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Esports to make its mark at Khelo India Youth Games 2025 with BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball

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For the first time in the history of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG), esports will be stepping into the spotlight as a demonstration event. Scheduled to be held in Bihar from May 4 to 14, KIYG 2025 will host its esports competitions from May 6 to 7 at the Patliputra Sports Complex, featuring popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball on both mobile and console.

Featuring titles that span mobile, console, and strategy-based formats like chess, the esports lineup at KIYG 2025 reflects a deliberate effort to cater to diverse gaming audiences. This move also signals a broader national recognition of esports as a legitimate sporting pursuit, on par with traditional disciplines, a direction that India has been moving toward with increased pace.

While BGMI remains the most popular esports title in India, Chess stands out as a particularly noteworthy addition to KIYG 2025. Once considered a purely traditional sport, Chess has increasingly found a home in the esports world, most recently as part of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, which boasts a prize pool of $1.5 million (INR 12.6 crore) for the title. NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia’s esports and gaming ecosystem, has been one of the pioneers of this shift in India. In 2021, the company organised the Chess Super League, featuring national and international stars and also hosted Chess tournaments at DreamHack India 2024 across rapid and blitz formats.

“The inclusion of titles like BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball in the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 signals a big step forward for grassroots esports in India,” says Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. “It’s encouraging to see esports standing shoulder to shoulder with traditional sports, and the addition of Chess – bridging classical and digital strategy shows how in tune this initiative is with global trends. But this isn’t just about tournaments. It’s about creating real opportunities to discover talent from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, places that have been overlooked for too long, thus building the foundation for a future where Indian gamers don’t just participate, they dominate on the world stage.”

Further underscoring the growing stature of Indian Chess in esports, S8UL, a global force in esports and gaming content, has signed Grandmasters Aravindh Chithambaram and Nihal Sarin to compete at the EWC 2025. In addition to Chess, S8UL will also field players in Street Fighter 6, as well as EAFC25, Call of Duty Warzone, Tekken 8, and Apex Legends at the prestigious tournament.

Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL believes that the inclusion of titles like Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball console in KIYG 2025 reflects a thoughtful push to diversify beyond mobile gaming and build a more well-rounded competitive ecosystem. “It is especially encouraging to see Street Fighter 6 and Chess recognised through a government-led initiative, at a time when S8UL will be representing India in these very titles at the upcoming Esports World Cup. This development is crucial for identifying and nurturing talent across a range of platforms and genres from the grassroots level.  Such proactive support from the authorities is a strong indicator of the growing legitimacy of esports in India and a positive sign for the industry’s future,” he adds.

The roots of esports entering the mainstream have already been visible across various states. Before its inclusion in KIYG 2025, the state of Bihar actively embraced the esports movement by organising the Bihar State Esports Open Championship and the Bihar Inter School and College Esports Championship over the past year. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Nagaland have also taken proactive steps to support and formalise grassroots esports programs.

Mikhail Bhuta, Co-Founder & Tech Lead, Dirtcube Interactive LLP remarked, “Including esports in the Khelo India Youth Games is a practical step toward building a grassroots ecosystem for new-age sports. We believe that through this program, we’ll soon see national esports heroes rise from across the country and bolster India’s representation on the global stage. With this being the inaugural season, we envision having Made-in-India esports-based games be part of KIYG’s future seasons.”

With S8UL participating in Chess and Street Fighter at the EWC 2025, India has already been making waves on the international stage in eFootball, with Pavan Kampelli winning the bronze medal at the 2024 Asian Esports Games in Bangkok.

Esports will be an official medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games, and the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is scheduled to debut in 2027. These developments mark a global shift toward legitimising esports within mainstream sporting culture.

KIYG 2025 featuring esports will help identify, nurture, and empower gaming talent from the ground up. With both state and national bodies supporting the push, the future of Indian esports looks brighter than ever.

The post Esports to make its mark at Khelo India Youth Games 2025 with BGMI, Street Fighter 6, Chess, and eFootball appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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GoldenRace launches Goal2Win to bridge the gap between football and numbers

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The world of sports betting and gaming is set for a major shake-up with the launch of GoldenRace’s innovative, new number game, Goal2Win, designed to captivate the massive global football audience. Goal2Win successfully bridges the gap between the universal passion for the “king of sports” and the proven thrill of number-based predictions, offering partners a fresh, high-potential product for monetisation.

Goal2Win is a premium offering that takes the familiar, classic number game format and integrates it with a dynamic, football-centric theme. This unique combination makes the game instantly recognisable yet excitingly new, appealing both to seasoned sports bettors and newcomers seeking an engaging, simplified experience.

