

eSports
Everything you need to know as UK players battle with the world’s best in London at Red Bull Golden Letters, the unique Tekken 7 LAN event
This weekend, Red Bull Golden Letters will see scores of the UK’s best Tekken 7 players descend on London’s Red Bull Gaming Sphere to compete for a chance to play the very best in the world on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March.
The LAN event, streamed live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere and hosted by UK Tekken caster Hassan “Spag” Farooq, will also feature Red Bull’s Tekken superstar Hoa ‘Anakin’ Luu, widely recognised as one of the best fighting game players in the world.
A landmark event for the fighting game scene, Red Bull Golden Letters promises fans a spectacle with a unique format that emphasises perfect plays and showing poise under pressure to earn ‘Perfect’ and ‘Great’ scores – Tekken’s iconic ‘Golden Letters’, that ramp up the stakes.
Here is all you need to know about Red Bull Golden Letters:
Open qualifiers will see 96 players from the UK battling it out against a packed field of challengers, professional players and Tekken superstars, aiming to beat the best in the world and be crowned Red Bull Golden Letters Champion.
The event at London’s Red Bull Gaming Sphere will feature Red Bull’s Tekken icon Hoa ‘Anakin’ Luu, alongside other pro players Super Akouma and Joey Fury, as UK players get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play the very best live on stream and in person.
In typical Red Bull fashion, Red Bull Golden Letters switches up the traditional formula with a unique format that ramps up the drama and tension by rewarding perfect plays and poise under pressure.
In Red Bull Golden Letters, players who manage to achieve three ‘Perfect’ or ‘Great’ scores automatically win the entire set in the epic ‘First to Three’ clashes. Incentivising high risk for high reward plays, Golden Letters switches up the traditional Tekken gameplay for unforgettable matches and moments.
The event will feature even more mouth-watering action for Tekken 7 fanatics, with a five-on-five Europe Vs The World clash on Sunday, alongside a Legion: Beat the Pro challenge that gives players another chance to take on the Red Bull Players and win exclusive Legion by Lenovo prizes throughout the weekend.
Making the competition even more of a spectacle, one of Tekken’s favourite figures, Hassan “Spag” Farooq will be hosting the event’s broadcast live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere.
Format
Red Bull Golden Letters’ unique format offers a fresh and scintillating twist to the classic Tekken 7 formula. In best of five sets, players who can carry out dominant wins or clutch plays and earn ‘Perfect’ or ‘Great’ scores – Tekken’s iconic golden letters – will reap the rewards with automatic wins.
Players who manage to achieve three ‘Perfect’ or ‘Great’ scores automatically win the entire set in the epic ‘First to Three’ clashes, which incentivises high risk for high reward plays that shake up the format and gives fans more unforgettable matches and mouth-watering moments.
With 96 players entering from open qualifying, the field of competitors will be pitched against each other in intense bracket pools on day one, eventually whittling them down throughout the day to the top four players who will progress to the Championship Sunday.
Day two will see those four joined by well-known Tekken champions including Red Bull’s Anakin, leading to an epic Grand Finals to battle it out to be named Red Bull Golden Letters Champion.
The weekend will be punctuated with additional segments and challenges. The ‘Lenovo Legion: Beat the Pro’ challenges throughout the weekend will offer players a separate opportunity to take on the best Tekken players in the world for a chance to win exclusive Legion by Lenovo prizes.
Building excitement on day two ahead of the Quarter Finals, Tekken 7 fans will also be able to watch continents collide in a special exhibition match. Pitching five of Europe’s best players against the best the world has to offer, the 5-on-5 Europe versus The World match will see the likes of Anakin, Super Akouma and Joey Fury in a matchup for the ages
Schedule
Saturday March 26th:
- 11:30 GMT – Broadcast begins
- 12:00 GMT – Bracket Pools Wave 1
- 14:00 GMT – Bracket Pools Wave 2
- 16:00 GMT – Top 32 – Top 4 Knockout Rounds
Sunday March 27th:
- 12:30 BST – Broadcast begins
- 13:00 BST – Special Exhibition Match – 5-on-5 EU versus The World
- 14:00 BST until finish – Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Grand Final
Broadcast
The LAN event will be hosted in London’s home of esports at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in Shoreditch, and broadcast live on twitch.tv/redbull.
Saturday’s broadcast will begin at 11:30 on Saturday and Sunday.
Broadcast Talent
Host:
- Hassan ”Spag” Farooq
Casters:
- Rasheed “Bubsy” Jenkins
- Hussain “Gosain” Shah
- Kobi “K-Wiss” Scarlett
Partners
Red Bull Golden Letters is delivered in partnership with Lenovo Legion, official hardware partner of The Red Bull Gaming Sphere.
eSports
Esports World Cup 2025 Press Conference Kicks Off in Riyadh

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has launched the opening press conference for the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, officially marking the start of the world’s largest esports and gaming festival. Running until August 24, the event features more than 2000 elite players, 25 tournaments across 24 leading titles and a record-breaking prize pool of over $70 million, cementing its status as the biggest and most significant esports event ever.
EWC 2025 brings together the world’s top 200 Clubs to compete in a first-of-its-kind cross-title format. At the heart of the competition is the Club Championship, where teams accumulate points across multiple games to become the EWC Club Champion, claim a $7 million grand prize and hoist the coveted EWC Club Championship trophy. The $70+ million prize pool also includes $38+ million for individual Game Championships, $5 million in global qualifier rewards and $450,000 in MVP bonuses.
Speaking at the opening press conference, HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Chairman, Saudi Esports Federation, said: “Guided by the ambitious vision and leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz AlSaud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom is cementing its position as a global leader in gaming and esports. The Esports World Cup is a clear reflection of that progress. We are immensely proud to welcome back the world in Riyadh for the Esports World Cup. This event stands as a global milestone for esports by showcasing the scale, ambition, and future of competitive gaming. It is a moment that will shape the direction of the industry for years to come.”
He continued: “Hosting this event reflects our deep commitment to building a world-class, sustainable esports ecosystem. It demonstrates the Kingdom’s belief in the power of gaming to connect, inspire, and create meaningful opportunities for future generations. It also supports our broader ambition to diversify the economy and position the Kingdom as a global hub for sports, gaming, and entertainment in line with Vision 2030 and the National Gaming and Esports Strategy. Esports is no longer niche. It is a global sport, a cultural movement, and the Esports World Cup is its most powerful and unifying stage. We are honoured to lead this transformation and shape the future of the industry from here in Saudi Arabia.”
“EWC 2025 is about bringing the gaming world together – iconic games, elite players, and millions of fans around a shared celebration. Through new ways of global broadcasts, original shows, and documentary storytelling, we’re opening doors, creating opportunities, and sharing esports in new and exciting ways. With record-breaking competition, this summer is special—not just for gamers, but for everyone who joins us,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
Faisal bin Homran, Chief Product Officer at Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “The Esports World Cup is redefining what’s possible in esports. It brings together the world’s top teams to compete in the most iconic and advanced arenas, delivering a level of excitement that is unmatched across the industry. Through EWC, the world has witnessed inspiring stories of triumph, heartbreak and glory, for players, teams and communities across the world.”
He continued: “The event is also a powerful platform for leading publishers, brands and creators to connect with global audiences and shape the future of esports. As we look ahead to EWC 2025, we invite the world to be part of what comes next. Together, we are setting new standards, creating new opportunities and driving the industry forward.”
The post Esports World Cup 2025 Press Conference Kicks Off in Riyadh appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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.
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