From sponsorships to industry-wide announcements, Insider Sport has you covered when it comes to the world of esports.

This week’s edition highlights the latest developments within the sector, including esports tournament organiser ESL FACEIT Group revealing plans to launch ESL Saudi Challenge, a tournament series open exclusively to gamers located in Saudi Arabia.

The inaugural tournament will see Saudi gamers compete in Overwatch 2, taking place from 18 October-7 December. The grand finals will take place at Riyadh-based gaming venue VOV Gaming, with the tournament boasting a £15,301 prize pool.

This ESL tournament marks the first time an ESL-branded tournament has taken place in the country. Organisers believe that this tournament acts as an opportunity for local talent to showcase their skills ‘on a global stage’, hoping to attract viewers from across the world. 

Saudi Arabia has become a hub for esports, as of late. Most notably, the country hosted the inaugural Esports World Cup, a tournament that featured a record prize pool of more than $60m. 

Franck Guignery, SVP of Middle East and Africa at ESL FACEIT Group, stated: “The ESL Saudi Challenge is more than just a tournament – it’s the beginning of a new chapter for esports in Saudi Arabia.

“Whether you’re an aspiring esports player, a professional  player or a fan, this is your chance to be part of the action and witness the rise of local talent.”

Computer mouse on KSA flag.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Abios takes esoccer offering to Sweden with Svenska Spel

Esports odds provider Abios has partnered with Swedish state-owned gambling company Svenska Spel in a deal centred around its esoccer offering. 

As part of the deal, Abios will provide the gambling company with a comprehensive range of odds, streams and widgets for esoccer, which covers more than 12,000 matches every month.

Abios is also hoping to gain from this partnership, as it looks to expand its esoccer offering into the Swedish market through this deal with Svenska Spel.

Ida Björklund, Head of Sports Betting at Svenska Spel, added: “By adding esoccer to our offering, we allow our customers to enjoy an exciting new product that has grown rapidly in popularity. 

“The opportunity for customers to follow their bets throughout the match by watching streams bolsters the user experience, acting as a fantastic complement to our broad and deep offering.”

Anton Janér, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Abios,  stated: “As a company founded in Stockholm we’re incredibly happy to power Svenska Spel, one of the most well-known brands within Swedish sports. Esoccer has grown rapidly for us in recent months, and it is exciting to see that the novel product features we’ve rolled out have gained traction and boosted results for our partners.”

FIFA esports top-flight team NEO has announced its extended partnership with Paysafecard after a ‘successful’ first year.

Stake enters into esports with GRID’s CCT

GRID’s Champion of Champions Tour (CCT), a large-scale CS2 esports event, has partnered with online casino and sportsbook Stake

Under the agreement, Stake will be the exclusive betting partner for the English broadcast of the CCT. The global casino and sports book brand will use this opportunity to connect with esports fans by providing content and activations throughout the event.

This tournament marks  Stake’s first partnership with an esports event and the first-ever time the company is venturing into of competitive gaming industry. 

Stake’s Chief Marketing Officer Akhil Sarin noted that the CCT is the perfect way to enter esports and that esports is a key growth area for the company. Additionally, he mentioned that the brand is planning several activations alongside GRID, which fans can take part in during the event. 

Now in its second edition, the CCT is already underway and has 36 online events split across four regions. The tournament boasts a prize pool of £1.18m and will culminate with a major LAN final in early 2025.

Mikael Westerling, Chief Sales Officer at GRID, commented: “Stake’s reputation for innovation, support of traditional sports, and entertainment makes them a perfect partner for the CCT. Together, we look forward to elevating the tournament experience for players, fans, and the entire esports community.”

Stake logo on F1 car at SBC Summit 2024.

GIANTX reveals plans to show off Samsung’s esports technology

Esports organisation GIANTX has announced a deal with electronics company Samsung to contribute to an in-person campaign. 

The campaign will see the pair collaborate at this year’s EGX Comic Con, where the two parties will showcase a range of products at a themed booth.

This booth will feature will feature a range of Samsung products such as its mobile devices and TVs with game streaming platform Samsung Gaming Hub built-in. Additionally, prizes will be on offer for event attendees.

Aiming to enhance gamer experiences, the booths will promote Samsung’s Odyssey range of gaming monitors.

Luis Garcia, Commercial Director of GIANTX, remarked: “We are delighted to welcome Samsung to the GIANTX family.

“We look forward to activating together at EGX Comic Con 2024, bringing a unique experience to fans from the UK and beyond, showcasing the latest of Samsung technology to our captive audience of gaming and esports enthusiasts.”

Zeena Hill, Director of Marketing for TV/AV at Samsung Electronics in the UK and Ireland said that the company is  “excited to be collaborating with GiantX to provide thousands of fans at EGX Comic Con and beyond with the multiple benefits of our superior TV range.”

“We know that gaming is a huge passion point for so many of our customers which is why Samsung’s Gaming Hub is made so easily accessible – all you need is a controller and away you go,” Hill added.

“This collaboration with GiantX will not only showcase the stunning clarity and gaming performance of our TV technology but also the ease in accessing thousands of top game titles without the need for a console.”

Credit: OHishiapply, Shutterstock
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