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There is Plenty of Great Cricket to Look Forward to in 2021
2020 was a very bad year for sports as many events were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic that is currently hitting the world. The lack of sports meant that sports betting fans all over the world had to occupy themselves by other means and many turned to online casinos and eSports to get their gambling fix. However, things are looking up in 2021 and most sporting events have returned, albeit many with no fans in attendance. Now there is a backlog of cricket events to be played and betting sites are anticipating a huge year for cricket betting, and this is what we are going to look at in this article.
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League took place in 2020, but instead of taking place in India during March and April it was postponed until September and was played out in the United Arab Emirates. While it was great that cricket fans across the world got to watch some great cricketing action, it felt like a bit of an anticlimax which probably had something to do with the fact it was being played outside of India for the first time, was being played during a different time of the year, and because there were no fans present in the stadium.
Now, the 2021 edition of the IPL will not have any fans either, but at least it will take place during the usual months and will be played in India. There is definitely a lot more hype surrounding this year’s competition and that will be music to the ears of bookmakers across the world as this is expected to lead to a lot more online cricket betting on the event.
The IPL has become a cash cow for bookies and while the amount that was bet on the 2020 IPL was not small by any stretch of the imagination, it was not as much as it usually is. However, bookies expect that this was just a one off and believe that more will be bet this year on the IPL than ever before.
T20 World Cup
The T20 World Cup was supposed to be held in Australia in 2020, but it had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ICC then announced that it would be held in October and November of this year, but instead of being played in Australia, it is now going to be played in India. Then, to add to the delight of cricket fans all over the world, they announced that there would also be a T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2022.
This tournament gets a lot of attention because which cricket fan does not like the idea of watching the best limited-overs cricketers in the world battle it out to be crowned the champions of the world? There is nothing better than watching wily bowlers try to outsmart batsmen who are trying to deposit them outside the stadium.
It is not yet known whether fans will be allowed in the stadiums to watch the matches, but as this competition is still six months away, we are hopeful that this will be the case. It is good that we have some cricket back to enjoy, but all cricket fans will agree when we say that a cricket game is just not the same when there are no fans in attendance. In fact, it is fair to say that no sports are the same without a crowd in to build up the atmosphere.
However, fans or no fans, the show, as Queen once said, must go on and bookmakers are expecting there to be plenty of money bet on this prestigious tournament, especially by Indian cricket fans. Although cricket was created in England and was spread across the world during the time of the British Empire, it is fair to say that Indians are the most passionate about the sport. This is highlighted by the fact that they bet hundreds of millions on every match that the Indian national team takes part in. No other nation comes anywhere close to these betting figures. Therefore, it is really no surprise that bookmakers are expecting to make a pretty penny off the T20 World Cup later this year.
ICC Test Championship
There were plenty of Test series cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a lot of these were part of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship. For example, in March, the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan was postponed as well as the two-Test series between England and Sri Lanka. Then, in May, Australia’s tour of Bangladesh and West Indies’ tour of England were put on hold. Then, in June, the series between New Zealand and Bangladesh and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were postponed.
In July, the ICC declared that their main priority was to find new dates for all the Test series that had been postponed due to the pandemic. However, despite putting in a lot of effort, they ultimately accepted defeat and declared that it was not possible to play a number of the postponed series as part of the competition. Therefore, they amended the points system to account for the different number of series that each team played.
There are still two Test series left to be played in this tournament and these are between the West Indies and Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. However, these games do not have any bearing on the competition at all as New Zealand and India have qualified for the final already. The fact that India have made it to the final is something that will bookmakers around the world rubbing their hands together since millions and millions of Indian cricket fans will be lining up to put bets on their team being victorious.
Carlo Santarelli
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.
Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.
Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”
In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.
The post Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Industry News
VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

VIP Play, a technology-driven leader in interactive consumer engagement, announced that Jim Mackey, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his role, effective August 8, 2025.
The Company has initiated a transition process and is in the process of identifying a successor. Mackey will assist in an orderly transition over the coming weeks.
“We thank Jim for his contributions to the Company, particularly during a transformative period for our business. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, including financial visibility, operating efficiency, and delivering value to our stakeholders,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO of VIP Play.
The post VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.
As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.
Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: “We are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.
“It’s genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt we’ll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.
“Esports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.”
StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industry’s most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.
Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: “We’ve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.
“We’re confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournament’s performance and the audience data we’ll report to our partners. It’s a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.”
The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.
The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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