Goal2Win is GoldenRace’s proposal to mix innovation and tradition. It offers operators a product that leverages the immense reach of football fandom while delivering the straightforward, engaging gameplay and massive win potential expected from a top-tier number game. It’s a compelling blend of excitement, simplicity, and significant reward potential.

Key features driving engagement and potential winnings:

Goal2Win is engineered for maximum player retention and high stakes, boasting dynamic gameplay and powerful features:

  • Multiplier feature: Players can place the same set of bets across an impressive twenty-two consecutive events, significantly driving up potential winnings and ensuring sustained engagement over time.
  • Jackpots and Mega Jackpots: The game includes tiered winnings with both standard Jackpots and highly coveted Mega Jackpots, promising life-changing sums and acting as a powerful player motivator.
  • Quick picks: For rapid access to the action, the Quick picks option allows the system to randomly select numbers, streamlining the betting process for players.
  • Row/Column selector: Enhancing the user experience, selector buttons enable players to easily pick an entire row or column of numbers, simplifying sophisticated betting.

Goal2Win represents a unique opportunity for operators to tap into the immense global football fanbase with a product that is both innovative and instantly recognisable. It stands poised to become a staple offering, driving higher stakes and attracting a broader demographic to the operators’ portfolio.

The post GoldenRace launches Goal2Win to bridge the gap between football and numbers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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PayAdmit partners with Yaspa to integrate Pay by Bank on its payments platform

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Yaspa, the Pay by Bank fintech, today announced a partnership with PayAdmit, the London-based payment software provider and orchestrator used by merchants across eCommerce, iGaming and digital services. The integration brings Pay by Bank to PayAdmit’s platform, giving its merchants a faster, secure, cost-effective way to accept customer payments with real-time confirmation.

PayAdmit offers a modular payments stack that includes White Label, Cashier Service, Payment Bridge and Payment Concierge Service — a high-touch support layer for resolving payment issues in real time. The platform aggregates 350+ global payment methods and provides streamlined onboarding, enabling merchants to go live in as little as 14 days.

Adding Yaspa gives PayAdmit’s clients a high-conversion bank payment option built for speed, conversion and compliance.

Yaspa’s Head of Commercial, Amie Kadhim, said: “PayAdmit moves fast and sets a high bar on payment performance, reliability and checkout experience. We’re excited to power their next chapter with instant bank payments that are speedy, secure and deliver a smooth, mobile-first experience – boosting approval rates and settling funds immediately.”

For PayAdmit’s merchants, the integration with Yaspa delivers:

  • Real-time deposit confirmation
  • Lower processing costs versus traditional methods i.e. debit and credit cards
  • Reduced fraud and chargeback risk with bank-level authentication
  • A smoother mobile journey with no card details to key in

Yaspa’s benefits align with PayAdmit’s focus on performance, security and a modern, merchant-friendly toolkit.

Vladyslav Kolodistyi, CEO of PayAdmit added: “Our mission is to give merchants a flexible, future-proof payments stack. Partnering with Yaspa adds a best-in-class, instant bank payment option, so clients get higher conversion with less complexity.”

The post PayAdmit partners with Yaspa to integrate Pay by Bank on its payments platform appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Continent 8 appoints Julia Weygandt as Head of Client Growth & New Business

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Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of cutting-edge managed IT solutions designed for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, announces the appointment of Julia Weygandt as Head of Client Growth & New Business.

Based in Malta, Julia will spearhead strategic initiatives to drive customer growth and capture new market opportunities globally, working closely with the existing Sales team and Practice Leads.

Julia brings over 20 years of experience in gaming, entertainment, and technology, with a proven track record in commercial strategy, international market expansion, and strategic partnerships. Her career includes senior roles such as COO at G Games and Tornado Games, and Head of International Partnerships at GAMOMAT, where she successfully scaled operations and delivered significant revenue growth.

Julia is an active advocate for diversity and leadership in gaming, serving as a Board member for Global Gaming Women and leading partnerships for the Behind the Gloves initiative, which combines boxing and corporate engagement to support charitable causes.

Nick Nally, Chief Revenue Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, commented: “Julia’s appointment reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional value and growth opportunities for our customers. Her deep industry knowledge, commercial acumen, and passion for building strong partnerships make her an outstanding addition to our team. We are excited to see the impact she will have as we continue to expand globally.”

Julia Weygandt, Head of Client Growth & New Business, added: “I’ve known the Continent 8 team for a long time; they are a trusted and respected partner to the world’s leading iGaming operators and suppliers, and I am thrilled to join at such an exciting time. My focus will be on driving client success through innovative solutions and strategic growth initiatives, ensuring we continue to lead in this fast-evolving industry.”

The post Continent 8 appoints Julia Weygandt as Head of Client Growth & New Business appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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