eSports
Five years of partnership: OMEN and BIG extend cooperation
Heading into their fifth year of cooperation, OMEN and Berlin International Gaming will set their focus in the upcoming year on promoting diversity and talent development in esports. An important part of the agreement is the further expansion of the BIG OMEN Academy project.
“For more than four years, OMEN has been an incredibly important pillar as a partner for BIG, and have contributed significantly to our development,” says Daniel Finkler, CEO of BIG. “I am delighted that we have been able to extend and even expand our joint cooperation once again.”
As part of the partnership, OMEN sponsors the professional teams of BIG, including CS:GO, League of Legends, Trackmania and Valorant, as well as the jointly founded BIG OMEN Academy Team. The academy project is considered one of the best talent teams worldwide as well and a springboard for young talents into the professional scene. To date, more than eight former BIG OMEN Academy players have made the step up to full-time professional status.
For more diversity in gaming
In addition to the BIG OMEN Academy team, OMEN and BIG also set their focus on promoting female esports athletes. With the signing of BIG EQUIPA, BIG has added an incredibly talented women’s CS:GO team to their portfolio, featuring talents from Portugal and Spain competing in the ESL Impact circuit. With OMEN, BIG will focus on assisting BIG EQUIPA in reaching their professional aspirations, and help them climb higher and higher on the leaderboards.
“We were already looking for an internationally successful women’s team in the past years,” says Finkler. “With the BIG EQUIPA team, we were finally able to successfully conclude our search. In the future, we will increasingly support talented, female gamers to enable them to realise their dream of a professional career in esports – OMEN will act as a partner and sponsor as an important driver of this new chapter.”
“Diversity is part of the corporate DNA at HP – both internationally and nationally there are numerous initiatives for equal opportunities and diversity. I am all the more pleased that we now have the opportunity to combine our pioneering role in both diversity and esports sponsorship and to promote female talent together with BIG,” says Jochen Ziegler, Director Personal Systems Marketing DACH at HP Inc. “We are confident and excited and keep our fingers crossed for BIG EQUIPA on their way to a professional career.”
Compliance Updates
ESIC Issues Lifetime Ban to StarCraft II Player Xue “Firefly” Tao Following Match-Fixing Investigation

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) announced the outcome of its investigation into serious integrity breaches involving professional StarCraft II competitors Xue “Firefly” Tao and Jinhui “Jim” Cao. Mr. Xue has been banned from ESIC Member events and competitions for life, while Mr. Jinhui has been provisionally suspended pending further sanction.
Following a detailed inquiry spanning April to July 2024, ESIC uncovered evidence of a coordinated match-fixing and profit-sharing scheme. The investigation found that Mr. Xue deliberately manipulated match outcomes to benefit illicit betting activity orchestrated by Mr. Jinhui, with whom he had a long-standing association.
Key findings include:
• Pre-match wagers placed by Mr. Jinhui predicting Firefly’s losses — often by precise scorelines.
• Consistent match losses by Firefly aligning with those wagers across seven tournaments.
• Large Alipay transfers from Jim to Firefly immediately following these matches.
• A WeChat exchange on 21 August 2024 directly referencing prior payments and an effort to conceal evidence.
ESIC has concluded that Xue “Firefly” Tao committed 21 breaches of the ESIC Integrity Programme, spanning both the Anti-Corruption Code and Code of Conduct. As a result, he has been handed a lifetime ban from all ESIC member events and competitions in any capacity.
Mr. Jinhui has been provisionally suspended and served with a Notice of Charge. He has until 14 July 2025 to respond before ESIC issues a formal sanction.
The post ESIC Issues Lifetime Ban to StarCraft II Player Xue “Firefly” Tao Following Match-Fixing Investigation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
BETER Wins Esports Betting Supplier Award at the EGR B2B Awards 2025

BETER, the in-demand provider of fast-betting content, data, and odds for esports and sports, has been awarded Esports Betting Supplier at the prestigious EGR B2B Awards 2025.
It is the first time BETER has received this award, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey and reflecting the growing demand for its fast-paced esports products.
The EGR B2B Awards celebrate the companies powering the global iGaming industry, recognizing excellence and rewarding those leading in innovation, reliability, and client service.
BETER’s esports offering features the fan-favorite ESportsBattle tournaments, providing non-stop betting action across popular disciplines such as eFootball, eBasketball, and eHockey, with eTennis set to become available to all partners soon. It means bettors can wager on approximately 500,000 matches annually, with up to 50 markets per event, while operators benefit from an average margin of 7.5%.
In addition, BETER provides a comprehensive Esports Odds Feed, delivering market-leading odds for over 40,000 pre-match and live events per year. These odds are calculated using official data and compiled by a team of expert traders.
With a team of over 130 esports traders, BETER ensures that players across all partner operators can place bets on the provider’s events with more than 90% uptime.
All ESportsBattle`s matches come with 24/7 live streaming, real-time data and odds, and are closely monitored by BETER’s in-house Integrity team to ensure strict adherence to fair play standards. As a result, only 0.01% of matches have been flagged as suspicious in the past 12 months.
Gal Ehrlich, CEO of BETER, said: “We are incredibly proud of the entire BETER team for the hard work that led to this achievement.
“Their tireless efforts to deliver best-in-class esports products for the next generation of bettors have paid off—not just in winning this award, but in delivering a top-tier product and experience to our partners and their players, consistently exceeding expectations.
“This award rounds off an incredible six months for BETER, and we head into the second half of the year with strong momentum behind us.”
Adam Conway, General Manager of Esports Business Division at BETER, added: “Our esports betting products are unmatched—led, of course, by our ESportsBattle tournaments.
“These tournaments truly set the standard for what a fast-betting esports experience should be, and we’re thrilled to see that recognized by the EGR B2B Awards judges.
“Our Esports Odds Feed is equally impressive and has become an essential tool for operators looking to offer the best accurate odds in the industry.
“I’d like to thank the entire BETER team for their dedication and to EGR for this recognition. We couldn’t be happier to add our first EGR B2B Award to the trophy shelf.”
The post BETER Wins Esports Betting Supplier Award at the EGR B2B Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Esports World Cup Foundation Renews Partnership with Albaik

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced the renewal of its partnership with Albaik for a second consecutive year, aimed at enriching the experience of both visitors and players participating in the Esports World Cup (EWC). With a deep-rooted history in Saudi Arabia since 1974, Albaik will continue supporting the Kingdom’s gaming and esports sector through this prestigious partnership, aligned with its broader mission to empower youth and foster local talent in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
This partnership is built on a shared commitment to the future – bringing diverse entertainment offerings to the largest esports and gaming event in history. With audiences attending from across the globe, EWC 2025 offers visitors an exciting mix of competitive matches, immersive experiences and cultural programming.
Albaik’s continued involvement in EWC 2025 reflects its long-standing commitment to social, sporting and economic development in the Kingdom. It also reinforces the company’s belief that meaningful community impact is a core part of doing business – a principle that shapes its contributions to national development and youth empowerment.
Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 to August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will unite global gaming communities for a celebration of esports culture. With 25 tournaments across 24 games, 2000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, the EWC will feature the largest prize pool in esports history, over $70 million. Fans can expect exclusive experiences, from high-stakes competition to live music, anime cafes, retro arcades, cosplay and more, drawing millions of fans online and in person.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Renews Partnership with Albaik 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