News

Imperial Esports has established its global headquarters in Malta, positioning the Brazilian firm as a new entrant in the regulated iGaming sector with a focus on esports-integrated casino platforms. The announcement, made during a Gaming Malta council on November 12, 2025, involves an initial €15 million investment to develop compliant online betting and casino services, partnering with local tech firms to gain market access. This move capitalizes on Malta's robust regulatory framework, injecting fresh innovation into the €2.5 billion European esports betting niche while adhering to stringent player protection standards.

StarLadder has named Rollbit as the official betting partner for the Budapest Major 2025, extending their collaboration to integrate cryptocurrency-powered wagering and analytics into the Counter-Strike 2 event. Scheduled for early 2026 in Hungary, the partnership introduces seamless crypto deposits, live odds, and data visualizations for over 500,000 expected viewers across Europe and Asia.

Brazil's public consultation on esports integration signals a maturing Latin American market, projected to surpass BRL 10 billion annually by 2026, with enhanced anti-match-fixing protocols.

Brazil's Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) has initiated a public consultation on integrating esports into the nation's regulated betting framework, aiming to enhance transparency and integrity in a market projected to exceed BRL 10 billion annually by 2026. The process, launched on November 12, 2025, invites input from operators, publishers, and stakeholders until March 5, 2026, to shape rules covering licensing, data sharing, and anti-match-fixing measures. This step follows the legalization of online betting on January 1, 2025, positioning Brazil as Latin America's largest esports wagering hub and signaling a blueprint for emerging markets in Asia and Africa.

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has integrated Rollbit into its tier 1 anti-corruption supporter program, bolstering global efforts to detect and deter match-fixing and suspicious betting in esports. This partnership equips ESIC with enhanced data-sharing capabilities from Rollbit's betting operations, enabling faster identification of irregularities across international tournaments. For the esports betting ecosystem, the collaboration underscores a proactive stance against corruption, fostering trust among operators, bettors, and stakeholders in regulated markets like the EU, UK, and Asia.

Riot Games unlocks betting sponsorships for top-tier teams, injecting fresh revenue while enforcing strict vetting to safeguard integrity.

GRID, a leading global sports data provider, has partnered with Sportstensor to deliver server-level esports data feeds, enhancing predictive analytics and betting accuracy across international markets. This collaboration provides Sportstensor with direct access to real-time, high-fidelity data from major esports titles, positioning it as a frontrunner in the burgeoning $2.8 billion esports betting sector, projected to reach $2.8 billion by 2025. The move addresses longstanding challenges in data reliability, enabling operators to offer sharper odds and immersive live betting experiences for audiences in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

India's Supreme Court has directed the central government to respond within two weeks to a petition demanding a nationwide ban on over 2,000 online gambling and betting platforms masquerading as esports games. The order, issued on November 4, 2025, by Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan, targets apps that exploit regulatory ambiguities to offer real-money wagering under the guise of skill-based gaming. This intervention highlights escalating concerns over consumer protection and financial crimes in one of Asia's fastest-growing digital markets, where esports betting has surged amid lax oversight.

New betting products, such as CS2 Rushzone, enhance live wagering integrity and operator offerings in the EU and APAC.

Entain has unveiled Entain Esports, a dedicated vertical licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) to operate exclusively in regulated global markets, including the UK, Germany, and Brazil. The brand, powered by Abios data feeds and ESIC integrity integration, launches with over 1,200 monthly pre-match and in-play markets across Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and League of Legends. This standalone platform marks the first time a Tier-1 operator has ring-fenced esports under a distinct regulatory and brand structure.

The Esports Integrity Commission has forged a strategic alliance with MOONTON Games to enforce anti-cheating and match-fixing protocols across Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournaments worldwide. This partnership integrates ESIC's comprehensive Integrity Program into the game's competitive circuit, covering over 50 major events annually and reaching more than 100 million monthly players in Asia-Pacific markets. The collaboration fortifies safeguards in a title that drives 15% of global esports betting volume, enhancing trust among operators in regulated jurisdictions such as the Philippines and Indonesia.

Riot Games' policy change permits Tier 1 League of Legends and VALORANT teams in EMEA and APAC to secure betting sponsors, boosting revenue while enforcing strict integrity protocols.

BETBY has introduced a suite of new player proposition bets across major esports titles, enhancing wagering options for global operators. The update covers Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant, targeting key in-game actions to deepen market depth. This development arrives amid rising demand for granular betting experiences, providing operators with tools to capture the growing segment of bettors seeking personalized wagers.

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has rolled out updated standards for esports betting operators, enforcing stricter data integrity and player protection measures to safeguard the £700 million UK esports wagering market. Announced on October 21, the guidelines mandate real-time monitoring systems and mandatory collaboration with integrity bodies like ESIC to counter match-fixing risks. This positions the UK as a frontrunner in regulating the rapidly growing esports betting sector, particularly for titles like Counter-Strike 2 and FIFA.

ESIC's swift suspensions in CS2 highlight escalating enforcement against betting misconduct, signaling zero tolerance for corruption in competitive play.

DATA.BET has introduced dedicated betting lines for 2XKO, Riot Games' forthcoming 2v2 fighting game set to enter competitive play in 2026. The provider's new markets cover anticipated tournament outcomes, character-based props, and match winner odds, marking an early push to integrate the title into global esports wagering ecosystems. This development aligns with Riot's expanding portfolio beyond League of Legends and Valorant, signaling heightened operator interest in diverse fighting game verticals amid rising demand in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.