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West Midlands Signs 10-year Strategic Framework Agreement with GEF

The West Midlands has agreed on a 10-year Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA) with the Global Esports Federation (GEF), accelerating the region’s commitment to driving international growth in the rapidly developing industry.
The partnership will see the West Midlands join a network of global hubs, including GEF’s headquarters Singapore and continued developments in Brazil, China, Turkey, Japan, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, among others.
The agreement, led by the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), will cement the region’s position as a hotbed for the esports and gaming industry, with the West Midlands already responsible for one quarter of the UK’s output in the sector.
The partnership builds on the West Midlands’ position as a gaming and esports hub within the UK, with the region playing host to a total of 130 games companies – predominantly clustered around Leamington Spa – including the likes of Codemasters, Ubisoft, Playground, Sega Hardlight and others.
The sector employs a workforce of more than 3000 games professionals in the region. The University of Warwick has also been recently named the UK Esports University of the Year for the fourth successive year, following significant investment in state-of-the-art facilities and talent.
Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers has also committed heavily to Esports, hosting its own esports organisation with teams in the UK, Europe and China, as well as announcing last year a partnership with North American Esports giant Evil Geniuses.
Paul J. Foster, CEO of Global Esports Federation, said: “The GEF President, Chris Chan and the entire Board of the Global Esports Federation have earmarked strategic global hubs as anchors for our development of esports, sports, immersive technologies, innovative entertainment, and adjacent sectors. The leadership in the West Midlands continues to demonstrate a strong collective ambition and the diverse capabilities of this dynamic region. Through our partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation for the upcoming Commonwealth Esports Championships and this historic Strategic Framework Agreement, we are proud to bring our support, expertise, and strong, tangible commitment to this region, unlocking a decade of limitless opportunities and accelerating growth for the people and businesses who are lucky to call it home.”
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “I was thrilled when we confirmed that the first ever Commonwealth Esports Championships would be staged this summer right here in the West Midlands and this exciting partnership with the Global Esports Federation showcases the scale of our region’s ambition – to be a global leader in what is the world’s fastest growing entertainment sector. We’re fortunate to already have huge gaming names like Sega Hardlight and Codemasters on our doorstep all contributing to the West Midlands’ growing status as an esports hub. Now we’re taking the next step by partnering with the Global Esports Federation to drive investment and create high-quality, state-of-the-art jobs in this incredibly dynamic sector. These are momentous times for the West Midlands, and I cannot wait to see this sector continue to thrive.”
Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “With Birmingham and the wider West Midlands synonymous with youth, vibrancy and pioneering new innovations, our region is well-placed as the new strategic centre of UK esports. Through our partnership with the Global Esports Federation, we’re turning this rapidly growing, global economic and cultural opportunity into a regional blueprint for growth. The 10-year commitment will help us to deliver more major events in the city – driving international footfall into the region – and includes the development of a new Esports Innovation and Research Centre, which has the potential to galvanise local tech capability. We look forward to bringing esports to new audiences of fans and talent, right here in Birmingham, starting with the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships this August.”
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BetLeap – The Online Casino that Looks Like a Blockbuster Video Game

BetLeap is thrilled to announce the development of a groundbreaking platform that seamlessly blends the immersive visuals and engaging gameplay of AAA video games with the thrill of a real-money casino. Coming to PC, Mac, and VR, BetLeap is poised to redefine the online entertainment landscape with its unprecedented quality and innovative format.
At a glance, BetLeap looks nothing like a typical online casino. The project is being developed with the same technologies used in cutting-edge video games. The result? A casino experience that feels more like playing at a land-based casino rather than clicking on buttons on a flat screen.
“The online casino industry has remained virtually unchanged for over a decade while video gaming has experienced exponential leaps in quality and immersion,” said Adam Bernath, founder of BetLeap. “We’re not just updating the online casino experience—we’re completely reimagining it by applying AAA game development standards to create something that feels as immersive and engaging as the best video games on the market.”
“The future of online gambling isn’t just about better odds or more games—it’s about creating genuinely entertaining experiences that happen to include wagering components. We’re building for an audience that expects the quality and engagement of modern video games in every digital experience they choose,” added Etibar Namazov, co-founder of BetLeap.
While still in early development, BetLeap is already turning heads with its visual quality and ambitious design.
Why BetLeap Stands Out:
- Next-Gen Graphics: Built with AAA quality visuals.
- Cross-Platform Play: Fully playable on PC, Mac, and VR.
- Designed for Gamers: Movement, interaction, and immersion at the core.
- Real Rewards: Wager real money in a world that looks and feels on par with today’s top video games.
Our reveal video can be found at https://youtu.be/wl9zibRrMvI
The post BetLeap – The Online Casino that Looks Like a Blockbuster Video Game appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore

