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 in the esports sector, including the confirmation that the first edition of the Olympic Esports Games will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) met with HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) in Riyadh earlier this week.
According to reports, the conversation centred on a newly created joint committee between the IOC and SOPC. This committee, chaired by IOC Member Ser Miang Ng and co-chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, will begin working to select the games that will be part of the first edition of the Olympic Esports Games.
President Bach said: “There is now a very clear roadmap to the historic first-ever Olympic Esports Games. With the Road to the Olympic Esports Games starting this year, the Games are becoming a reality. This is further evidence of the strength of the partnership between the IOC and the SOPC in many areas.”
The meeting followed the confirmation that the inaugural Olympic Esports Games would take place in Saudi Arabia and the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) will become the Founding Partner of the competition.
The EWCF has already had a significant impact on the esports world, as last year it hosted the first Esports World Cup. The Esports World Cup, hosted in Saudi, revolutionised the industry by bringing together a range of titles and offering the largest prize pool in the history of esports.
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal said: “Today the journey to the first-ever Olympic Esports Games is clear, with an immediate timeline that works for all parties and sees the Road to Olympic Esports Games start in 2025. Together with the IOC, there is real momentum, unity and clarity on the way forward, with the focus now on delivering.
“Already Saudi Arabia is looking forward to welcoming the world and playing its part to help the dreams of so many esports athletes come true. Just as we are seeing across all sports in the Kingdom, there is real growth and new opportunities to grasp as part of an exciting future for all.”
PandaScore stresses “power of esports betting” with FeedConstruct deal
Esports odds provider PandaScore has partnered with FeedConstruct to bolster the latter’s Odds Aggregation platform.
Through the collaboration, FeedConstruct has added PandaScore to its offering to sports betting operators, allowing the company’s partner brands access to over 300 unique esports markets, as reported by SBC News.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore, commented: “Esports betting has become a significant market in its own right and more and more operators now want to offer it to players as they look to reach new audiences.
“But esports bettors are discerning and expect a great selection of markets across all the major disciplines as well as good odds and products that allow them to bet the way they want to.
“We are delighted to be able to offer this to more operators than ever before via this agreement with FeedConstruct, a company that also understands the power and potential of esports betting.”
This agreement aims to strengthen FeedConstruct’s sports betting platform with betting markets for esports competitions for titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2 and League of Legends.
Arsen Baghdasaryan, Head of Business Development at FeedConstruct, added: “I’m happy to welcome PandaScore to our Odds Aggregation Platform. It serves as a powerful hub for companies looking to expand the reach of their content globally.
“At the same time, operators can seamlessly integrate multiple feeds through a single integration, eliminating the hassle of content mapping. We take care of the complexities, allowing our partners to focus on what matters most – delivering an exceptional experience to their audience.”
Oddin.gg and StarLadder promise new standards for esports events
Oddin.gg has partnered with StarLadder, a global esports organiser, to host a series of high-profile Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournaments.
While the duration of the partnership has not been confirmed, the two entities have said that the tournaments will showcase the best of the CS2 ecosystem, bringing together teams, production and a global audience.
Roman Romantsov, CEO at StarLadder, said: “Oddin.gg’s commitment to innovation and excellence aligns perfectly with our mission to elevate the esports experience. Their expertise will help us push boundaries and deliver tournaments that engage and inspire players, teams, and fans alike. We’re excited to work together on this next chapter of CS2 esports.”
Oddin.gg’s role will be to leverage its expertise in esports betting solutions to provide innovative betting markets and exciting matchups, aiming to create elevated tournament experiences.
At the moment, Oddin.gg is licensed across a range of US states, as well as Ontario, Canada. The company’s betting solutions include an esports odds feed, widgets and bet builders and it also offers live esports data and marketing services.
Marek Suchar, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Oddin.gg, added: “We’re proud to partner with StarLadder, a name synonymous with excellence in esports. Their reputation for delivering world-class tournaments is unmatched, and we’re excited to bring our innovative esports betting solutions to these marquee events.
“Together, we’ll provide fans with unparalleled experiences and set a new standard for esports competitions.”
Last year, Esports tournament organiser PGL secured a multi-year deal that saw Oddin.gg remain the exclusive provider of data and integrity services for several of its events.
