The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) has approved wagering on yet another major esports event; the currently underway ESL One Birmingham. 

A major event on the Dota 2 calendar, ESL One Birmingham got underway on 21 May, in a completely online format due to the COVID-19 crisis, and will run through to 7 June. 

Nevada licensees have been authorised to accept three wager types: head to head, match winner, and overall winner. 

As usual in the state, operators wanting to accept bets on ESL One Birmingham will need to disclose their intent to the Enforcement Division via a notification of terms, and official rules from the organiser or sanctioning body’s site must be displayed before wagers are accepted. Operators are free to determine odds, but in-play bets are prohibited. 

ESL One Birmingham is the second Dota 2 event to be authorised by the NGCB, following April’s ESL One Los Angeles. The regulator has given the green light for betting on 12 esports events since March, covering Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, iRacing, League of Legends, and Overwatch, 

AYO.NEWS says:

With traditional sports events still severely disrupted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and esports enjoying an explosion in popularity, thanks in large part to the significant expansion of coverage by mainstream broadcasters, the Nevada Gaming Control Board should be applauded for helping operators offer customers alternative betting options. Hopefully the success of esports betting in Nevada will inspire other states to follow suit. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Berlin-based G2 Esports has partnered with Brandgenuity as it works to expand its global licensing program.  

G2 Esports currently has a partnership in place with US-based esports merchandising company We Are Nations and, like other esports organisations, is investing heavily in developing apparel and lifestyle collections for its fans around the world. 

Brandgenuity has offices in New York, London, Munich, and Hong Kong, and an impressive list of major clients including Arm & Hammer, BMW, Budweiser, Corona, Covergirl, Hawaiian Tropic, and White Castle. 

Discussing the news Founder and CEO of G2 Esports,Carlos ‘ocelote’ Rodriguez, said:

“G2 is building a lifestyle and entertainment empire. We have designed and developed streetwear-inspired collections and merchandise that sell out almost instantly thanks to the #G2ARMY and we want to continue to bring our fans merchandise that makes them proud to rep G2. 

“The Brandgenuity team demonstrated that they understood both our brand and our dedication to entertain at all costs, and we know they will propel us forward in our global licensing efforts.”

While Managing Director of Brandgenuity Europe, Teri Niadna, added:

“We are thrilled to be working with G2 Esports, who are one of the most dominant teams in the world, and the undisputed leaders in fan engagement and world-class entertainment. This brand has everything we look for to build a great licensing programme; double-digit growth trajectory, a distinctive personality and truly passionate fans.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Merchandising and licensing is turning into a major revenue stream for esports organisations, capitalising on the fact that esports and gaming are complete lifestyles rather than merely interests. 

Of course, the fact that, unlike most traditional sports teams, esports organisations aren’t usually subject to league-imposed commercial restrictions, means opportunities are only limited by the imagination. 

Staying with G2 Esports, last week we reported the organisation had partnered with Mastercard to raise funds for the COVID-19 fight, by launching a range of branded face masks. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Riot Games has announced it will be introducing in-game branding for League of Legends esports partners during official broadcasts. 

Partners will be able to display their branding on in-game arena banners on the Summoner’s Rift map. Banners will be introduced to all official League of Legends esports leagues, starting with the Summer Split, through to the end-of-season World Championship. 

Riot Games currently has more than 50 partners across its regional LoL leagues, and global partners Mastercard and Alienware have already been confirmed for the new in-game banners.

The branded banners will only be visible to broadcast viewers, with players still seeing the standard in-game banners.

Discussing the new banners, Head of Global Esports Partnerships at Riot Games, Naz Aletaha, said:

“From our live events to our online broadcasts, we strive to define modern sports by continuously innovating how audiences experience League of Legends. For the first time in League history, SR Arena Banners put our partners’ brands directly on the field of play, creating an immersive experience that echoes the energy found in major sports arenas.”

While Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard, Raja Rajamannar, said:

“Traditional marketing is evolving with more innovative ways to reach consumers. Mastercard was the first global partner of League of Legends esports because it connects with so many people around the world who are passionate about the game. This evolution continues to help us reach fans in contextually relevant ways, where they are doing the things they love most.”

