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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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“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.

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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%).

FBM® is set to elevate the gaming experience at Solaire Entertainment City with the launch of the highly anticipated Jin Qián Link™ slot themes on the cutting-edge Auria casino cabinet. Being the leading e-bingo games provider in the Philippines, FBM® continues delivering innovation with four captivating slot titles inspired by Asian mystique, featuring stunning graphics and exciting gameplay, at one of the country’s premier gaming destinations.

Jin Qián Link comprises four distinct slot themes – Eternal Fènghuáng™, Golden Lóng™, Great Bái Hǔ™, and Lucky Guī™ – each transporting players to a mystical universe. Players will be attracted and engaged by captivating visuals and an immersive soundscape, while Jin Qián Link also offers a rewarding and strategic gaming experience.

Players can chase Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand jackpots within the Jin Qián Link bonus, accessed by incrementing the pagoda. The bonus mode culminates in a double prize when all positions on the five reels are covered. The attractive feature set of this product line includes Luck Has Arrived as a shared feature, anticipating a rewarding round. Triple Wild, available on Golden Lóng and Lucky Guī, and Wild Multiplier, running on Great Bái Hǔ and Eternal Fènghuáng, are the game features completing the features roll of this game series.

Pepe Costa, Country Manager of FBM Philippines, highlighted the relevance of this installation for the brand’s operation in the country. “FBM is committed to delivering exceptional gaming experiences that resonate with players. Jin Qián Link is a testament to this commitment, combining compelling themes with innovative features and the quality and excellence that FBM is known for.”, stated the FBM representative.

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About the expectations around the game and FBM’s intents for the short-term future, Pepe Costa shared: “We are confident that Jin Qián Link will be a major success at Solaire Entertainment City. It’s also important to note that Jin Qian Link is just the first in a series of new slot games that FBM will be launching for the Philippine market”. With a legacy dating back to 2001, FBM has established itself as a trusted provider of high-quality gaming solutions. The leadership obtained in the Philippines e-bingo segment placed FBM among the references in the national industry, boosting the operation expansion for new product categories. The Jin Qián Link launch at Solaire Entertainment City further solidifies FBM Philippines’ position in the market and provides Solaire Entertainment City patrons with a new and exciting gaming adventure.