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World Esports Championship: CS:GO team to kick off India’s campaign on December 2

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The Indian CS:GO team will be leading the country’s charge at the IESF’s 14th World Esports Championship as they take on Tajikistan in their opener on December 2.

A team, comprising of skipper Ritesh Sarda (Defaulter), Shuvajyoti Chakraborty (Mcg1LLzZz), Anshul Adarkar (KiiLSwitCh), Hrishikesh Shenoy (Crazy_Gamer) and Harsh Jain (lynX) has been placed in the Group C along with Tajikistan, Team IESF and Chile. After their eighth-place finish in the last edition of the tournament held in Eilat, Israel, the team will be determined to clinch a podium finish this time around.

Team India CS:GO captain Ritesh Sarda said “It’s been a great honour to represent India back-to-back in the WEC. We as a team are excited and prepared to play in the upcoming WEC starting next week in Bali. The world finals is going to be a huge spectacle. With the right mentality and proper grind, we have high hopes for the tournament and will try to bring the laurels to the country.”

Organised by International Esports Federation (IESF), the upcoming 14th World Esports Championship will witness the participation of top athletes from over 120 countries, competing in six different Esports titles—CS:GO, Dota 2, Tekken 7, eFootball as well as debutants PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Bang. With a massive prize pool of USD 500K (INR 4 crores approximately) up for grabs, the tournament will be conducted in Bali from December 1 to 12. Team India consists of the same athletes which represented India at the last World Esports Championship in Eilat and had won the National Qualifiers (NESC2022).

Besides CS:GO, India will also participate in the Tekken 7 and eFootball titles.

“This is another great opportunity post the Commonwealth Esports Championship for India’s esports athletes to prove their metal. With Olympics also announcing “Olympic Esports Week”, esports is inching towards its Woodstock moment; and medals in events like CEC, WEC will help in establishing India as a dominant-esports powerhouse’ globally. This set of our athletes have great potential and we are confident that they will give a tough challenge to the world’s best and emerge victorious and make our glorious nation proud. I wish them all the very best and look forward to see them triumph in their respective titles” said Yugal Kishore Sharma, Director of Esports Federation of India.

Hitesh Khorwal (Rcool) and Hemanth Kommu (Peshemak7) will represent India in the Tekken 7 and eFootball titles respectively.

Khorwal will battle it out against athletes from Pakistan, Bahamas, Venezuela and Palestine in the Group E and will be beginning his challenge against Lucius Antoine of the Bahamas on December 3.

The Indian’s clash against Arslan Siddique of Pakistan on the same day following his opening game will be one to watch out for. Arslan has won the VSFighting X, Dreamhack 2022 and Combo Breaker 2022 titles earlier this year.

I am really glad that I will be representing India in WEC this year, this feeling is adorable and I can’t explain my emotions. WEC is always an arduous task for Tekken participants since our scene has progressed tremendously well and reached a new zenith. So it’s a moment to cherish for me. It creates a perfect scenery of success for me after putting my blood and sweat into this game. This time I am more devised for the WEC. As a mountain to climb it already is, I feel confident as well as prepared for this. It’s a great opportunity to prove my mettle against the literal virtuosos of the title and my body, soul and mind, is ready for it. Bring it on, Bali!” Hitesh expressed his excitement ahead of the World Championship Finals.

Kommu, on the other hand, will be competing against athletes from Kazakhstan, Armenia and Guinea in Group P. He will play his first match against Cheick Conde of Guinea on December 3.

“It’s an amazing feeling and honour to represent our country at the 14th WEC. It’s a huge opportunity for me to play at such a big event with the top players from different countries competing. I’m confident with my grind and will try my best to get the best results in the tournament and want to bring some glory from it back home.” Hemanth said while expressing his thoughts on getting the opportunity to represent India in the world finals.

The group stage games for Tekken 7 will be contested in the best-of-three format and for CS:GO it will be in the best-of-one.

Following the conclusion of the group stage, the Top-2 teams from each group will progress into the next round in the CS:GO and Tekken 7 titles while for eFootball only the top team of the group will qualify for the next stage.

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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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SEGA SAMMY CREATION Launches “Prosperity Peaks™” in Macau

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SEGA SAMMY CREATION INC. proudly announces the first installation of Prosperity Peaks™, the latest addition to their successful Dice series, now live on casino floors in Macau. Building on the proven success of its earlier Dice games, this new title continues the legacy with powerful features and a design tailored for Asian players.

The Asian themed Prosperity Peaks™ retains the fan-favorite Dice Wild and Wild Reels features that have defined the series, while introducing an enhanced Jackpot Bonus that delivers more frequent and rewarding win opportunities. Players will experience the thrill of hitting Jackpots more often, adding extra excitement to every spin.

The company stated today that “The Prosperity Peaks™ Link game is designed uniquely for Asia and it’s highly anticipated when we first showcased in recent gaming shows. We deliberately brings all the elements fun and excitement to promote better entertainment on the gaming floor altogether.”

The initial launch in Macau is just the beginning. Prosperity Peaks™ will also be coming soon to additional properties throughout Macau and extended to other key markets.

The post SEGA SAMMY CREATION Launches “Prosperity Peaks™” in Macau appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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