Asia
NODWIN Gaming celebrates Chess at DreamHack, India’s largest digital festival

NODWIN Gaming, ChessBase India and comedian Samay Raina will be joining forces to further elevate the DreamHack experience for fans; a total prize pool of Rs.20 lakh on offer for the winners of this grand chess celebration
The Gaming X Chess fusion event will host a nail-biting death match on Nov 5 between two of India’s young grand masters Gukesh D and Arjun Erigaisi; for the first time ever, Comedians over the Board (COTB) will also go live at DreamHack
For fans awaiting NODWIN Gaming’s upcoming DreamHack event scheduled from November 4-6, there is an epic announcement as the party just got bigger! The much-anticipated three-day gaming event has in store a surprise for the audience with the celebration of all things ‘Chess’! In addition to an over-the-edge excitement of all the gaming fun at the event, the inclusion of chess in the largest digital festival is set to generate a palpable buzz.
In partnership with comedian Samay Raina and ChessBase India, NODWIN Gaming, the Gaming and esports arm of Nazara Technologies, has planned a chess celebration which includes an open tournament, a death-match between two leading grandmasters – Gukesh D and Arjun Erigaisi, Comedians over the Board (COTB), free chess workshops, along with some fun activities like Hand-and-brain, a Simul exhibition and meet-and-greet with other chess stars. A total prize pool of Rs.10 lakh has been announced for the winners of the DreamHack Rapid and Blitz chess tournaments that are open to all.
“By bringing a much respected and one of the oldest sports like chess to the DreamHack, we’re giving fans the experience of a lifetime! The super success of our Chess Super League showed us how loved the game is in India and how passionate this community is, which is why we wanted to celebrate chess at DreamHack. “Chess is also played over the internet just like gaming and also features the fabled over-the-board competition, exactly like a LAN event. The synergies and similarities are extremely evident and we believe that these 2 communities will love what they have to offer to each other,” said Gautam Virk, COO and Co-founder, NODWIN Gaming.
“The vision of ChessBase India has always been to make chess the most popular sport in the country. Nodwin has been a wonderful partner in this odyssey of popularizing chess. I am very happy that chess is going to be a part of an iconic event like the Dreamhack. Extremely thrilled and so looking forward,” said Sagar Shah, Co-founder and CEO, ChessBase India.
A deathmatch between two of India’s finest chess players — the 16-year-old India no. 2 and world no. 18 Gukesh D and the 19-year-old India no.3 and world no. 19 Arjun Erigaisi is scheduled on November 5. The winner of this match will take home Rs.3 lakh and the runner-up, Rs.2 lakh.
“I am excited and eagerly looking forward to battling it out with Arjun Erigaisi, my fierce rival on the board and close buddy off it. I am looking forward to a great match,” said Gukesh D, Chess Grandmaster.
Arjun Erigaisi, Chess GM added, “I was closely following the first edition of the deathmatch between Anish and Vidit, it was so thrilling and intense. Now I’m super delighted to be playing the second edition of deathmatch, that too against a very strong opponent like Gukesh. Also, as far as I can recall this is going to be my first 1 on 1 OTB that too in my backyard at Hyderabad. So all in all extremely excited.”
That’s not all. There’s more! Comedians on the Board (COTB), one of the most popular events in the world of chess that has always been hosted online by Samay Raina, will, for the first time, go live at DreamHack. Eight of the strongest chess-playing stand-up comedians including Tanmay Bhat, Samay Raina, Biswa Kalyan, Joel D’souza, Anirban Dasgupta, Vaibhav Sethia, Manik Mahna and Sumit Sourav will face off against each other to win the Rs.5 lakh prize and to become the ultimate COTB champion on November 4.
On the workshop front, there is a fun and exciting line up which includes – How to stream chess in an effective way by Samay Raina, how to make chess exciting in terms of teaching and commentating by Sagar Shah and What is needed to pursue a career as an arbiter by one of India’s finest chess arbiters IA Vivek Sohani.
DreamHack will go live from November 4-6 at Hall 1 and 3, Hitex Exhibition Center, Hitec City, Hyderabad
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Asia
JBO Thailand Launches Esports World Cup Promotion

