Asia
Making Indian Presence Felt: Natural8 India gears up to take a contingent of nine winners of its latest India Exclusive to Asian Poker Tour (APT) Phu Quoc!
With fully expense paid trip to the breathtaking island and a whopping INR 15 lakh in additional benefits, the winners will compete with Asia’s best poker players for the ultimate prize in the Main and Mini Main Events
Underlining its commitment to establishing India’s competitive poker scene on a global stage, Natural8 India is taking a massive contingent of nine players on an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Phu Quoc. In doing so, these nine players – Kishore Kumar V C, Romit Advani, Akhand Shukla, Myron Pereira, Pranav Khandalkar, Arindam Nayak, Anurag Rawat, Rasik Bhatia, and Harsh Bharti – will have a shot at winning the ultimate prize at the Main Event: the APT Trophy and the Main Event prize pool!
To facilitate this, Natural8 India has offered bonuses worth a whopping INR 15 lakh to the nine winners of its latest India Exclusive. In addition to travel and accommodation (worth around INR 85,000 per head) to all players, it has also offered the top four players a chance to compete at the main table with Main Event tickets worth INR 1,23,905 each while the other five players are set to compete at the Mini Main Event with tickets worth INR 41,301 each.
Speaking at the announcement, Kunal Patni, Executive Director and Country Head, Natural8 India, said, “The Indian competitive poker community is rapidly establishing itself as a thriving space and actively challenging the top players, whether in Asia or a global stage. At Natural8 India, we are proud to be driving this shift with events such as our India Exclusives, where we uncover the next wave of talented competitive poker players and give them a chance to shine at the grandest stages. It is inspiring to witness the energy at these tables, with both seasoned players and fresh talent coming together to elevate the game. We’re eagerly anticipating more intense showdowns at the APT Phu Quoc as our contingent takes on the best poker players from across Asia. We wish all the participants the very best!”
The post Making Indian Presence Felt: Natural8 India gears up to take a contingent of nine winners of its latest India Exclusive to Asian Poker Tour (APT) Phu Quoc! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026
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.
Alejandro H. Tengco
PAGCOR Sends Food Packs to Help Victims of Mindanao Earthquake
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.
Asia
Mitrabha Guha qualifies for Esports Nations Cup 2026 Chess alongside Nihal Sarin
Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha has secured India’s second Chess slot for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 after topping the regional qualifier, completing the country’s two-player contingent alongside Grandmaster Nihal Sarin. The ENC 2026 Finals are set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with Chess scheduled from November 2 to 8, 2026.
ENC 2026 Chess will feature 128 players competing for a USD 600,000 (~INR 5.7 crore) prize pool. The format starts with a round-robin group stage across 16 groups of eight players, before 64 players advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket, culminating in the final on November 8.
According to the release, 64 of the 128 players received direct invitations via the official Champions Chess Tour (CCT) rankings, with representation spanning 64 countries and territories. Confirmed names include Magnus Carlsen, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura. The field also includes Alexandra Kosteniuk and Mai Narva, described as the first women to officially qualify for the event. A further 61 players qualified through Chess.com-operated regional qualifiers, with three wildcard slots rounding out the field.
India’s second slot was determined through the Middle East, India, and Central Asia pathway, which began with an open nine-round Swiss event for verified titled players under a 10+0 rapid time control, followed by a double-elimination bracket. Guha finished the Swiss stage as the only unbeaten player (six wins, three draws), then defeated Syria’s Malek Koniahli and Iran’s Artin Ashraf in the upper bracket to clinch qualification.
Speaking about his qualification, Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha said, “The regional qualifier was challenging from start to finish. Chess has become an increasingly important part of the global esports ecosystem, and the Esports Nations Cup is a great reflection of that growth. The tournament will bring together some of the strongest players from around the world, so preparation will be key. Over the coming months, my focus will be on refining different aspects of my game and ensuring I am ready to perform at my highest level when the competition begins”
Beyond Chess, NODWIN Gaming, identified as India’s National Team Partner for ENC 2026, has announced national team rosters for DOTA 2, MOBA Legends: 5v5! and Rocket League, with regional qualifier windows listed as June 29-July 1 (DOTA 2), August 15-16 (MOBA Legends: 5v5!, if India misses a direct invite), and July 17-19 (Rocket League).
The post Mitrabha Guha qualifies for Esports Nations Cup 2026 Chess alongside Nihal Sarin appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Genius Sports5 days agoLIGA MX and Polymarket Announce Sponsorship Agreement for the US Territory with Official Data and Integrity Collaboration from Genius Sports
-
Booming Games6 days agoBooming Games launches Ronaldinho’s Streetball Bonanza slot
-
Balkans6 days agoKiron Interactive rolls out Fans World Cup with MaxBet Serbia
-
AI6 days agoBetConstruct AI sets Peru Gaming Show 2026 showcase around live World Cup betting
-
Alberta6 days agoGaming Corps launches with PowerPlay in Ontario ahead of Alberta iGaming debut
-
Latest News6 days agoNovusbet and TeApuesto scale omnichannel betting in Peru with 1,300-shop network
-
Canada6 days agoGaming Corps goes live with PowerPlay in Ontario ahead of Alberta market opening
-
Betting and Gaming Council6 days agoBetting and Gaming Council Launches Five-point Action Plan to Combat Illegal Gambling Black Market



