

eSports
BLAST Premier extends broadcast reach for 2021 season with eight new media deals
Media deals include linear TV channels SportsMax, Nordic Entertainment Group and BOLT+ after increased viewership in 2020
Esports tournament BLAST Premier has extended its international broadcast reach with eight new media rights deals for the rest of the 2021 season.
TV channels SportsMax, Nordic Entertainment Group and BOLT+, among other new deals, will take the world’s leading Counter-Strike tournament series to a number of new regions around the world, including: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Iceland, Canada, Kosovo, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and the Caribbean.
The new rights partnerships will extend the esports media network’s portfolio of media rights to over 35 partners, meaning BLAST Premier will be shown in 18 different languages and across 157 territories.
The announcement highlights a period of growth for BLAST’s TV and online distribution footprint after a year of increased viewership for esports. Newszoo’s 2020 report estimated a year-on-year increase in the total esports audience by 11.7% to just short of 500 million people, while revenue from media rights and sponsorships ($822.4m) was expected to account for three-quarters of the total market.
Last season, BLAST Premier enjoyed increased viewership and more than 83 million hours of content watched across all seven of its Counter-Strike tournaments while posting the most watched CS:GO online match of all time during the Global Final.
Alexander Lewin, VP of Distribution and Programming for BLAST, said: “We are thrilled to see so many new partners join the BLAST network of leading TV and online channels. These deals will offer even more fans the opportunity to tune in to watch BLAST Premier from around the world, which is now accessible in over 150 territories and 18 languages. We expect to continue our path of expansion during an exciting period of viewership growth at BLAST Premier and in esports.”
BLAST Premier is a global Counter-Strike tournament series that unites all major events, offers opportunities to all regions across the globe and crowns the world champions of CS:GO. Up to 32 teams will take part in the seven BLAST Premier events this year with a combined prize pool of $2,475,000 on the line.
eSports
GRID Launches GRID Insights: Real-Time AI Context for Esports Tournaments

GRID, an in-game data infrastructure platform trusted by the leading game publishers and sportsbooks, has unveiled GRID Insights — a new AI-driven product delivering real-time, predictive context to live esports broadcasts and betting experiences.
GRID Insights transforms raw gameplay data into dynamic, predictive insights in milliseconds — surfacing real-time narratives like player streaks, weapon stats and record chases, all tailored to the stream’s brand and audience.
“With GRID Insights, we’re building the storytelling engine of live esports, powered entirely by official data. We use official in-game data and real-time pipelines to generate predictions, contextual stats, and behavioral patterns that previously required an analyst team. Now it’s automated and scalable, enabling our partners to create more immersive, informative, and engaging experiences that today’s digital-native audiences expect,” said Moritz Maurer, CEO of GRID.
Thanks to GRID’s deep partnerships with top game publishers and tournament organisers, Insights is built on structured, official data, enhanced by large language models (LLMs) and available via plug-and-play SDKs or APIs. The product supports major esports titles including CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends and VALORANT, with full customisation across branding and output formats.
GRID Insights made its live debut during the Champion of Champions Tour Season 3 (CS2), with broader adoption already underway. Among early adopters is the European Pro League (EPL), now integrating GRID Insights into its tournament broadcasts.
“GRID Insights is a game-changer for how fans engage with the action. At EPL, we’re always looking for new ways to elevate the viewer experience—and with GRID Insights, the instant, story-driven context keeps fans both informed and immersed. Whether you’re a dedicated follower or a casual viewer, it makes every moment more exciting,” said Oleksii Krasnikov, CEO of EPL.
The post GRID Launches GRID Insights: Real-Time AI Context for Esports Tournaments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Ana Carolina Luna Maçães
Esportes Gaming Brasil unveils Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as Compliance Manager to reinforce regulatory commitment
Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has unveiled Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as its new Compliance Manager. The hire reinforces the company’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and good governance in Brazil’s evolving betting market.
Esportes Gaming Brasil’s new Head of Compliance, Ana Carolina Luna Maçães, commented: “Esportes Gaming Brasil has set a high standard in Brazil’s betting market with its total commitment to integrity, governance, and responsible gaming. It’s a privilege to join this exceptional team as Compliance Manager. My role is to reinforce our culture of compliance, navigating us through complex regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions with as little friction as possible. Our mission is to deliver secure, transparent, and competitive services for our partners and clients.”