The Skyesports Championship, India’s longest-running homegrown esports IP, is returning for its sixth edition with BGMI and a prize pool of ₹40 Lakhs, culminating in an on-ground Grand Finals on May 17 and 18 in Bangalore.
Leading brands including AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital have partnered with Skyesports for the 2025 edition, reaffirming their commitment to India’s rapidly expanding gaming ecosystem.
Commenting on the return of the IP, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “The Skyesports Championship is an IP we’ve been nurturing since 2018, growing year after year into one of India’s most recognized esports tournaments with a highly engaged youth audience. We are excited to have partners like AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital joining us for this event, allowing us to deliver a top-notch entertainment product for fans with engaging competitive esports action featuring top-tier teams and esports athletes the country has to offer. With initiatives like the new Sky Champ Rule, this tournament is set to be a standout event on the BGMI esports calendar.”
The return of the Skyesports Championship as an on-ground BGMI event builds on the success of its 2023 edition, which recorded over 32 million digital views and attracted more than 12,000 fans to the stadium.
This momentum reflects India’s position as the fastest-growing gaming market across Asia and MENA, as reported by Niko Partners. The Indian games market is expected to surpass $1 billion in 2025, reaching $1.4 billion in revenue by 2028. Mobile gaming continues to lead, accounting for nearly 78% of all revenue. With an expected 277 million new gamers by 2028, India is also on track to overtake China in the highest total number of gamers worldwide.
As the country’s leading esports tournament organizer, Skyesports continues to drive this momentum by delivering high-impact, community-driven esports experiences at scale.
The Skyesports Championship 2025 BGMI Grand Finals will feature an exciting new format:
- Day 1 (May 17) – Sky Surge: Teams will compete across six maps, aiming to accumulate points and reach the Sky Champ point goal of 66 points.
- Day 2 (May 18) – Sky Champ Rule: Once a team reaches 66 points, they must secure a Chicken Dinner to be crowned champions. If no team achieves this within eight maps, the team with the highest points will be declared the winner.
This unique format makes every match extremely crucial, as teams are not only focused on aggressively reaching the point threshold but also on strategically targeting opponents who are close to achieving it or have crossed it already.
The Skyesports Championship BGMI event schedule is as follows:
- Upper Bracket: May 6–9 (16 teams – Top 8 advance to the Grand Finals, bottom 8 fall to the Last Chance Qualifier)
- Last Chance Qualifier: May 10–12 (16 teams – 8 each from the Upper and Lower Brackets)
- Grand Finals: May 17–18 (Top 8 teams from the LCQ join the 8 qualified from the Upper Bracket to compete for the title)
The entire tournament will be livestreamed on the official Skyesports YouTube channel. Stay tuned to the Skyesports Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook handles for more information regarding the on-ground finale.
The post Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Online Casino Legalization in Illinois: Study Finds Two-Thirds of Voters in Favor

A recent survey has confirmed that almost two out of three (63%) of Illinois residents support legalizing online casinos.
The survey, created by casino bonus and online casino review site BonusFinder.com, asked 1,000 Illinois residents their take regarding legalizing online casinos. The focus group covered voters across a variety of political backgrounds, age groups, and different geos.
Despite online casinos currently being illegal in Illinois, and the only way to access them is illegally, the survey found that one in four residents (26%) admitted to having played at an online casino.
According to a separate analysis, which delved into how much US States could be missing out on in online casino tax revenue, it revealed that Illinois could be missing out on up to $788m. Instead of going to the State, this potential tax money is being funneled to unregulated offshore gambling platforms.
When questioned, hypothetically, how residents would prefer the tax revenue to be spent they prioritized: public education (61.4%), mental health and addiction services (54.8%) and improvements in infrastructure (44%).
Other services that were still important, but less of a priority, to those questioned in the survey were: affordable housing (38%), crime prevention (33.1%), community programs (26.2%) and environmental initiatives (22.7%).
“These findings show that Illinoisans are ready for online casinos, as long as it’s done responsibly,” commented Luciano Passavanti, Vice President at BonusFinder.com.
“The message from voters is clear – they want safe, transparent platforms and strict oversight.
“They also want to know that tax revenue from online casinos will directly benefit their communities; whether that’s through education, healthcare, or local infrastructure.
“Illinois is already a major gaming market. Legalizing online casinos is the next logical step.”
While the majority of voters were in favor (63%), 19% were against legalization and 17.5% remained unsure.
The largest age group supporters of legalizing online casinos was the 45-54 age group, with 68.8% being in favor. However, the age group whose least in favor of legalization remained to be those aged 65 and over – with 51.2% being in favor of legalizing online casinos in Illinois.
The second-largest age group in favor of legalizing iCasinos are those aged 35-44 (64.1%), the third-largest group stood to be those in the 18-34 age bracket with 63.7% of voters supporting legalization.
When it comes to the battle of the sexes, men were found to be significantly more open to the idea of legalization, with 70.5% of men in support. However, in comparison, just 58.3% of women were found to be in support of legalizing online casinos in the State.
Furthermore, a variety of correspondents across different political views were also questioned; with findings revealing that Republican voters were slightly more in favor (65.4%) of legalization compared to Democrat voters (63.3%).
The post Online Casino Legalization in Illinois: Study Finds Two-Thirds of Voters in Favor appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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