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Intel® Extreme Masters Cologne 2023: Local heroes G2 Esports crowned the final Cologne CS:GO Champion at the Cathedral of Counter-Strike
Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne 2023 has come to a thrilling conclusion, with G2 Esports emerging victorious after an intense battle between 24 of the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) teams from around the world. The competition was held from July 26th to August 6th, and the final three days took place in front of more than 37,000 passionate fans at the iconic LANXESS arena in Cologne, Germany.
ESL’s flagship event in LANXESS arena saw many record-breaking moments, with the tournament selling out faster than any other ESL event in Cologne previously, filling the most seats ever as well as capturing the highest average viewership for any other esports event hosted in the German city.
The Play-in Stage began on the 26th July, with 16 teams battling it out for one of the top eight spots. From the 29th July, the Group Stage saw the top eight teams from the Play-in Stage and eight squads that directly qualified, be split into two groups of eight and go head-to-head. The six best teams – Astralis, Cloud9, ENCE, G2 Esports, HEROIC, and Team Vitality – then proceeded to the live Playoffs on August 4-6, during which they faced off against each other in front of the sold-out LANXESS arena.
The Playoffs had a sensational start with Team Vitality dominating the first Quarter-Final, beating Cloud9 2-0. The second Quarter-Final saw Danish squads HEROIC and Astralis face each other, with the latter emerging victorious in another 2-0 win. The Semi-Finals first saw Finnish and French esports organizations, ENCE and Team Vitality, battle it out for three intense rounds, with ENCE becoming the first team to secure a spot in the Grand Final following a 2-1 win. The second Semi-Final saw G2 Esports dominate, defeating Astralis 2-0 and advancing to the final game of the competition.
The electrifying best-of-5 Grand Final saw G2 Esports control the first two rounds against ENCE, going 2-0 up. ENCE started off strong in map 3, and despite catching up, G2 Esports were unable to secure the win, leading the Grand Final to go into the fourth map.
After a hard-fought and exciting match, G2 Esports beat ENCE by a score of 3-1 winning the coveted and renowned IEM Cologne trophy, taking home $400,000 of the $1,000,000 total prize pool, and joining Team Vitality and ENCE in the race to securing Intel® Grand Slam V. Moreover, the squad is the first team to secure a spot in the Group Stage of the first ESL Pro Tour (EPT) Championship event in 2024.
G2 Esports Rifler Nikola “NiKo” Kovač also secured his very first EPT DHL MVP award which is judged on a combination of player performance, fan voting, and broadcast talent voting.
Following the win, Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač commented: “This is the biggest trophy of my career – I’m super happy right now! It’s been a long journey to finally get this trophy but it wouldn’t be possible without this team and I’m so happy to have them by my side. I’m really proud of everyone, we kept it cool and calm throughout the whole series and it doesn’t feel real that we managed to win both [EPT Championship] tournaments in the same year. The experience and playing in the LANXESS arena was amazing!”
By winning the IEM Cologne 2023 title, the German organization claims two EPT Championship competitions back-to-back in the same year, having secured the IEM Katowice trophy earlier this year as well. Furthermore, G2 Esports’ Justin “jks” Savage once more showed he is a force to be reckoned with, winning his third EPT Championship title in two years’ time.
IEM Cologne 2023 saw a peak viewership of more than 727,000.* Moreover, the live part of the event attracted more than 37,000 fans from 70 different countries over three days.
Next up in the ESL Pro Tour is the ESL Pro Tour Season 18, kicking off on August 31 – October 1. For more information and the latest updates about ESL’s Counter-Strike esports ecosystem, head to the official ESL Pro Tour website, and follow ESL CS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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Spin2Win de GoldenRace regresa más fuerte
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GoldenRace, proveedor líder de premiados deportes virtuales y soluciones apuestas, ha presentado la última versión de su emblemático juego de números, Spin2Win & Spin2Win Royale. Reconocido por su sencillez, dinamismo y altas recompensas, este título se ha convertido en una pieza clave del portfolio de la compañía y en una herramienta de participación comprobada para operadores de todo el mundo.
Los juegos de números siguen siendo una de las verticales más sólidas dentro del mercado internacional de apuestas. Cifras de H2 Gambling Capital confirman que los productos de casino representaron en Europa 21.500 y 8.500 millones en ingresos brutos de juego (GGR) para los mercados online y retail respectivamente, en 2024. Sus reglas claras, ciclos cortos y premios frecuentes los convierten en los favoritos de los jugadores y en una fuente estable de ingresos para los operadores.
En GoldenRace, nos esforzamos constantemente por mejorar nuestros productos, haciéndolos más atractivos y accesibles con cada lanzamiento. Y esta filosofía se aplica a toda nuestra cartera. Big5, una innovadora versión del fútbol virtual, y RaceDay, que reúne todos los tipos de carreras en un solo producto, son solo dos ejemplos recientes. Esta versión de Spin2Win continúa por el mismo camino.
Entre sus mejoras destacan una interfaz de usuario totalmente optimizada y una ruleta renovada e impactante que eleva la emoción de cada giro. El juego también incorpora estadísticas más claras, la opción de juego automático en el modo instantáneo y la función multiplicador en el modo programado, herramientas diseñadas para agilizar la toma de decisiones, aumentar la
participación y alargar las sesiones de juego.
