

Latest News
EMERGE Group Secures US$2.2M Funding From Seed Round Led by Farquhar Venture Capital and Arcane Group
EMERGE Group, announced US$2.2 million in its seed funding round jointly led by Farquhar Venture Capital and Arcane Group. Other investors in this round comprise Blockcrafter Capital and Angel Investors: Mr Victor Lai and Mr Yuen Wong, Founder of a LABS Group, GEMS Esports and Managing Partner of Bitmart. As part of the announcement, EMERGE Group is a rebrand from EMERGE Esports to better differentiate the Group’s plans from its various business units. EMERGE Esports remains as an advertising and marketing consultancy arm for brands and content creators in the esports industry.
EMERGE Group is currently collaborating with Mastercard, with a recent announcement on the Group’s participation in the latest class of the Mastercard Start Path Emerging Fintech program, an award-winning global startup engagement program. The Block 71 alumni is also supported by Startup Junkie, an entrepreneurial support organisation funded in part by the Walton Family Foundation and the US Small Business Administration; EMERGE Group is one of the latest organisations in their portfolio.
As the Group moves in to expand further in Southeast Asia, the seed funds will be used in two primary business units, EMPLIFIVE and EMPOWER. The two business units will develop new commercialisation options to resolve different root problems faced by content creators, brands and other stakeholders in the industry of marketing and advertising.
“EMERGE Group has proven to be a strong player in the game despite being in the industry for only three years. We are very proud to be working with an organisation that has built the foundation for further growth and capturing larger market opportunities,” said Jason Su, Chief Investment Officer of Farquhar Venture Capital.
Neil Su, the Managing Partner of Arcane Group, added “As we have identified various top-notch and innovative organisations to back under our portfolio , we can see the enormous potential that EMERGE Group is able to grow in key markets. Their continuous dedication and hard work in boosting the esports industry as well as their unwavering efforts have definitely earned our trust and support.”
“Despite the tumultuous times and uncertainties due to market factors, we are grateful to our investors and backers for recognising the potential in EMERGE Group. Having achieved over US$2 million in revenue since we started in 2020, and amassing renowned esports teams all over the world to work with us as their preferred commercialisation partner has been no easy feat for the team. We believe that with innovation at the forefront of what we do, we will be able to bring on more opportunities and creative solutions that effectively transform the way our industry functions and how it is being perceived by others.” shared Roy Kek, Chief Executive Officer of EMERGE Group.
Since its launch in 2020, EMERGE Group has made several notable achievements and have become known to continuously make its impact on the esports industry. The Group has garnered a total audience of over 580 Millions through their network of thousands of content creators and players from renowned esports teams, including Bren Esports, Talon Esports, Boom Esports and more.
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.
-
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 Industry8 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