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International Chess Day: How India’s ancient game is evolving into a rising force in esports

Few games can boast a history as rich and enduring as chess. Originating in ancient India as Chaturanga, chess has evolved over centuries into one of the world’s most popular and celebrated sports. For a game with roots tracing back nearly 1500 years, it is rare to find renewed relevance in the digital era, but chess has done exactly that. Today, it thrives not only as a timeless sport of intellect and strategy but also as a modern source of entertainment, with millions of active players, vibrant communities, and massive global viewership.
This transformation has been driven by the meteoric rise of online chess, especially during the 2020 lockdown, which acted as an unexpected catalyst. The global success of the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, combined with the rapid growth of chess streamers across platforms like Chess.com, Twitch, and YouTube, propelled the game into mainstream pop culture.
Tournament series like PogChamps, launched by Chess.com in 2020, introduced chess to millions by featuring popular streamers and celebrities, each mentored by elite Grandmasters. Adding to this momentum were leading streaming personalities like Levy Rozman, known as GothamChess, and the Botez sisters, Alexandra and Andrea, who have built massive followings on both Twitch and YouTube. The accessible, educational, and entertaining style of these streamers has made chess more engaging and relatable to younger audiences than ever before.
Since then, online chess has seen explosive growth. In 2024 alone, Chess.com recorded over 7.6 billion games played. The platform has surpassed 200 million registered users globally, with India contributing over 9 million monthly active players and adding an average of 550,000 new signups each month. Beyond gameplay, viewership numbers have soared, with chess amassing 925 million organic views this year, reflecting an incredible 640 percent year-on-year growth. With its easy-to-play format and accessibility anytime, anywhere, chess has cemented itself as a universal sport for the digital generation.
This digital success naturally extended into the competitive esports world. The chess esports revolution accelerated in 2020 when world-renowned Grandmasters such as Qiyu Zhou, Hikaru Nakamura, and Andrew Tang joined established esports organizations like Counter Logic Gaming, Team SoloMid (TSM), and Cloud9 respectively, blending the traditions of chess with the excitement of competitive gaming.
The momentum continued when the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Chess.com included chess in the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in 2023 in Singapore. This evolution reached a landmark moment with chess officially becoming part of the prestigious Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, with Norwegian legend Magnus Carlsen serving as the tournament’s ambassador. Organized in partnership with Chess.com, this year’s EWC features a prize pool of $1.5 million (approximately INR 12.8 crore), bringing together the world’s top chess players to compete in the fast-paced 10+0 rapid format, while representing leading esports organizations from across the globe.
Indian chess is making its presence felt on this grand stage. Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, signed with global esports organization Gen.G, has already secured his place at EWC 2025 through the Champions Chess Tour. The final four spots will be decided through the Last Chance Qualifier from July 24 to 26, where top Indian players, including Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram, will compete.
Both Nihal and Aravindh have joined S8UL, a global powerhouse in esports and gaming content to compete at EWC 2025. S8UL is the only Indian organization selected among the 40 elite global teams in the Esports World Cup Foundation’s (EWCF) Club Partner Program. The organisation has earned its place to compete among the world’s best in Apex Legends and EAFC, and will also be fighting for qualification in Tekken 8 through the Last Chance Qualifier, further expanding its presence across multiple esports titles.
“It’s incredible to watch chess evolve from a quiet, traditional sport into a bold, global movement. Being part of S8UL has introduced me to the world of esports and content creation, opening up new ways to connect with people. Today, chess isn’t just about strategy, it’s about storytelling, culture and community. I’m proud to be part of this exciting shift, as the game steps into a whole new era,” shares Nihal Sarin.
The chess esports revolution in India is also being championed by NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia’s esports and gaming ecosystem. The company recently announced a strategic partnership with Chess.com and ChessBase India aimed at building the future of chess esports in the country. This collaboration has already delivered remarkable success, most notably with the exclusive streaming of the recent World Chess Championship, where India’s Gukesh Dommaraju defeated Ding Liren to become the World Chess Champion. The event garnered over 24 million views, with peak concurrent viewership reaching 200,000.
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, says, “The rise of online chess shows how even the most traditional games can reinvent themselves in a digital-first world. Chess has always stood for intellect and discipline, but with streaming, new formats, and structured esports competitions, it’s now more accessible and entertaining than ever, especially for younger audiences.”
Over the years, NODWIN Gaming has consistently driven the mainstream growth of chess through innovative initiatives. The Chess Super League in 2021 brought together a unique mix of top international Grandmasters, leading Indian Grandmasters, International Masters, and promising junior players, offering fans a fresh, competitive, and entertaining viewing experience. Chess has also featured prominently at DreamHack Hyderabad, India’s largest gaming festival, further reinforcing its place within the broader gaming and esports ecosystem.
“At NODWIN, we’ve always focused on youth entertainment across gaming, esports, and digital culture. Chess fits right into that vision. We’re excited to keep reimagining how the game is experienced and to help it grow as a meaningful part of the broader digital entertainment ecosystem,” adds Akshat Rathee.
On the occasion of International Chess Day, it serves as a fitting reminder that chess has always been more than just a game in India. Its digital evolution has unlocked exciting new avenues for competition, community building, and content creation. The board may remain the same, but the game continues to evolve, inspiring new generations of players and fans in the digital era.
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First football sponsorship for Pub Casino

