Global esports prize pools exceeded $270 million in 2025, a 15.5% increase year-over-year, according to new research from eSportRanker. Despite this growth, prize money remains concentrated. Saudi Arabia, China and the US together hosted roughly half of all prize money across the world’s top ten esports nations, highlighting how a few markets dominate major tournament hosting.

The analysis draws on Esports Charts host-country data covering more than 10,500 tournaments across 100+ esports titles worldwide. The research examines not only how much prize money was distributed, but where tournaments were hosted and what structural factors allowed certain countries to rise to the top.

Saudi Arabia ranked first globally with $39.66 million in hosted prize pools, driven largely by the Esports World Cup circuit in Riyadh, which staged tournaments across titles including Dota 2, PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Honor of Kings.

China ranked second with $34.82 million, supported by its publisher-controlled domestic league system, including Tencent’s King Pro League Grand Finals 2025, which alone carried a prize pool of nearly $10 million.

The US placed third with $23.12 million, reflecting a diversified esports ecosystem with tournaments across multiple publishers and game genres.

The top ten countries by hosted esports prize pools in 2025 were:

Saudi Arabia — $39.66M

China — $34.82M

United States — $23.12M

Romania — $7.79M

France — $7.57M

Thailand — $7.11M

Canada — $5.28M

Germany — $5.22M

South Korea — $5.03M

Japan — $4.28M

Beyond the leading three markets, prize money drops sharply. The remaining seven countries together accounted for just over $47 million, illustrating the concentration at the top of the global esports hosting landscape.

The research also highlights several structural patterns behind these rankings. Sovereign investment programmes, such as those in Saudi Arabia, can rapidly elevate a country’s esports position. Publisher-controlled ecosystems, as seen in China, generate recurring prize pools. Meanwhile, countries like Romania and Germany reached the top ten by consistently hosting international events rather than relying on single flagship tournaments.

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Phygital International (PI), the exclusive rights holder and custodian of the Games of the Future (GOTF), is unveiling the final game titles set to feature in this December’s pioneering phygital sports tournament, along with a powerful line-up of new global media partners who will bring the event to fans around the world.

With 11 disciplines and the world’s best athletes ready to compete across virtual and physical challenges, the Games of the Future 2025, taking place at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi from 18-23 December, promises to deliver a groundbreaking phygital showcase that will redefine what it means to play, perform and compete.

In addition to previously announced global esports icons such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Fortnite, Fatal Fury: City of Wolves, UFL and 3on3 Freestyle, Phygital International has confirmed three new titles that further broaden the depth and dynamism of the tournament. Each game has been carefully selected to complement a unique phygital discipline, showcasing the full spectrum of speed, skill and strategy that defines the Games of the Future.

Joining the roster is Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), the global mobile gaming phenomenon that has defined the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre for millions of players worldwide. In the MOBA Mobile discipline, MLBB will see players battle in high intensity matches that test strategy, coordination and tactical mastery.

Adding rhythm and flair to the lineup, Just Dance, the world’s best-selling dance game series, will take centre stage in the Phygital Dancing competition. Renowned for its vibrant energy and expressive gameplay, Just Dance brings one of the world’s most dynamic and community-driven gaming experiences to GOTF 2025, where athletes will be challenged to combine choreography, precision and physical stamina as digital gameplay meets live performance in a visually electrifying showcase.

In the confirmed lineup of tournament games, the addition of HADO completes the roster, serving as the core of the virtual reality (VR) gaming competition. As a pioneering augmented reality (AR) experience, HADO integrates real-world body movements with digital game scenarios through wearable AR technology. Players do not use controllers; instead, they directly “control” virtual skills with their physical movements – running, dodging and aiming in the real world – with every action directly impacting the in-game situation and instantly reflected visually. HADO promises to deliver a fast-paced, visually stunning VR competitive experience.

“These newly announced titles highlight the full range of phygital sports that people can experience at the Games of the Future 2025. From the expressive energy of dance, the global appeal of mobile esports to the groundbreaking innovation of AR gameplay, this second wave of games highlights the diversity and excitement of phygital sport,” said Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International.

In addition to expanding its game lineup, Phygital International is also announcing a series of major global media partnerships, ensuring that the Games of the Future 2025 will be accessible to fans around the world through both digital and broadcast platforms.

The post Just Dance, MLBB and HADO Added to Lineup of Global Gaming Icons for the Games of the Future 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BETBY, the leading provider of innovative sportsbook solutions, has further strengthened its esports portfolio by expanding its player props coverage across the most popular competitive gaming titles: Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant.

The update extends to both pre-match and live betting, introducing a variety of new markets that add depth to the esports betting experience. Among the highlights are new player performance markets such as total kills available across all four titles, total headshots for Counter-Strike 2, or most kills for Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and League of Legends.

These markets bring a new dimension to esports betting, allowing users to follow individual performance metrics and in-game outcomes in real time. By covering both live and pre-match events, BETBY ensures that its partners can deliver an immersive experience at every stage of competition.

This enhancement follows a series of updates that have reinforced BETBY’s position as a tier-one esports content provider. Over the past twelve months, BETBY’s work in esports has been recognised with six industry awards, reflecting growing recognition of the supplier’s esports excellence and contribution to shaping the future of the esports betting ecosystem.

Kirill Nekrasov, Head of Sportsbook Product at BETBY, commented: “Esports audiences are incredibly engaged and data-savvy, they follow players and statistics as closely as the matches themselves. By expanding our player props coverage across major titles, we’re giving operators the ability to offer users a more granular and dynamic betting experience, both before the match and live in-play. Combined with our already launched H2H markets across all top-tier titles and MVP offerings for major tournaments, this update further strengthens our position as a leading B2B esports solutions provider.”

To find out more about BETBY’s cutting-edge sportsbook solution visit booth 4045 during SiGMA Central Europe. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with BETBY’s team, and discover how the supplier’s solutions and services can be their winning aspect for their iGaming project.

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