phenomenal opportunity for growth, not only as an organisation but also for our creators, who are always at the forefront of Horizon. Surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals, who know the space better than anybody else, assists in all areas to the highest degree. The future is bright and I cannot wait to get started.”
Founded in 2015, Kairos Group has offices in the UK (London and Manchester), with teams also in Germany, France and the USA. The group has worked with some of the largest, most exciting brands in the world, including Facebook, Epic Games, KFC, JBL and Porsche.
Drew Townley, CGO of Kairos Group and managing director of Kairos Media, said: “Will and Kieran have been some of the brightest minds and hardest workers at Kairos Media since they joined. The opportunity for Kairos Group to support a journey, that I have no doubt they would have excelled at regardless, was too good to turn down.
“It adds a completely new pillar to the Group with a gaming organisation itself, with ambitions to do esports the right way in the UK and beyond. We already have some of the most forward thinking brands on this journey with us and Horizon only adds to the incredible offering for any partner.”
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Berlin-based initiative will embed researchers with teams and publish findings with partners including German Sport University Cologne.
G2 on 5 June 2026 announced the G2 Performance Lab, an applied research and innovation platform focused on performance development for its competitive rosters. The initiative is based in Berlin and has a dedicated site at.
The lab is launching with support from Red Bull and is designed to combine scientific research with day-to-day performance work across G2 teams. G2 said it intends to share outputs beyond the organisation through scientific publications and academic work with institutions including the German Sport University Cologne.
Launched earlier this year, the Performance Lab is led by PhD candidate and G2 Performance Coach Ismael Pedraza-Ramirez. Its first project, “A Space for Leaders”, focuses on leadership development across G2 staff and sits under one of four stated pillars: coaching and coach development. The other pillars are training design & delivery, player development, and performance health & support systems, with projects planned for 2026 involving academic contributors including German Sport University Cologne and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
“As a long-standing partner of G2, Red Bull has played a central role in supporting the vision behind the G2 Performance Lab,” said Alban Dechelotte, G2 CEO. “Red Bull’s track record of investing in athlete performance and high-performance environments speaks for itself. Across traditional sports and esports alike, they share our ambition to build something truly impactful. When you have partners around the table who have that same mindset, it pushes ideas further, raises the standard, and helps challenge what’s possible.”
”The work we’re doing at the G2 Performance Lab is truly innovative for esports and sports, and is going to revolutionise how we approach performance improvement at G2 and beyond,” said Ismael Pedraza, Performance Lab Director and Performance Coach at G2. ”Elite esports competitors are incredible at what they do, yet they have the potential to go even further. Little is still known about how to properly develop them into world-class competitors, and we’re taking steps to change that with Red Bull’s support. Through robust scientific research and practical work, we’re designing the tools and building the infrastructure to bring out the best in our competitors, while also sharing our findings with the world to support the entire esports scene.”
The post G2 launches Performance Lab research unit backed by Red Bull appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BETER has won the Esports Betting Supplier award at the EGR B2B Awards 2026, securing the category for the second consecutive year.
The company said the win is its fifth industry accolade of 2026. The EGR B2B Awards recognise suppliers serving the global iGaming sector across product quality, innovation, reliability and service.
BETER’s esports offering includes its exclusive ESportsBattle content, which it says delivers more than 550,000 events annually across eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey and eTennis, with up to 50 markets per event and an average operator margin of 7.5%+. The company also said ESportsBattle received ESIC Gold Standard Accreditation in 2025 and is now available in several US states, including Kentucky, New Jersey, Arizona, Florida and Colorado.
Separately, BETER said it has expanded its eFootball schedule with more than 4,200 monthly events “tailored to key US betting hours”. It also highlighted its Esports Odds Feed, which it says covers more than 450 tournaments globally and more than 40,000 pre-match and live events annually across titles including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends and Valorant.
Adam Conway, General Manager of the Esports Business Unit at BETER, said: “Winning this award for the second year in a row is a proud moment for our team and a strong sign that operators continue to see the value of our esports products.
“Our products are built to give operators fast, reliable content that performs around the clock, not only during peak betting hours, while complementing traditional sports. That consistency is what makes the product so important in today’s sportsbook environment.
“We have continued to expand the portfolio, strengthen our US presence, and enhance our eFootball offering. Winning this category again reflects the trust that operators, partners, and the wider industry place in our products and people.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and expertise of teams across the business, including product development, trading, technology, integrity, operations, legal, commercial, marketing, and many others who contribute to our success every day. While we are proud of this achievement, it also motivates us to keep raising the bar, expanding further in regulated markets, and maintaining the high standards that have made BETER one of the industry’s leading providers of fast-paced betting content.”
The post BETER wins Esports Betting Supplier at EGR B2B Awards for second year appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Esportes Gaming Brasil director Hugo Baungartner used a panel appearance at BiS Brasília (Brazilian iGaming Summit) to argue that sports and cultural sponsorships should be measured by their long-term impact, not just brand visibility. Baungartner spoke during the session “A Importância dos Patrocínios e das Leis de Incentivo para a Sustentabilidade do Esporte e da Cultura.”
During the debate, Baungartner said sector maturity requires a long-term approach that turns sponsorships into platforms for relationship-building and local ecosystem development, connecting with fans, consumers and communities.
He highlighted the group’s sports partnerships with Corinthians, Ceará, Náutico and Ferroviária, as well as support for Brazilian cultural events including Carnaval, São João and the Festival de Parintins. Baungartner said major events can move entire supply chains by boosting tourism, commerce and job opportunities, and pointed to the importance of working with local suppliers and professionals in Parintins to expand the positive impacts of sponsorship spending.
Baungartner also addressed challenges in Brazil’s regulated betting market, saying consolidation depends on governance, integrity and consumer protection, alongside efforts to combat illegal operators. He said advances in provider regulation and stronger financial traceability mechanisms are important steps to limit unauthorized activity and improve user security.
“Patrocínio responsável é aquele que cria conexão real com o público e deixa legado no território. No esporte e na cultura, isso significa investir com governança, transparência e propósito, fortalecendo um ecossistema que gera renda, emprego e oportunidades”, afirmou.
The post Esportes Gaming Brasil exec calls for ‘responsible sponsorship’ at BiS Brasília appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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