Asia
World Esports Championship: CS:GO team to kick off India’s campaign on December 2
The Indian CS:GO team will be leading the country’s charge at the IESF’s 14th World Esports Championship as they take on Tajikistan in their opener on December 2.
A team, comprising of skipper Ritesh Sarda (Defaulter), Shuvajyoti Chakraborty (Mcg1LLzZz), Anshul Adarkar (KiiLSwitCh), Hrishikesh Shenoy (Crazy_Gamer) and Harsh Jain (lynX) has been placed in the Group C along with Tajikistan, Team IESF and Chile. After their eighth-place finish in the last edition of the tournament held in Eilat, Israel, the team will be determined to clinch a podium finish this time around.
Team India CS:GO captain Ritesh Sarda said “It’s been a great honour to represent India back-to-back in the WEC. We as a team are excited and prepared to play in the upcoming WEC starting next week in Bali. The world finals is going to be a huge spectacle. With the right mentality and proper grind, we have high hopes for the tournament and will try to bring the laurels to the country.”
Organised by International Esports Federation (IESF), the upcoming 14th World Esports Championship will witness the participation of top athletes from over 120 countries, competing in six different Esports titles—CS:GO, Dota 2, Tekken 7, eFootball as well as debutants PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Bang. With a massive prize pool of USD 500K (INR 4 crores approximately) up for grabs, the tournament will be conducted in Bali from December 1 to 12. Team India consists of the same athletes which represented India at the last World Esports Championship in Eilat and had won the National Qualifiers (NESC2022).
Besides CS:GO, India will also participate in the Tekken 7 and eFootball titles.
“This is another great opportunity post the Commonwealth Esports Championship for India’s esports athletes to prove their metal. With Olympics also announcing “Olympic Esports Week”, esports is inching towards its Woodstock moment; and medals in events like CEC, WEC will help in establishing India as a dominant-esports powerhouse’ globally. This set of our athletes have great potential and we are confident that they will give a tough challenge to the world’s best and emerge victorious and make our glorious nation proud. I wish them all the very best and look forward to see them triumph in their respective titles” said Yugal Kishore Sharma, Director of Esports Federation of India.
Hitesh Khorwal (Rcool) and Hemanth Kommu (Peshemak7) will represent India in the Tekken 7 and eFootball titles respectively.
Khorwal will battle it out against athletes from Pakistan, Bahamas, Venezuela and Palestine in the Group E and will be beginning his challenge against Lucius Antoine of the Bahamas on December 3.
The Indian’s clash against Arslan Siddique of Pakistan on the same day following his opening game will be one to watch out for. Arslan has won the VSFighting X, Dreamhack 2022 and Combo Breaker 2022 titles earlier this year.
“I am really glad that I will be representing India in WEC this year, this feeling is adorable and I can’t explain my emotions. WEC is always an arduous task for Tekken participants since our scene has progressed tremendously well and reached a new zenith. So it’s a moment to cherish for me. It creates a perfect scenery of success for me after putting my blood and sweat into this game. This time I am more devised for the WEC. As a mountain to climb it already is, I feel confident as well as prepared for this. It’s a great opportunity to prove my mettle against the literal virtuosos of the title and my body, soul and mind, is ready for it. Bring it on, Bali!” Hitesh expressed his excitement ahead of the World Championship Finals.
Kommu, on the other hand, will be competing against athletes from Kazakhstan, Armenia and Guinea in Group P. He will play his first match against Cheick Conde of Guinea on December 3.
“It’s an amazing feeling and honour to represent our country at the 14th WEC. It’s a huge opportunity for me to play at such a big event with the top players from different countries competing. I’m confident with my grind and will try my best to get the best results in the tournament and want to bring some glory from it back home.” Hemanth said while expressing his thoughts on getting the opportunity to represent India in the world finals.
The group stage games for Tekken 7 will be contested in the best-of-three format and for CS:GO it will be in the best-of-one.
Following the conclusion of the group stage, the Top-2 teams from each group will progress into the next round in the CS:GO and Tekken 7 titles while for eFootball only the top team of the group will qualify for the next stage.
Powered by WPeMatico
ArenaPlus
DigiPlus Wins “Digital Operator of the Year” Award at 2026 Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific
DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), the country’s premier digital entertainment provider behind BingoPlus, ArenaPlus and GameZone, has been named Digital Operator of the Year at the 2026 Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific, marking its second consecutive annual win in the category and reinforcing its leading industry position in the APAC region. The recognition was announced during the Global Gaming Awards ceremony held on June 2 at Conrad Manila.
One of the international gaming industry’s most prestigious awards programmes, the Global Gaming Awards, powered by Global Gaming Insider, recognise excellence in innovation, player experience, responsible gaming and operational excellence across both land-based and online gaming sectors. Winners are selected by a panel of senior industry executives with extensive experience and deep knowledge of the market, with the voting process independently adjudicated by KPMG to ensure rigor and transparency.
The Digital Operator of the Year category recognises operators that have demonstrated outstanding growth, innovation and player engagement over the past 12 months. DigiPlus emerged victorious from a shortlist of eight nominees, besting seven other operators across APAC.
