eSports
Prodigy Agency kick-offs a new season of its academy program “The Prodigies” to enlighten CS:GO rising talents

The leading esports players agency, Prodigy Agency, announced to be back on track for a new season with its innovative academy program named “The Prodigies”, with the support of Razer as the main partner of the project.
Prodigy Agency, founded and directed by Jérôme Coupez, represent some of the best players around the world , including some of the biggest stars in esports like Mathieu « ZywOo » Herbaut and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire on CS:GO, Adil « ScreaM » Benrlitom, Tyson « TenZ » Ngo on Valorant, Carl-Antoni « Carl Jr. » Cloutier on Trackmania, Alexandre « Kaydop » Courant on Rocket League, or Kacper « Inspired » Słoma on League of Legends.
Groundbreaking concept
Officially launching its own CSGO academy program called “The Prodigies” Prodigy Agency is paving the way for a new approach to players’ scouting. The purpose of Prodigy’s brand new concept is to support young promising CSGO players from the very beginning to provide them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get visible in front of top tiers organizations.
Each and every player taking part in “The Prodigies” will get their first salary, massive exposure as well as complete support to sustain their growth and teach them how to evolve in a competitive sphere: coaching staff, experienced players feedback (apEX, NBK, etc), boot camps in the Prodigy Agency facilities, guidance from Prodigy Agency, and much more!
Everything is set up with the goal to find a professional structure for each of them, either on a top-tier academy roster or as a starting lineup of a professional well-established team.
4 seasons will be held each year, based on the ESEA Seasons calendar, giving the chance to all players to be candidates for each season, via public applications.
Massive adoption and interest by the community
After a public call for applications via twitter, Prodigy Agency and Jerome Coupez received more than 200 viable applications from players who wanted to prove themselves.
After a proper selection process, 50 players participated in trials until the final draft of the 6 players who will have the chance to compete under “The Prodigies” project for the ESEA Season 42 and other competitions!
The application process for all season will always remain public to give a chance to everyone to be selected.
Ambitious roadmap sustained by premium partners
After the first “The Prodigies” test seasons, 7 players have been already signed to academies or professional teams like OG Academy or K1CK. Starting this summer, “The Prodigies” is reaching a new level with proper trials, and providing everything needed to the selected players with the support of its main partner Razer (peripherals), and CS.MONEY (skins), Refrag.gg (training and preparation), Scope.gg (data analytics).
During this season, players part of the academy program will be mainly competing in the ESEA Season 42 circuit but will also participate in punctual events and qualifiers, opening in August 2022. All ESEA matches will have a high quality stream, with PewPew as the main production partner and professional casters, to maximize the exposure of the players.
Total commitment from Prodigy Agency
The players will be contracted with Prodigy Agency and will benefit from the same support as their star players part of the agency. Added to this, no buyout/transfer fee will be put into place: the players will be able to join a professional team at any time with the guidance and full support of Prodigy Agency.
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Asia
KONAMI Teams Up with Sunil Chhetri to Celebrate Diwali with Exclusive eFootball™ Content and National Tournament

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Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. (KONAMI) today announced a historic collaboration with Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri, bringing his exclusive player card and avatar to eFootball. Launched today, 9th October, the move is timed with the celebration of Diwali, marking a milestone moment for Indian fans. Adding to the celebrations, Konami also unveils the Diwali Cup, a national level eFootball
tournament with a ₹1 Lakh prize pool, allowing fans a chance to celebrate one of the country’s most festive seasons and also play as a national icon.
Registrations for the tournament are now open via the eFootball India Discord server, closing on 16th October Matches commence between October 16 to 30, with top performers and the winner able to secure an opportunity to meet celebrity guests such as Sunil Chhetri, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Focused Indian and Ahan Shetty at the exclusive event in Mumbai this December. The Diwali Cup is designed to blend competition with festivity, giving fans a chance to celebrate the season on and off the virtual pitch.
To further embrace the spirit of Diwali, the brand will also introduce a special in-game ‘Diwali Campaign’ From themed jerseys and firework goal effects to celebratory profile banners, these exclusive design elements aim to bring an Indian cultural flavor into the game. Ensuring fans can experience both the festival and the beautiful game in a unique way. Additionally, fans can look forward to obtaining the Sunil Chhetri Starter Set on sale from November onwards.
Speaking about the launch, Junichi Taya, eFootball General Producer at KONAMI, said: “India has an incredible passion for football, and Sunil Chhetri stands as a true symbol of that spirit. We are honored to celebrate his career with this special in-game card. Additionally, as we look to build a stronger presence in the sub-continent, we are seeking to embrace localized activations, and this aligns with our vision perfectly. This collaboration reflects our long-term commitment to Indian fans as we look forward to seeing them celebrate both their hero and their festival inside eFootball
.”
With over two decades of international football, Sunil Chhetri’s arrival in eFootball marks a new chapter in honoring his legacy. For fans across India, the launch is aimed to be a celebration of national pride, passion, and the growing power of Indian football. As KONAMI pushes ahead to deliver meaningful, localized experiences across the subcontinent, the brand seeks to ensure Indian fans remain at the heart of eFootball
.
The post KONAMI Teams Up with Sunil Chhetri to Celebrate Diwali with Exclusive eFootball™ Content and National Tournament appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
BETBY JOINS ESIC AS OFFICIAL TIER 1 ANTI-CORRUPTION PARTNER

