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NODWIN Gaming and BLAST Triumphantly Conclude ‘The Draft’ with ‘shox’- Led Marcos Gaming Clinching Inaugural Title

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South Asia’s leading gaming and esports media company, NODWIN Gaming, in partnership with global esports entertainment company, BLAST celebrates the successful culmination of the region’s first legends-led  Counter-Strike tournament, ‘The Draft’. After an electrifying Super Six LAN final phase and a riveting BO5 grand final encounter against KennyS’ True Rippers Esports, Marcos Gaming, under the leadership of Counter-Strike icon Richard ‘shox’ Papillon, clinched a heart-stopping 3-2 victory, securing their place as the inaugural champions of ‘The Draft’.

Held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and powered by energy drink partners Red Bull, the Super Six LAN final phase of ‘The Draft’ featured 6 of the best Counter-Strike teams from India and Pakistan, with  India’s True Rippers Esports and Marcos Gaming emerging as the grand finalists. Richard ‘shox’ Papillon of team Liquid, G2, Team Vitality fame, boasting a remarkable career tally of over a dozen global CS tournaments including 1 Major led Marcos Gaming across the finish line. Shox was also named the tournament MVP with 302 kills, 187 deaths, and an impressive ADR of 103 across 5 Super Six LAN phase matches.

Speaking on the recently concluded tournament, Gautam Virk Co-Founder and CEO of NODWIN Gaming said, “We’re thrilled by the overwhelming success of ‘The Draft’ and the extraordinary display of Counter-Strike talent witnessed throughout the event. It’s been an exhilarating journey, witnessing the unwavering passion and dedication of gamers from the region. ‘The Draft’ embodies our unwavering commitment to not only elevate the esports ecosystem but also to nurture talent and cultivate a dynamic gaming community. The collaboration between NODWIN Gaming and BLAST has been a beacon of opportunity, providing emerging CS stars from the region with a platform to shine. Our heartiest congratulations to Marcos Gaming for their historic triumph as the inaugural champions of ‘The Draft’.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our esteemed partners at BLAST, the participating teams, esteemed legends, and everyone who contributed to making this event a resounding success. Additionally, our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our passionate community whose steadfast support fuels our drive for excellence. As we conclude this remarkable chapter, we look forward to continuing our mission of pushing the boundaries of esports and creating more platforms for players to realize their full potential.”

Faye Marlborough, Director of Brand at BLAST, said: “The inaugural ‘The Draft’ has been a huge success and just goes to show the ever-growing passion and talent currently available in the South East Asia esports region. The event highlights the need for more opportunities for these underserved gaming regions and ‘The Draft’ provided exactly that with Counter-Strike legends joining them on a global platform where we saw the very best from each region – the skill, passion and dedication on display was incredible.”

Speaking on ‘The Draft’, Counter Strike legend and MVP of the tournament, Richard ‘shox’ Papillon said, “CS isn’t as well known in this region as it is in Europe or North America but being here to lend a hand feels really good. Sharing the passion for the game is key because, without that spotlight, it’s tough for players to progress. I’m just glad to be part of that journey. Every kid deserves a shot at making their dreams come true, no matter where they’re from. And I’m looking forward to meeting some fans, I hope there are some fans in the teams here that we can meet and interact with. It’s not often they get the chance to meet us, so being in this smaller intimate setting gives us a chance to connect – different people, different cultures, and different countries. It’s what makes this whole experience so special.”

The tournament started with 64 teams each from India and Pakistan vying for a spot in the group stages to join the 4 invited teams in the India group stage and 1 invited team in the Pakistan group stage. From the group stages  True Rippers Esports, Marcos Gaming, and Gods Reign represented India at the Super Six LAN phase while Pakistan was represented by Pak Boyz, Team Wah Wah, and Com Mid. Counter-Strike legends Adam ‘friberg’ Friberg, Ladislav ‘GuardiaN’ Kovacs, Richard ‘shox’ Papillon, Olof ‘olofmeister’ Gustafsson, Christopher ‘GeT_RiGhT’ Alesund, and Kenny ‘kennyS’ Schrub were drafted in to lead and mentor the teams, further elevating the tournament’s intensity and prestige.

‘The Draft’ stands as a testament to the joint commitment of NODWIN Gaming and BLAST to enable the Counter-Strike ecosystem in the region and provide a platform for emerging CS talents to showcase their esports prowess on the world stage while playing alongside some of the brightest and legendary names to have ever played the game.

The collaboration between South Asia’s leading esports and gaming media company NODWIN Gaming and global esports giant BLAST underscores a collective initiative to enhance and elevate the overall esports landscape within South Asia.