L&L Europe, owner and operator of PubCasino.co.uk, is happy to announce their first sponsorship within the English Football League. The sponsorship is with the historical team Preston North End for the upcoming season. This partnership will include the Pub Casino logo on the back of all 3 kits for the season 2025/26.
At Pub Casino we love football and especially football where a lot of history is involved. Preston North End is one of the first professional football teams in the history of UK professional football. And today still the only team winning both the league and FA cup without conceding a goal. That is what Preston North End breathes: Football history. To be part of that makes us extremely proud.
While discussing the partnership with PNE it became clear who the front of shirt sponsor will be. As a result, we even got more excited. SpudBros on the front of shirt, Pub Casino on the back, what a lovely combination.
Head of Commercial and Partnerships at Preston North End, Lisa Whittaker said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with PubCasino for the upcoming season and thank them for their support in making this happen.”
Jan Wienk, Head of Marketing and Product at PubCasino, said: “We are extremely happy to be part of the Championship this year and are proud to be teaming up with a club with so much history in the English game. It’s great to be on board with the team ahead of the new season and the combination of kit sponsors, with SpudBros on the front, should make it a fun and entertaining year.”
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ICONIC21 launches first-person, high-suspense game where players open doors to reveal win multipliers or the possibility of losing it all

A door opens, but what’s behind it? That’s the question players will be able to answer when they take on the latest game from in-demand iGaming content provider, ICONIC21.
In Knock Knock, nothing is guaranteed as players find themselves in front of a door that they must choose whether to open or not.
What’s on the other side? It could be an Increasing Multiplier, or it could be the players’ accrued winnings and original bet being cruelly taken away from them.
Knock Knock takes the first-person, high-suspense format and gives player control over how far they progress into the game – do they want to open another door for the chance to multiply their current win, or do they want to cash out?
This generates unrivalled levels of excitement and anticipation. Do players go for a long door-opening streak, or does the pressure get too much and they opt to lock in their winnings and step away?
Either way, one wrong move and the run comes to an abrupt end.
Knock Knock also comes with a visual path history. The main difference between the three levels lies in the probability of the multiplier: the harder the level, the higher the multiplier – but also the greater the chance of losing.
Either way, players are left with the same question. Do you walk away, or do you knock again?
Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21, said: “Knock Knock offers an intense, high-suspense experience that players will want to experience again and again.
They must put their nerves to the test as they open doors in search of the game’s biggest win multipliers, but in doing so, they risk losing it all.
Knock Knock is designed for all types of risk-takers – from cautious players to fearless thrill-seekers. By choosing the difficulty level, each player tailors their own balance of success odds and potential multipliers, making every round as safe or as bold as they want.
This marks a milestone in the growth of our RNG portfolio, reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking iGaming content provider and expanding our footprint in the non-traditional games space.”
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New Ways to Play: ELA Games Recognised for Casino Entertainment Innovation Subheader: The studio continues to garner industry recognition for its products

Various developments, such as the Winpot game mechanics and standout titles such as Joker Winpot and Shoot Happens, underscore ELA Games’ innovative philosophy.
The Winpot mechanic introduces a progression-based experience that gives players more agency over their gameplay. At the essence of the mechanic, player wins are stored in the Winpot, where they can then choose to continue playing and accumulate a larger payout or cash out at any point.
Joker Winpot and the newly released Shoot Happens are examples of how ELA Games’ creativity and innovation led to commercial success. The former is a 1×1 game that’s simple to understand with high replayability due to the decision-making aspects and accessibility. The latter is a narrative and progression-based title where players have 3 shots to defeat increasingly tougher opponents. Both games break from traditional gameplay with tactical depth, high replayability, and fresh mechanics.
Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented on the nomination, “What makes innovation meaningful and impactful is when it changes how players interact with content. For example, with Joker Winpot and Shoot Happens, our innovation was not adding complex features but stripping back gameplay to include the player more in decision-making to create a new game archetype. This nomination shows us that we’re making meaningful strides in challenging overplayed and stale gaming experiences, and we’re honoured to receive such recognition.”
The ELA Games team will attend the SBC Summit Lisbon from 16 – 18 September.
The post New Ways to Play: ELA Games Recognised for Casino Entertainment Innovation Subheader: The studio continues to garner industry recognition for its products appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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