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INOX joins hands with Esports Federation of India to popularize esports in India through big-screen video gaming experience in cinemas

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India’s leading multiplex chain, INOX Leisure Ltd (INOX) and Esports Federation of India (ESFI) on Monday announced a first-of-its-kind partnership that will witness INOX providing a never-seen-before community viewing experience of Esports tournaments, that too on the big screens, for the fans, and provide required exposure to take the game to next level across the country. As exclusive Cinema Partner, INOX will host and promote ESFI tournaments across the country, which should help in building awareness and popularizing esports, besides offering world class cinemas as esports & video gaming venues in cities all over India.

INOX has been intrinsically supporting Indian sports through various collaborations, with the most notable being with their longstanding partnership with Indian Olympic Association. Now, with a goal to revolutionize Esports landscape in India, INOX & ESFI together aims to take esports to masses using INOX cinemas as venues for hosting esports tournaments, streaming of live tournaments, provide training opportunities and offer a talent scouting platform for future global events. More importantly, the partnership would introduce esports enthusiasts to the thrill of a live stadium amidst cheers and applause, while they compete in esports events professionally.

Commenting on this association, Alok Tandon, Chief Executive Officer, INOX Leisure Limited, said, “We are thrilled to bring the action of esports to the cinemas of INOX in collaboration with Esports Federation of India who has been working relentlessly to grow Indian esports and together, make esports, a mainstream sporting activity in India. Our cinemas are present at highly urbane and youth-centric locations servicing the entertainment needs of a predominantly young population in an unmatched ambience equipped with advanced cinema technology. We believe, this advantage, coupled with all our marketing capabilities, will help us popularize esports at a much faster pace in our country. With esports gaining global significance, there cannot be a better time for us to fulfil this responsibility. With this association, we will build more esports IPs and who knows with our initiatives we can unearth a Neeraj Chopra or Abhinav Bindra in esports for our country.”

Alongside Alok Tandon, Vinod Tiwari, President, Esports Federation of India & Director Olympic Council of Asia – NOC & International Relations and Mr Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF) were present at the event along with India’s first & only Esports medalists at the previous Asian Games 2018, Hearthstone player Tirth Mehta, who joined virtually from Bhuj.

For any sport, experience of watching esports tournaments on big screen is enthralling and engaging. This is an opportunity that will help our esports teams and athletes to build and expand their fan base and create scope for more conversations around esports. ESFI is excited about this partnership, as this will also be a concrete step towards taking esports to grassroots, inspire people and give them a platform to showcase their talent. The exclusive partnership comes at a very right time when Asian Games is scheduled in the month of September and ESFI will soon launch “AESF’s Road to Asian Games” to select the national esports contingent of our country. This partnership will see both ESFI & INOX together nurturing and developing the Indian esports talent pool where in ESFI will bring in more partners to further strengthen this objective and create a robust and thriving esports ecosystem, said Mr Vinod Tiwari, President, Esports Federation of India & Director, Olympic Council of Asia – NOC & International Relations.

As per the E&Y Report titled Esports In India, published in June 2021, India currently has more than 1,50,000 professional esports players that has generated a viewership of 17 million people across 14 broadcast platforms, and the forecast is to have 1.5 million professional players with 85 million viewership from 20+ broadcasters by FY2025.
Tirth Mehta, India’s first & only esports medalist at the Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta said, “I believe every sport needs to have good training facilities, awareness, popularity, and support to make it prosper, and ESFI’s partnership with INOX is a progressive step towards a brighter future. I am also confident that such partnerships will happen in the future too. I hope this partnership will inspire many esports athletes who have been working hard to represent India and win medals for the country.”

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JBO Thailand Launches Esports World Cup Promotion

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JBO, a well-established online gaming and entertainment platform, has announced an exciting new promotion tailored for the highly anticipated Esports World Cup 2025. Esports enthusiasts in Thailand now have a compelling opportunity to win up to 30,000 Jcoin by placing wagers on the thrilling “World Cup Qualifiers” matches. This shows JBO Thailand’s commitment to giving great value and fun experiences to all its players.

This exclusive event is ongoing and will conclude on August 24, 2025, at 23:59 (GMT+8). This period strategically aligns with the intensified global esports calendar, leading up to the Esports World Cup and its critical qualifying rounds. JBO Thailand is actively creating an immersive environment that allows fans to engage more deeply with preferred teams and competitive events. Participation in the promotion is straightforward. Players are simply required to place bets on eligible “Esports World Cup Qualifiers” matches through JBO’s designated esports betting providers, IM Esports and TF Esports. The promotion is conveniently accessible via the “Reward Corner” section on the JBO platform, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience for all participants.