JBO, a well-established online gaming and entertainment platform, has announced an exciting new promotion tailored for the highly anticipated Esports World Cup 2025. Esports enthusiasts in Thailand now have a compelling opportunity to win up to 30,000 Jcoin by placing wagers on the thrilling “World Cup Qualifiers” matches. This shows JBO Thailand’s commitment to giving great value and fun experiences to all its players.
This exclusive event is ongoing and will conclude on August 24, 2025, at 23:59 (GMT+8). This period strategically aligns with the intensified global esports calendar, leading up to the Esports World Cup and its critical qualifying rounds. JBO Thailand is actively creating an immersive environment that allows fans to engage more deeply with preferred teams and competitive events. Participation in the promotion is straightforward. Players are simply required to place bets on eligible “Esports World Cup Qualifiers” matches through JBO’s designated esports betting providers, IM Esports and TF Esports. The promotion is conveniently accessible via the “Reward Corner” section on the JBO platform, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience for all participants.
At the core of this attractive offer is JBO’s innovative Jcoin reward system. Players who log in to JBO and achieve a weekly turnover exceeding 3000 in the Esports category will automatically qualify for Jcoin rewards. The reward system gives bigger prizes as you play more, with up to 30,000 Jcoin available each week.
JBO also ensures a smooth and secure experience through the easy-to-use JBO app available for both Android and iOS devices. With fast withdrawals and smooth gameplay, the platform is ideal for esports fans to enjoy and earn real rewards. JBO is trusted across Asia and has Dimitar Berbatov as its brand ambassador, showing it as a top sportsbook and esports operator.
The post JBO Thailand Launches Esports World Cup Promotion appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Uzbekistan Introduces Penalties for Illegal Gambling Operations

Uzbekistan has introduced strict penalties for illegal gambling operations as the country prepares to launch its regulated betting market on October 9, 2025.
The new penalties target both domestic and foreign operators offering gambling services without a license. The new rules authorise fines indexed to the Uzbek Base Calculation Unit (BRV), a fiscal benchmark used for administrative penalties.
Foreign firms face fines of up to 25,000 Base Calculation Units, around US$882,000. Authorities can also seize illegal earnings, block access to banking and internet services, and ban repeat offenders from the Uzbek financial system. Unauthorised physical casinos, betting shops and mobile terminals will face the same sanctions.
Violations of anti-money laundering rules or personal data misuse carry fines of 15,000 BRV (about US$529,200), and unlicensed deposit-taking could result in penalties of up to US$352,900.
The changes were drafted by the National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP), which is overseeing the rollout of Uzbekistan’s new gambling law. NAPP will act as the interim regulator until a permanent authority is established.
Licensed operators must meet strict financial requirements. Online gambling firms need authorised capital of $4.57 million and a $2.05 million reserve fund. Lottery providers must show at least $1.64 million in capital and $1.11 million in reserves.
“This is not a pay-to-play regime. It’s a compliance-first market that will reward transparency and capital discipline,” NAPP has clarified in communications with potential applicants.
Gambling has been banned in Uzbekistan since 2007, except for limited state-run lotteries. The new system marks a shift from prohibition to strict regulation. A centralised system, the Unified State Register of Bets and Players (USRBP), will track all wagers and enforce ID checks and monthly betting limits.
Sanctions will be issued by NAPP’s director after internal review. Offending companies will have 15 days to appeal through NAPP or the courts. Half of all fines will go to the state budget; the rest will fund regulatory operations. Paying fines does not shield companies from further legal action.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved the new framework in 2024, requiring that gambling revenue be used to fund national sports programmes. Licensing guidelines will be released soon, with applications opening before the October launch.
The post Uzbekistan Introduces Penalties for Illegal Gambling Operations appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
NODWIN Gaming Partners with Sony LIV for Streaming Rights of Esports World Cup 2025

NODWIN Gaming, South Asia’s leading esports and gaming company, has announced that Sony LIV has acquired the Hindi and English language media rights for select matches of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, further amplifying the tournament’s reach and representation across India.
As part of the partnership, Sony LIV will stream select matches from the Esports World Cup in India, bringing the action to millions of fans in languages they resonate with. The Hindi-language broadcast will be available exclusively on the Sony LIV app and official website.
In addition, Sony LIV will also stream the weekly shows, behind-the-scenes features and player interactions spotlighting EWC athletes and teams, curated for both core and casual esports audiences. This collaboration follows NODWIN Gaming’s recent partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) to manage media rights and regional distribution across South Asia.
Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said: “Our goal is to bring the Esports World Cup to as many passionate fans across South Asia as possible, and this partnership with Sony LIV is a major step in that direction. It combines Sony LIV’s incredible reach with NODWIN’s focus on building localized, fan-first esports experiences. With both Hindi and premium English content, we are creating a viewing experience that feels personal, immersive, and truly regional.”
With the addition of Sony LIV as the exclusive Hindi broadcast partner and NODWIN Gaming as the strategic regional media and marketing partner, the EWC is poised to reach unprecedented heights in South Asia. This aligns with the mission of making esports more inclusive, accessible and locally relevant.
With top-tier Indian talent competing across multiple titles, the Esports World Cup 2025 presents a unique opportunity to showcase India’s growing presence in global esports and to unite audiences around a shared national dream.
The post NODWIN Gaming Partners with Sony LIV for Streaming Rights of Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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