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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) is pleased to welcome BETBY as its newest Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner. As a sportsbook solutions provider operating across global markets, BETBY’s collaboration with ESIC demonstrates a commitment to mitigating integrity risks within the esports ecosystem.
ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program brings together betting operators and key industry stakeholders who contribute directly to the detection, analysis, and investigation of suspicious betting activity. Supporters play a vital role in safeguarding esports from threats such as match manipulation, betting fraud, and related integrity breaches by providing data and operational cooperation in ESIC’s monitoring and enforcement framework.
As part of its Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner role, BETBY will share critical insights with ESIC, enhancing the Commission’s capacity to identify and address potential risks in real time. BETBY’s cooperation strengthens ESIC’s ability to protect the integrity of competitions and reinforces BETBY’s alignment with global standards of transparency and accountability in esports betting operations.
By joining ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program, BETBY becomes part of a global network of operators and stakeholders working with ESIC to uphold fairness, credibility, and trust within the esports ecosystem. This collaboration highlights the shared industry responsibility to establish sustainable standards of integrity and ensure long-term confidence in the growth of esports and esports betting.
Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC, commented: “BETBY’s recognition as a Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the integrity framework of the global esports ecosystem. ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program relies on the proactive cooperation of stakeholders like BETBY, whose data and operational insights contribute directly to our ability to identify and mitigate integrity threats. This cooperation is another important step towards ensuring that esports competitions remain fair, credible, and sustainable for all participants and stakeholders.”
Leonid Pertsovskiy, CEO at BETBY added: “Integrity has always been at the heart of BETBY’s values and vision. Esports is one of the fastest-growing sectors in our industry, and with that growth comes a responsibility to ensure it develops on a foundation of fairness, trust, and transparency. By joining forces with ESIC, we are not only supporting higher standards of governance in esports, but also reaffirming our dedication to creating a sustainable and ethical competitive environment. At BETBY, we believe that innovation and excellence can only thrive when they are built on integrity, and this partnership reflects our long-term commitment to the future of esports.”
The post BETBY JOINS ESIC AS OFFICIAL TIER 1 ANTI-CORRUPTION PARTNER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BETER
BETER Teams Up with FIRST

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In-demand fast-betting content provider brings its esports and sports products to a Tier-1 sportsbook supplier
BETER, the award-winning provider of fast-betting content and data for esports and sports, has entered into a strategic partnership with FIRST – Best in Sports, a Tier-1 sportsbook supplier.
Through this collaboration, FIRST will integrate fan-favorite ESportsBattle tournaments, initially taking eFootball and eBasketball, as well as world-renowned Setka Cup table tennis tournaments.
BETER delivers 24/7 live streaming, real-time data, and hyper-accurate odds for approximately 700,000 fast-paced events each year, offering up to 50 markets per event with an average operator margin of 7.5%+.
Its esports portfolio includes ESportsBattle tournaments, featuring eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey, and the recently launched eTennis. Its sports portfolio features the Setka Cup table tennis series, BSKT Cup basketball league, GTR Cup tennis tournaments, Padel tennis, as well as coverage of official cricket tournaments and leagues worldwide.
BETER ensures the highest standards of fairness and transparency across its content offerings, backed by collaborations with ESIC and IBIA.
FIRST – Best in Sports delivers a fully managed, high-performance sportsbook engineered for speed, scale and precision. With sportsbook specialization at its core, FIRST helps operators in LatAm, Europe and Africa compete at the highest level from day one, combining sharp pricing and risk, deep trading expertise, regional insight, and rapid rollout to accelerate performance.
Both companies were recognized among the best at the recent SBC Awards ceremony, with BETER receiving the Silver Award in the Live Betting Product category, while FIRST was named Sportsbook Supplier of the Year.
Gal Ehrlich, CEO of BETER, said: “The partnership between BETER and FIRST brings together two pioneering providers committed to delivering next-generation betting experiences.
“FIRST has launched our collaboration by integrating a suite of our most popular products—EsportsBattle for esports and Setka Cup for sports—both proven to engage players and deliver the fast-betting thrills they seek.
“This is a great partnership, and our teams are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
Tom Light, CEO of FIRST, added: “BETER’s fast-betting portfolio fits exactly what FIRST was built for: a high-performance sportsbook crafted by specialists.
“Together, we give operators a direct route to Tier-1 competitiveness, faster time-to-market, higher player engagement, and the confidence to go head-to-head with the biggest brands across LatAm, Europe and Africa from day one.”
The post BETER Teams Up with FIRST appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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