eSports
BLAST Premier Spring Final set to be hosted at Altice Arena in Lisbon

Portugal’s capital will host the world’s best CS:GO players in June at BLAST’s first arena event of 2022
The BLAST Premier Spring Final (15-19 June) will take place at Altice Arena in Lisbon – the biggest indoor arena in Portugal and one of the biggest in Europe.
Eight of the world’s leading teams will head to Lisbon in June to compete for a prize pool of $425,000/€392,000 and a place in the highly-anticipated World Final in December.
Six teams have already confirmed their place at the Spring Final, including newly ranked world number one team FaZe Clan, who are coming into the event in fine form off the back of winning IEM Katowice in February and claiming first place at this month’s ESL Pro League Season 15.
FaZe Clan will be joined by NAVI, Team Vitality, G2, OG and BIG. The remaining two teams will be made up of winners from each regional Spring Showdown (27 April – 1 May) that takes place later this month.
June’s Spring Final will be the second BLAST event to take place in Lisbon – following the BLAST Pro Series, which sold out at the same venue back in December 2018.
BLAST Premier’s first arena event of 2022 will be played in front of a 6,000 crowd on the Saturday (18 June) and Sunday (19 June), while the first three days (15-17 June) of the event will be played behind closed doors in the arena.
Tickets for the event will go on sale on Thursday, 21st April.
Charlotte Kenny, Managing Director of BLAST Premier, said: “We are delighted to announce our return to Lisbon nearly four years since the BLAST Pro Series in 2018. Our previous experience with the Portuguese Counter-Strike community was incredible, so this is the perfect setting for BLAST Premier’s first arena event of 2022. Altice Arena, one of Europe’s biggest indoor venues, is a great place to welcome eight of the world’s leading CS:GO teams and our fantastic fanbase. We can’t wait to be back and to showcase what makes BLAST Premier so special.”
BLAST Premier is the world’s leading Counter-Strike tournament series, hosting the best players and teams, offering opportunities to regions across the globe and crowning the world champions of CS:GO. Up to 32 of the best teams take part in the seven BLAST Premier events across the year with a combined prize pool of $2,475,000 on the line.
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eSports
Ninjas in Pyjamas Renews Partnership with Red Bull

NIP Group subsidiary Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP), a legendary esports organisation founded in Sweden in 2000, has officially renewed their partnership with iconic energy drink brand Red Bull. Originally teaming up in November 2022, NIP and Red Bull will strengthen operations, drive growth and expand their reach in esports. Red Bull’s global reputation opens new doors across content creation, fan engagement and operational stability for NIP, whilst Red Bull can reach NIP’s young and engaged audience as part of their continued commitment to the esports industry.
This renewed agreement will engage esports fans through exclusive player content – such as behind-the-scenes tournament footage – alongside the integration of Red Bull branding in Ninjas in Pyjamas’ social media, streams, player jerseys across multiple teams and events.
NIP and Red Bull will also work together on various activations, including the annual [SWE] CS Summit held at Red Bull Gaming Sphere in Stockholm, which sees leaders in the Swedish Counter-Strike scene come together to discuss and shape the future of their national scene. Supporting the Swedish esports scene and driving positive change at a national level is a key pillar of this partnership, which both will take steps to achieve through various activations.
Hicham Chahine, Co-CEO of NIP Group, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Red Bull over the past two years, collaborating on a series of highly successful projects. The more we work together, the clearer it has become that we align strongly on values and how to create meaningful experiences for our fans. We are truly delighted to continue this journey with them. Their passion for innovation and excellence aligns perfectly with our vision, and together, we look forward to pushing the boundaries of this industry even further.”
The post Ninjas in Pyjamas Renews Partnership with Red Bull appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
PandaScore and Orenes Grupo unite

