Kaizen Gaming and BVGroup to launch Betano in the UK

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Kinguin, a leading name in the eSports industry, announces the closure of activities at the Kinguin Esports Performance Center (EPC) located in Warsaw. Effective May 2024, operations at the EPC will come to a halt due to the conclusion of the lease agreement with our current partner and the relocation of Kinguin’s Warsaw office.

Since its grand opening in 2019, the Kinguin EPC has established itself as a leading facility in the eSports community. Hosting over 300 bootcamps since inception including 115 in 2023 alone, the Kinguin EPC has consistently provided invaluable training opportunities to teams from across the globe.

Welcoming the Elite

The Kinguin EPC has proudly welcomed some of the biggest names in eSports including Natus Vincere, Imperial, FaZe Clan, Fnatic, MIBR, TSM, Complexity, MOUZ, Team Secret, Tundra Esports, OG, beastcoast, Monte, 9INE, Nigma Galaxy, B8, Betclic Apogee, NOM Esports, Acend, Falcons, Grayhound, FURIA, M80, Bad News Eagles, Nouns, Team 500, Passion UA, Into the Breach and the Polish eFUTBOL team under the Polish Football Association.

Supporting Ukrainian Talent

Additionally, it’s worth noting that the Kinguin EPC has been open free of charge for any Ukrainian pro-players and their families. In 2022, we hosted over 30 people from Ukraine, providing them with access to top-notch facilities and resources to enhance their skills and opportunities in the eSports realm.

A Commitment to the Future

“While we are halting activities at the Warsaw center, we are committed to supporting eSports not only in our region but globally,” the founder of the Kinguin EPC, Viktor Romaniuk, said. “Our dedication to the growth and development of eSports remains unwavering and we are actively seeking new opportunities to continue this mission. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the players, partners and supporters who have contributed to the success of the Kinguin EPC in Warsaw. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to stay connected with us for future updates.”

For further inquiries or information, please contact EPC@ Kinguin. net.

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The payment provider has been awarded an Innovate UK grant for its safer gambling and AI platform

Instant bank payment provider Yaspa has been awarded a government grant for its safer gambling payments and AI platform by Innovate UK, the United Kingdom’s innovation agency.

Yaspa’s innovative web-based B2B platform will combine payments and AI to help gambling operators identify vulnerable players in a frictionless manner. The platform, which will be the first of its kind, will help gambling businesses to identify and address some of the United Kingdom’s 300,000 estimated ‘problem gamblers’.

Using open banking technology, Yaspa will provide operators with access to player transaction data at the point of deposit, giving a significantly broader and more accurate picture of a player’s pan-operator activity. The application of AI modelling will then detect the likelihood of them being at risk of harm due to gambling.

The inclusion of payment data will offer a frictionless way to conduct affordability checks that goes beyond current consumer protection initiatives such as paper-based affordability checks and reliance on data from within a single operator’s domain.

“With Innovate UK’s support, Yaspa will play a pivotal role in the future of compliance within the gambling sector,” the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for Yaspa, James Neville, said. “With the use of fast-growing technologies including AI and open banking, our safer gambling platform will reimagine how affordability checks are conducted and actioned to protect vulnerable players.

“Currently, operators view players at the single operator level and rely on disruptive checks that risk driving people to grey markets. Yaspa’s frictionless process, combined with a pan-operator view, will transform the experience for operators and players alike.”

The project is a response to the United Kingdom government’s plans to reform the country’s gambling landscape, which have set out expectations for operators to implement frictionless financial vulnerability checks for players, mooting open banking as a possible solution.

The receipt of co-funding from Innovate UK will enable Yaspa to work with academics in safer gambling and AI to build a platform that uses world-class data analysis to ensure players can make quick and easy deposits with non-disruptive, real-time risk detection.

The Yaspa platform will meet operator needs and exceed regulatory requirements while addressing the far-reaching ramifications of problem gambling in the United Kingdom.

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G2 Esports, one of the world’s leading entertainment and esports brands, announces a new appointment to its leadership team as Henning Christiansson joins as Commercial Director. The organisation is also introducing a new Director level to the leadership structure, signalling a new era in G2’s strategic growth as it fortifies its commercial success.

As the organisation continues to expand, G2’s mission is to ensure that its leaders are guiding the way across all internal departments, while preserving and strengthening the existing culture, and allowing all teams to have the support they need. Joining the newly appointed Director of Esports at G2, Julius Ylänne, Henning will lead the organisation’s commercial efforts to accelerate growth as the company diversifies its revenues. G2 already boasts an impressive string of long-term partnerships with some of the world’s most recognisable brands including Red Bull, Ralph Lauren, Mastercard and Jägermeister.

From 2022 to 2023, the esports industry has grown from $3.2bn to $3.8bn and is expected to reach $4.3bn in 2024. Over the next four years, the industry is projected to show an annual growth rate of 7.1% with a total market volume of $5.7bn by 2029*.

Following 5 years of commercial growth and global expansion, G2 has introduced a Director level which sits below the C-Suite, strengthening the leadership team and providing a stronger support line to department heads, leads, and managers across the organisation globally. Over the next few months, G2 will be adding a Finance Director and a Marketing Director to strengthen its leadership team with ambitious risk-takers, driven by the idea of achieving greatness together and creating impact beyond G2 Esports.

The new Director level structure comes following a period of global expansion for the organisation. Beyond its historic competitive dominance in the biggest leagues in Europe, including League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2, it fields top performing rosters in North America in Rocket League, Call of Duty (Minnesota RØKKR), and most recently VALORANT, securing a slot in VCT Americas for 2024. In Asia, G2 Esports is now represented by G2 Blacklist in Wild Rift, based in the Philippines, and G2.iG in Dota 2 in China.

A gaming technology and esports veteran, Henning will bring a wealth of experience in esports partnerships as former Global Commercial Manager for Esports & Pro Series at Logitech G. Before his time at Logitech, Henning was the Global Project Manager at the world’s largest gaming and lifestyle company, DreamHack – ESL Faceit Group, and the Nordic & Baltics Marketing Manager for gaming peripherals and accessories company, SteelSeries. His background in partnerships, marketing, and agency experience gives him a unique perspective on commercial partnership management as Commercial Director at G2.

Sabrina Ratih, Chief Operating Officer, G2 Esports commented: “Henning’s arrival not only fortifies our leadership team but also injects a fresh perspective into our commercial endeavours. Looking ahead to long-term growth we are aiming to make smart, sustainable decisions that enable us to keep moving forward as a global organisation and diversify our revenue streams. By introducing new leadership levels to the team, we are adding an even stronger strategic backbone, more mentorship and more support to our staff – and Henning’s appointment is very much a part of this process.”

Henning Christiansson, Commercial Director, G2 Esports commented: “What makes G2 such a compelling proposition for brands and partners is its ability to engage and entertain arguably the most diverse audience in esports. G2 is competitively dominant in Europe, China, and North America, but its fans are captivated regardless of whether its teams win or lose, which is rare. I’m joining an ambitious and creative team that’s never satisfied with the status quo, and I see this as an incredible opportunity to fortify G2’s commercial success, and to continue raising the bar with trusted partners at our side.”