 

About BLAST

We’re on a mission to take esports to the next level of global entertainment. We excite and invite billions of fans to join the esports revolution. We create live and digital experiences – from tournaments that pack out major arenas around the world to great content that’s guaranteed to blow your socks off.

We work with some of the world’s best game publishers and brands to elevate their properties into amazing esports experiences – having delivered tournaments, content and shows in a variety of games, including: Counter-Strike, Rainbow Six Siege, DOTA 2, VALORANT, Apex Legends, FIFA 2022 and Fortnite.

BLAST Premier is a worldwide Counter-Strike tournament series where the best teams and biggest superstars fight it out for glory and a multi-million dollar prize pool. Famous for its unparalleled production quality and game changing fan-first moments. Attracting tens-of-thousands of fans to our crazy-big-adrenaline-pumped live events in big arenas from London and Copenhagen to Miami and Sao Paulo, with millions more watching at home on our broadcast tuning in from more than 154 territories and in 25 different languages.

 

About NODWIN Gaming

NODWIN Gaming, a material and independent subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Ltd. (BSE: NAZARA), holds a significant position in the global gaming and esports industry as a leader in emerging markets. NODWIN Gaming is valued at $349 million as of 2023. Since its inception in 2014 by Akshat Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has established a global presence in regions such as South Asia, Singapore, the Middle East, and Turkey. The company’s business centers around building and monetising gaming and esports IPs such as Leagues, Tournaments, Reality shows. It engages with professional esports athletes, teams and content creators. Notable investors include Nazara, KRAFTON Inc, Sony Group Corporation and JetSynthesys

A key focus for NODWIN Gaming is the expertise in the mobile gaming and esports sector, where it has established a dominant position worldwide. By catering to the youth demographic, NODWIN is expanding its Total Addressable Market (TAM) by becoming increasingly relevant in the rapidly evolving digital entertainment landscape. Their diverse range of intellectual properties that engages the youth spans esports, gaming, pop culture, music, and comedy. This strategic expansion and cultivation of new intellectual properties are crucial to NODWIN’s aim of maintaining a significant role in the global gaming esports arena.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Internet Vikings and SB Software Partnership Transforms Infrastructure Performance for iGaming Operator Editec

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Internet Vikings, a licensed hosting provider for the European and U.S. iGaming and online sports betting industry, and SB Software a B2B provider of iGaming platforms, share the success of their partnership in transforming performance outcomes for Editec, a multinational gaming operator serving over 20 countries and operating among others such brands as: PremierBetZone, PremierLotoZone, ZoneGold, etc. 

The Challenge: Infrastructure Bottlenecks Threaten Growth 

As Editec was growing dynamically, it required the implementation of the best available server solution. Simply adding storage was inefficient, creating persistent bottlenecks that threatened the operator’s expansion plans and the quality of the user experience.

The Turning Point: Purpose-Built iGaming Infrastructure 

SB Software, Editec’s trusted platform provider, began conversations with Internet Vikings, an established iGaming-focused hosting provider to deliver a comprehensive solution combining advanced platform capabilities with specialized hosting infrastructure to secure platform and operator’s growth. Internet Vikings implemented a VMware vSAN-based cloud solution specifically optimized for high-demand iGaming workloads. The new setup delivers up to 20,000 (input/output operations per second) per virtual machine with average throughput of 600-700 MB/s representing an enormous performance improvement over the previous solution.

“Internet Vikings stood out through their technical transparency, great account management, and understanding of the specific industry needs,” said Kamil Głowacki, CTO at SB Software. “They provided clear performance benchmarks and a detailed roadmap that addressed our client’s exact requirements.” 

Measurable Results Across Multiple Markets 

The partnership has delivered significant improvements across Editec’s operations:

Performance Enhancement: Virtual machines now handle peak loads without degradation, supporting seamless user experiences during high-traffic periods.

Operational Efficiency: Unified back-office management across all 20+ countries, with multi-language and multi-currency support, custom loyalty programs, and specialized odds management.

Scalable Architecture: Infrastructure designed to support continued growth and market expansion without performance compromise.

“SB Software’s flexibility in tailoring solutions to our business requirements has been exceptional,” added the Editec spokesperson. “Combined with Internet Vikings’ hosting expertise, we now have a technology foundation that can scale with the platform and our ambitions.” 