Spin2Win mantiene además su variedad con cuatro formatos distintos: Clásico, Royale, Americano y Americano Royale. Las versiones Royale incluyen una ruleta de sectores que amplía las opciones de apuesta, mientras que las versiones Americanas destacan el doble cero verde con cuotas totalmente transparentes. Los operadores se benefician de una configuración flexible, múltiples formatos de cuotas y validaciones automáticas que garantizan un juego justo y estable.
Con este relanzamiento, GoldenRace reafirma su liderazgo en el vertical de los juegos de números e invita a operadores y jugadores a descubrir una nueva era de giros.
The post Spin2Win de GoldenRace regresa más fuerte appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GoldenRace’s Spin2Win returns stronger
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GoldenRace, the leading provider of award-winning Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has unveiled the latest version of its emblematic number game, Spin2Win&Spin2Win Royale. Recognised for its simplicity, fast gameplay and high rewards, the title has become a cornerstone of the company’s portfolio and a proven engagement tool for operators worldwide.
Number games continue to be one of the most reliable verticals in the global betting market. Figures from H2 Gambling Capital confirm that casino-style products represented 21.5 and 8.5 billion in GGR for online and land-based markets, respectively, in 2024. Their clear rules, short cycles and frequent payouts make them a favourite among players and a steady source of revenue for operators.
At GoldenRace, we constantly push to improve our products, making them more engaging and accessible with every release. And this philosophy runs across our entire portfolio. Big5, a groundbreaking take on Virtual Football and RaceDay, which unites all race types in a single product, are just two recent examples. This version of Spin2Win continues this path.
Among the improvements are a fully optimised user interface and a renewed, visually striking wheel that boosts the excitement of every spin and clearer statistics. The game also incorporates an Autoplay option in instant mode and a Multiplier feature in scheduled mode – tools designed to enhance decision-making, increase engagement and extend player sessions online.
Spin2Win also maintains its variety with four distinct versions: Classic, Royale, American and American Royale. Royale formats introduce an additional sectors wheel that expands betting options, while the American variants highlight the double green with fully transparent odds. Operators benefit from flexible configuration, multiple odds formats and automated validations that ensure seamless and fair gameplay.
With this relaunch, GoldenRace confirms its leadership in the number games vertical and invites operators and players to discover a new era of spinning.
The post GoldenRace’s Spin2Win returns stronger appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Expanse Studios Secures Romanian Class 2 B2B Gaming License
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Expanse Studios, a B2B iGaming content provider and subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has been granted a Class 2 license by Romania’s National Gambling Office (ONJN), authorizing the company to distribute specialized gaming software across one of Europe’s fastest-growing regulated markets.
The license, granted under Decision No. 273, enables Expanse Studios to provide its portfolio of proprietary slot games, crash games, and casino content to licensed Romanian operators. This approval positions the company to serve a market that generated approximately €600 million in gross gaming revenue in 2024 and maintains one of Europe’s highest channelization rates at over 90%.
Strategic Entry into High-Growth Regulated Market
Romania represents one of Eastern Europe’s most dynamic iGaming jurisdictions, with internet penetration reaching 88% of its 19 million population and a regulatory framework that has attracted over 50 licensed operators. The market has demonstrated consistent growth, with total industry turnover exceeding €2 billion in 2023, reflecting a 15% year-over-year increase.
The Class 2 B2B license allows Expanse Studios to distribute content to Romania’s licensed B2C operators without establishing a Romanian entity or paying Romanian corporate taxes, while providing access to a market where mobile gaming dominates and player engagement continues to accelerate.
Romania’s stringent licensing requirements under Government Emergency Ordinance 77/2009 make ONJN approval a significant credential for B2B providers. The regulatory framework emphasizes technical compliance, player protection, and operational transparency—requirements that align with Expanse Studios’ existing European operations across 1,300+ casino brands.
“Securing ONJN approval validates our technical capabilities and regulatory compliance standards in one of Europe’s most demanding jurisdictions,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios. “Romania offers substantial distribution opportunities through licensed operators serving a tech-savvy player base with strong engagement metrics. This license strengthens our European B2B footprint and demonstrates our ability to meet the compliance requirements of mature regulated markets.”
Expanding B2B Distribution Infrastructure
The Romanian license complements Expanse Studios’ recent European partnerships, reflecting accelerating demand for the company’s content across regulated jurisdictions. With 56 proprietary titles including Super Heli, Titan Roulette, and Wild Icy Fruits, Expanse continues scaling its high-margin B2B operations across Europe, Latin America, and North America.
Romania’s market characteristics—including preference for mobile platforms, strong affinity for slot content, and established payment infrastructure—align well with Expanse Studios’ content portfolio and distribution model. The company’s games will be available to Romanian operators seeking certified, compliant content for their licensed platforms.
This license approval reinforces Golden Matrix Group’s broader strategy of expanding regulated B2B operations in jurisdictions with transparent licensing frameworks and sustainable growth trajectories.
The post Expanse Studios Secures Romanian Class 2 B2B Gaming License appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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