Judges highlighted DigiPlus’ strong 2025 performance, the addition of over 500 new e-games on its platforms, and the rollout of industry-first responsible gaming tools. The company also continues its momentum in 2026 through major partnerships, including recently launched collaborations with Manny Pacquiao and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
In addition to its top industry honor, DigiPlus earned further recognition for its social impact initiatives, securing the first runner-up spot in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the Year category.
The awards body commended DigiPlus for its impressive CSR work via the DigiPlus Foundation which delivers healthcare, education, disaster relief, and social empowerment programs to over 1 million beneficiaries and counting across the Philippines.
“We are honored to once again be recognized by the Global Gaming Awards. These prestigious international industry accolades reflect DigiPlus’ unwavering pursuit of excellence and our drive to continuously innovate, deepen player engagement, and champion responsible gaming across BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, and GameZone,” said DigiPlus Chairman Eusebio H. Tanco.
“Together with the recognition for DigiPlus Foundation, this back-to-back win affirms our commitment to delivering world-class digital entertainment to Filipinos while contributing to nation-building.”
The Global Gaming Awards also hold annual editions in the Americas and EMEA regions, recognising industry excellence across the globe.
The post DigiPlus Wins “Digital Operator of the Year” Award at 2026 Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
S8UL Esports’ League of Legends roster has qualified to represent India at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, running from September 19 to October 4. The organisation said the team secured qualification through the regional qualifiers after winning the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, described as the official national qualification tournament for the Asian Games.
S8UL said the roster competing under India’s banner is Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Ahmed Shahid (Nero), and Rahul Bisht (Bob). The regional qualifiers featured 14 teams across a group stage and a split stage, with top performers advancing to the Asian Games main event.
In Group B, the team went unbeaten against Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan to progress, according to S8UL. In the split stage, it lost to Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia but did enough to secure a berth. India will now face opponents including Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam at the main event.
Four players—Kat Bot, Infi, Deadcorporal, and Lotus—were also part of India’s League of Legends contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where S8UL said the team finished fifth.
Akshaj Shenoy aka Kat Bot, captain of India’s League of Legends team, said, “Qualifying for the Asian Games is a proud moment for all of us. We knew the regional qualifiers would be extremely competitive, and every match demanded complete focus. For many of us, this will be our second Asian Games, which makes this qualification even more special because we understand the level of competition that awaits us. We are grateful to S8UL for believing in this roster and providing us with the support, stability, and opportunities needed to keep improving as a team. Representing India is always an honour, and we’ll do everything we can to make the country proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”
S8UL co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug added, “Representing India at the Asian Games is among the highest honours an athlete can achieve, and seeing our League of Legends roster earn that opportunity is incredibly special. This team has demonstrated resilience, discipline, and a willingness to continually improve, qualities that are essential for success at the international level. At S8UL, our goal has always been to create pathways for Indian athletes to compete on the biggest stages in the world. We have no doubt they will give their all when they step onto the stage in Aichi-Nagoya and compete for the nation with pride,” S8UL also noted that Gurashish Singh (Soul) and Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt) previously qualified for the Asian Games in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 after winning at NESC 2026.
The post S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) dispatched 10,500 food packs to help families affected by the massive earthquake in Mindanao.
The agency’s Chairman and CEO, Alejandro H. Tengco, explained that such assistance will help affected families cope with the challenges brought about by the disaster.
“During times of calamity, we assure our kababayans that PAGCOR is always ready to provide help. We hope and pray that affected individuals and families will soon be on their way to recovery and normalcy,” Tengco said.
According to PAGCOR, the relief food packs will be distributed in General Santos City; Mati City, Davao Oriental; the Office of Civil Defense in Region XII; and the 2nd District of Davao Oriental.
A total of 3000 food pails will be allocated each for General Santos City, Mati City, and the OCD – Region XII; while 1500 food pails will be distributed in the 2nd District of Davao Oriental through the office of Rep. Cheeno Almario, the agency added.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit offshore Maasim, Sarangani on 8 June, with more than 173,000 families affected and many provinces still reeling from loss of life, destruction and continuing aftershocks.
The post PAGCOR Sends Food Packs to Help Victims of Mindanao Earthquake appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
América Latina5 days agoLas diferencias locales de Argentina representan tanto un desafío como una oportunidad para el sector del iGaming
-
Latest News5 days ago
Connect with N1 Partners at G Gate Conf 2026
-
game-launch5 days ago
Million Games launches East West Wild slot with progressive multipliers
-
AI5 days ago
Veikkaus rolls out OpenBet’s Neccton responsible gambling platform ahead of 2027 reform
-
Gmonitor.ai4 days ago
Gmonitor llega a Latinoamérica: la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para operadores debuta en seis mercados regulados
-
Africa5 days ago
Booming Games signs content deal with World Sports Betting in South Africa
-
eSports5 days ago
G2 partners with PUBG MOBILE Esports to scale Western Europe competition
-
Latest News4 days agoSportradar Report | World Cup 2026: Opportunities for the Latin American Sports Betting Market