Industry Implications 

The successful partnership demonstrates the value of specialized providers in the iGaming sector, where standard hosting solutions often fall short of industry-specific performance requirements.  “This collaboration shows how purpose-built infrastructure and flexible platform solutions can transform operational outcomes,” said Rickard Vikström, CEO and Founder of Internet Vikings. “When hosting providers truly understand iGaming demands, operators can focus on growth rather than technical limitations.” 

For iGaming operators looking for a powerful and scalable platform supported by a hosting provider that truly feels the industry, the Editec–SB Software–Internet Vikings story shows a clear blueprint of an alliance for success.

The post Internet Vikings and SB Software Partnership Transforms Infrastructure Performance for iGaming Operator Editec appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Аmusnet Enters into Strategic Partnership with efbet

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Amusnet has partnered with efbet Greece to strengthen its presence in the local market and deliver a premium gaming experience to Greek players. The collaboration is now live and brings a wide selection of Amusnet’s top-performing titles to efbet’s platform, marking another important step in the company’s strategic growth across regulated European markets.

This partnership signifies an achievement for Amusnet in Greece, bringing over 100 acclaimed titles including Extra Crown – a royal slot game filled with exciting bonus features, Cocktail Rush – video slot will take you to stunning golden beaches with exotic drinks and fruitful wins, Vegas Roulette 500x – a fast-paced European roulette that combines the classics with the excitement of the dynamic payout experience, Orient Story Deluxe – a video slot offering rewarding features and winning spins, and 40 Power Hot – a royal slot game filled with exciting bonus features to efbet’s platform.

“Partnering with efbet Greece marks a significant step in strengthening our position in the local market. efbet’s established reputation, combined with our comprehensive gaming portfolio, provides a solid foundation for delivering a high-quality, elevated experience to Greek players. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term success,” said Jelena Stankovic, Director of Amusnet Greece.

“We are excited to welcome Amusnet to our growing portfolio of gaming providers at efbet.gr. This partnership marks another important step in enhancing our casino offering and delivering even more value to our players in Greece. By integrating Amusnet’s popular titles, we continue to strengthen our position in the market and reaffirm our commitment to quality and entertainment – a move fully aligned with our long-term strategy,” the Senior Management from efbet noted.

This collaboration underscores Amusnet’s commitment to excellence and reflects its ongoing strategy of forging impactful partnerships with top-tier operators in regulated markets, ensuring sustained growth and enhanced player experience.

The post Аmusnet Enters into Strategic Partnership with efbet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ZITRO DIGITAL AND TORRERO ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

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Zitro, a global leader in the gaming industry known for its innovative slot and video bingo titles, has officially partnered with Torrero, a rapidly expanding B2B aggregator and white-label platform provider. This collaboration will see Zitro’s celebrated game portfolio integrated into Torrero’s extensive platform, significantly broadening its reach to a diverse international audience.

Torrero’s robust platform features a vast collection of over 9,500 games from 130+ suppliers, alongside a comprehensive sportsbook. The addition of Zitro’s content further strengthens this diverse portfolio, bringing a curated selection of high-performing games designed for today’s online casino landscape. Built on strong engagement mechanics and backed by a proven track record in land-based markets, Zitro’s digital portfolio enhances Torrero’s offering—enabling operators to deliver standout experiences in competitive, regulated environments.

A Powerful Alliance for Global Expansion

José Javier Martí, COO at Zitro Digital, commented on the new alliance: “This partnership with Torrero represents a strategic extension of our digital footprint. Their extensive platform and operator network provide the ideal environment to showcase our innovative titles and deliver proven player engagement. We are confident this collaboration will drive mutual growth, reinforce our presence in key regulated markets, and offer operators enhanced content diversity and performance.”

Torrero offers a complete white-label solution, including integrated payment systems, multilingual customer support, and regulatory compliance, making it a comprehensive partner for online gaming operators.

Elevating Game Selection and Performance

Aleksei Tolstov, Head of Business Development at Torrero, expressed his enthusiasm: “Zitro is a globally recognized gaming powerhouse, and their engaging slot and video bingo titles are a fantastic addition to our platform. Their strong performance in both land-based and digital markets makes them an ideal partner. We are thrilled to welcome Zitro to our network and look forward to a highly successful collaboration, enriching our content offering and delivering exceptional player experiences.”

Zitro’s titles are now live and accessible across Torrero’s network. This partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to innovation, player engagement, and leadership in key evolving markets across Latin America and Europe, serving established operators such as betmaster.com.mx, betmaster.com,  betmaster.ie, casinoin.ie, betmaster.ee, casinoin.ee and betmaster.eu

The post ZITRO DIGITAL AND TORRERO ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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