A seasoned legal and compliance professional who has spent time at NSX Brasil, Maçães joins with expertise in financial crime prevention, responsible gambling, and corporate ethics. She has earned a CPC-A certification from LEC (Legal, Ethics & Compliance), and she significantly strengthens the group’s in-house compliance work.
Esportes Gaming Brasil CEO Darwin Filho, added: “It’s more than just complying with and supporting regulations. Esportes Gaming Brasil has been actively leading the process of maturing the betting sector in the country. Our commitment to governance has been an essential part of our business model since the beginning. The arrival of Ana Carolina represents a strategic reinforcement, further strengthening the culture of compliance that has always guided the company.”
Esportes Gaming Brasil is proud to be one of the Brazilian-licensed operators under the SPA/MF framework and is renowned for impactful responsible gambling measures, including self-exclusion tools, behaviour monitoring, and an addiction support network.
With deep relationships to national sport and culture through major football sponsorships and experiential collaborations, and a growing digital presence via Onabet, the group is committed to shaping a safe, sustainable, and responsible future for Brazil’s gaming sector.
The post Esportes Gaming Brasil unveils Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as Compliance Manager to reinforce regulatory commitment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Gamercraft Fully Adopts ESIC Integrity Codes and Joins Commission to Elevate Global Esports Standards
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) announced that Gamercraft has joined ESIC as a Platform Tournament Organiser Member, formally embedding ESIC’s Integrity Codes into its Terms & Conditions and Terms of Use.
As part of its membership, Gamercraft will:
• Integrate ESIC’s Anti-Corruption, Anti-Cheating and Player Conduct Codes directly into every user agreement.
• Work hand-in-hand with ESIC to manage integrity-related complaints and appeals, including reviews of platform bans, to ensure transparent and independent resolution.
As an esports tournaments platform, Gamercraft delivers skill-based competitive experiences powered by proprietary tournament formats and performance-driven systems. With its integration into ESIC, Gamercraft solidifies its commitment to competitive integrity by adopting the ESIC Integrity Programme across all its operations.
Gamercraft joins a growing list of distinguished international tournament organisers and stakeholders who rely on ESIC’s Integrity Programme to form the foundation for competitive integrity within their operations.
Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC, said: “We are pleased to welcome Gamercraft, Inc. into ESIC membership. As a tournament organiser operating in the fast-evolving space of platform-based esports competition, their adoption of the ESIC Integrity Program is a meaningful step toward upholding fairness and ethical conduct across online tournaments. We look forward to supporting Gamercraft as they continue to scale their efforts with integrity at the core.”
JJ Garcia-Rovira, CEO of Gamercraft, said: “At Gamercraft, integrity forms the foundation of fair competition. Joining ESIC formalizes our commitment to maintaining the highest standards across our tournament ecosystem. As we pioneer new formats in skill-based competition and esports, this partnership ensures our community can compete with complete confidence in the fairness and transparency of our platform. We’re excited to work alongside ESIC in elevating integrity standards throughout the competitive gaming ecosystem.”
The post Gamercraft Fully Adopts ESIC Integrity Codes and Joins Commission to Elevate Global Esports Standards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
gaming3 years ago
ODIN by 4Players: Immersive, state-of-the-art in-game audio launches into the next generation of gaming
-
EEG iGaming Directory8 years ago
iSoftBet continues to grow with new release Forest Mania
-
News7 years ago
Softbroke collaborates with Asia Live Tech for the expansion of the service line in the igaming market
-
News6 years ago
Super Bowl LIII: NFL Fans Can Bet on the #1 Sportsbook Review Site Betting-Super-Bowl.com, Providing Free Unbiased and Trusted News, Picks and Predictions
-
iGaming Industry7 years ago
Rick Meitzler appointed to the Indian Gaming Magazine Advisory Board for 2018
-
News6 years ago
REVEALED: Top eSports players set to earn $3.2 million in 2019
-
iGaming Industry8 years ago
French Senator raises Loot Boxes to France’s Gambling Regulator
-
News7 years ago
Exclusive Interview with Miklos Handa (Founder of the email marketing solutions, “MailMike.net”), speaker at Vienna International Gaming Expo 2018