At the core of this attractive offer is JBO’s innovative Jcoin reward system. Players who log in to JBO and achieve a weekly turnover exceeding 3000 in the Esports category will automatically qualify for Jcoin rewards. The reward system gives bigger prizes as you play more, with up to 30,000 Jcoin available each week.

JBO also ensures a smooth and secure experience through the easy-to-use JBO app available for both Android and iOS devices. With fast withdrawals and smooth gameplay, the platform is ideal for esports fans to enjoy and earn real rewards. JBO is trusted across Asia and has Dimitar Berbatov as its brand ambassador, showing it as a top sportsbook and esports operator.

The post JBO Thailand Launches Esports World Cup Promotion appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Uzbekistan Introduces Penalties for Illegal Gambling Operations

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Uzbekistan has introduced strict penalties for illegal gambling operations as the country prepares to launch its regulated betting market on October 9, 2025.

The new penalties target both domestic and foreign operators offering gambling services without a license. The new rules authorise fines indexed to the Uzbek Base Calculation Unit (BRV), a fiscal benchmark used for administrative penalties.

Foreign firms face fines of up to 25,000 Base Calculation Units, around US$882,000. Authorities can also seize illegal earnings, block access to banking and internet services, and ban repeat offenders from the Uzbek financial system. Unauthorised physical casinos, betting shops and mobile terminals will face the same sanctions.

Violations of anti-money laundering rules or personal data misuse carry fines of 15,000 BRV (about US$529,200), and unlicensed deposit-taking could result in penalties of up to US$352,900.

The changes were drafted by the National Agency for Perspective Projects (NAPP), which is overseeing the rollout of Uzbekistan’s new gambling law. NAPP will act as the interim regulator until a permanent authority is established.

Licensed operators must meet strict financial requirements. Online gambling firms need authorised capital of $4.57 million and a $2.05 million reserve fund. Lottery providers must show at least $1.64 million in capital and $1.11 million in reserves.

“This is not a pay-to-play regime. It’s a compliance-first market that will reward transparency and capital discipline,” NAPP has clarified in communications with potential applicants.

Gambling has been banned in Uzbekistan since 2007, except for limited state-run lotteries. The new system marks a shift from prohibition to strict regulation. A centralised system, the Unified State Register of Bets and Players (USRBP), will track all wagers and enforce ID checks and monthly betting limits.

Sanctions will be issued by NAPP’s director after internal review. Offending companies will have 15 days to appeal through NAPP or the courts. Half of all fines will go to the state budget; the rest will fund regulatory operations. Paying fines does not shield companies from further legal action.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved the new framework in 2024, requiring that gambling revenue be used to fund national sports programmes. Licensing guidelines will be released soon, with applications opening before the October launch.

The post Uzbekistan Introduces Penalties for Illegal Gambling Operations appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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NODWIN Gaming Partners with Sony LIV for Streaming Rights of Esports World Cup 2025

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NODWIN Gaming, South Asia’s leading esports and gaming company, has announced that Sony LIV has acquired the Hindi and English language media rights for select matches of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, further amplifying the tournament’s reach and representation across India.

As part of the partnership, Sony LIV will stream select matches from the Esports World Cup in India, bringing the action to millions of fans in languages they resonate with. The Hindi-language broadcast will be available exclusively on the Sony LIV app and official website.

In addition, Sony LIV will also stream the weekly shows, behind-the-scenes features and player interactions spotlighting EWC athletes and teams, curated for both core and casual esports audiences. This collaboration follows NODWIN Gaming’s recent partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) to manage media rights and regional distribution across South Asia.

Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming, said: “Our goal is to bring the Esports World Cup to as many passionate fans across South Asia as possible, and this partnership with Sony LIV is a major step in that direction. It combines Sony LIV’s incredible reach with NODWIN’s focus on building localized, fan-first esports experiences. With both Hindi and premium English content, we are creating a viewing experience that feels personal, immersive, and truly regional.”

With the addition of Sony LIV as the exclusive Hindi broadcast partner and NODWIN Gaming as the strategic regional media and marketing partner, the EWC is poised to reach unprecedented heights in South Asia. This aligns with the mission of making esports more inclusive, accessible and locally relevant.

With top-tier Indian talent competing across multiple titles, the Esports World Cup 2025 presents a unique opportunity to showcase India’s growing presence in global esports and to unite audiences around a shared national dream.

The post NODWIN Gaming Partners with Sony LIV for Streaming Rights of Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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