Leading online sportsbook and casino operator in Spain and Mexico integrates provider’s cutting-edge esports odds feed
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports data, odds and betting products, has added yet another tier-one operator to its roster of partners after signing a deal with Orenes Grupo.
The partnership sees Orenes Group deploy PandaScore’s powerful Odds feed across its online betting brands in Spain and Mexico, allowing it to offer comprehensive and competitive odds for some of the most popular esports disciplines.
PandaScore’s Odds Feed really is unrivalled in the scope of markets and the value of the odds it allows operators to offer to their players. It uses a sophisticated model backed by a team of experienced traders including specialist traders for each discipline including CS2, Dota 2 and LoL.
PandaScore has seen a surge in demand for its esports betting data, odds and products as the vertical continues to go from strength to strength, especially as more tier-one brands look to get in on the action. This has seen PandaScore pass €1 billion in esports bets through its platform.
In addition to its Odds Feed, PandaScore offers a range of products including a smart BetBuilder, MicroBetting markets and an innovative AI-powered StoryBuilder.
João Carvalho, Senior Sales Manager at PandaScore, said: “Orenes Grupo has established itself as a leading operator in both Spain and Mexico with its sportsbook and casino brands and through this partnership with PandaScore, can really strengthen that position with a compelling esports betting offering.
“Demand for esports betting is on the rise and savvy operators are looking to capitalise on this by offering markets and odds to their players, which is what Orenes Grupo can now while being confident its odds are among the most competitive.
“We are thrilled to add another power player to our network of partners and look forward to working with the Orenes Grupo team to help the operator maximise the opportunity that esports betting presents.”
Vicente Rabasco, Head of Product & PMO at Orenes Grupo, added: “PandaScore is a leading provider of esports betting odds and products and we really couldn’t think of a better partner to be working with.
“We have established and defended our position by embracing new trends and delivering experiences our players demand, and this deal with PandaScore allows us to really build momentum behind our esports betting offering by putting quality at the heart of our proposition.”
The post PandaScore and Orenes Grupo unite appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
BETBY LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE CUSTOM CS2 LEAGUE FOR CSGOEMPIRE

BETBY, a premium provider of innovative sports betting solutions, has announced the launch of a custom-made Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) league exclusively for CSGOEmpire, a leading operator in the esports sector. This latest addition reinforces BETBY’s commitment to delivering tailored esports experiences that enhance engagement and offer operators unique branding opportunities.
The newly introduced league, integrated into BETBY’s award-winning esports content portfolio BETBY Games, fully replicates the lifecycle of a real CS2 match. It follows a best-of-three (BO3) format with a maximum of 24 rounds (MR24) and overtime, incorporating side switches, weapon purchases, bomb plants, and all the mechanics that define real CS2 gameplay.
Featuring top teams from the HLTV ranking, the league ensures a high level of competition. Additionally, a special guest team, ‘Empire’, representing CSGOEmpire’s brand owners, joins the lineup with an up-to-date roster. This exclusive league was made possible through complex mathematical modeling and advanced infrastructure. It is available only on CSGOEmpire, providing its audience with an unparalleled esports betting experience.
This initiative is part of BETBY’s broader strategic collaboration with Moonrail Limited, the parent company of CSGOEmpire. Through this partnership, BETBY has provided its cutting-edge technology and services to enhance CSGOEmpire’s sportsbook operations, further strengthening its position in the sports betting sector.
Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Sportsbook Product at BETBY, commented: “Our partnership with CSGOEmpire to develop a custom CS2 league highlights our ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of innovation in esports betting. We have meticulously designed this league to replicate the real dynamics of professional CS2 gameplay, ensuring that CSGOEmpire’s users enjoy an authentic and engaging experience that cannot be found anywhere else.”
A representative from CSGOEmpire added: “At CSGOEmpire, we are always looking for ways to bring our users the most authentic and immersive esports betting experiences. BETBY’s ability to develop a fully customized CS2 league that mirrors real gameplay is a game-changer for us. This exclusive league not only strengthens our brand identity but also provides our community with a truly unique betting product they won’t find anywhere else.”
The launch of this league builds upon BETBY’s previous announcement introducing customizable esports tournaments, allowing operators to create tailor-made leagues that align with their brand identity. This framework enables partners to personalize various aspects of their tournaments, from team branding to in-game visuals, making content more engaging and brand-specific. The collaboration with CSGOEmpire is a prime example of how this approach can deliver a unique product that resonates with the platform’s users.
The post BETBY LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE CUSTOM CS2 LEAGUE FOR CSGOEMPIRE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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