AYO.NEWS says:

With live events still on-hold due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and esports existing in a totally virtual world, it’s not surprising to see Riot introduce new ways for partners to increase their exposure. As long as things are kept reasonably restrained, it seems like a promising way to deliver better visibility for partners, but if it ends up going too far there’s a danger it will annoy fans and start to turn them off. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Denmark-based Astralis Group, parent organisation of Astralis, Origen, and Future FC, has announced a three-year partnership with banking app Lunar. 

Lunar is now the exclusive financial partner for Astralis Group in the Nordics, and there are plans for a branded payment card and exclusive digital content for Lunar users. Though financial terms have not been disclosed, the partnership is said to be “of significant commercial value” to Astralis. 

Discussing the deal CCO and Co-founder of Astralis Group, Jakob Lund Kristensen, said:

“Esports appeals to a growing, global audience, and one of our strengths is our access to a generation of digital natives. Lunar’s way of rethinking banking, use of gamification and digital entertainment is very much in line with our strategy and it matches our primary target audience.”

While CEO and Founder of Lunar, Ken Villum Klausen, added:

“In our new partnership with Astralis Group around the Astralis team we morph banking and entertainment providing a whole new experience for the fans. We do this comprehensive move to drive engagement with our users, and the Astralis partnership is a significant step in creating a financial super app and connecting with our users in new ways.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Given the reach of Astralis Group over several titles, we’re sure this is a valuable deal for the organisation, and from Lunar’s point of view it seems like an effective way to tap into its target demographic. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

The LEC has confirmed it has cancelled plans to host the Summer Finals in Malmö, Sweden, due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. 

With the LEC set to return on 12 June, production of the regular show is also being moved back into the LEC Studio in Berlin, starting in Week 1. 

In a statement, Riot Games said that the studio would be operated by a skeleton production crew, following strict health and safety procedures. The plan is to gradually increase the number of staff working at the facility over the course of the Summer, with the eventual goal of having teams and press return too. 

In the meantime, teams will continue to play remotely from their training facilities. 

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s fantastic to see the LEC has a clear road map to gradually get things back to normal in a controlled and safe way, and we’re sure everyone involved is looking forward to when they can all get back into the studio. 

However, with the WHO warning of a very likely second wave of infections, we should remember that lockdowns may need to be reintroduced again in the future, and the disruption could continue for some time yet. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Isle of Man-based esports betting operator Luckbox has added support for FIFA, NBA 2K, Rocket League, and Rainbow Six Siege. 

Together with the already supported Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch, Call of Duty, King of Glory, Starcraft II, Starcraft, and Hearthstone, it means users can now bet on 13 titles. 

Discussing the news Head of Esportbook at Luckbox, Metodi Zaburtov, said:

“The lack of traditional sports during the current crisis has clearly prompted fans to look elsewhere for their entertainment.

“It makes sense that they are attracted to the games they are most familiar with – sport sims such as FIFA and NBA2K. These are games where they understand the rules, they know the teams and they are familiar with the betting markets.

“Industry-wide, there has been a massive increase in the betting volume on FIFA and NBA2K and, while these games are not established esports such as CS:GO or Dota, they could prove to provide a fantastic gateway to introduce sports fans to the world of esports betting.”

Since the COVID-19 lockdowns started, Luckbox says it has seen a 500% increase in bets, with turnover almost 13 times that of November 2019, and deposits up tenfold since then. 

Last week we reported that Luckbox had announced plans to publicly list on the TSX Venture Exchange, and had confirmed Inter Miami goalkeeper Luis Robles as its latest high-profile investor. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though some traditional sports betting pundits still assume the boom in esports betting is a temporary blip that will fizzle away when regular sports fully resume, there’s a growing feeling among many that that we’re witnessing a long-term sea change.  

Another major esports betting operator to report a significant uptick in business during the lockdowns has been LOOT.BET. You can read an analysis about how COVID-19 has changed esports betting forever, right here. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020