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The boom of virtual gaming tournaments

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The boom of virtual gaming tournaments
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The global gaming industry is undergoing rapid change and is seeing significant growth year on year. It is currently worth around £116 billion, and it is expected to grow by a Compound Annual Growth Rate percentage of 12.9% between now and the year 2027.

There are a number of key factors that are driving this, including the availability and advancement of technology. Both the hardware and software of games consoles, computers and gaming accessories are improving greatly in terms of efficiency, innovation and usability.

Increased access to internet services with decent connection and speed has also influenced this, as well as the relatively new development of influencer marketing through streaming platforms. Of course, it is also undeniable that recent global events have meant that people have had to spend more time at home social distancing and have found themselves playing more games. Gaming has provided entertainment and social engagement to people who may have been too busy to play regularly before. There are game types to suit everybody, from action and adventure games to strategy and puzzle games. All gaming sectors have seen an increase of gameplay during this period and one in particular is the casino industry. In the last several months, many people have signed up to one of many casino sites to play their favourite games like blackjack and poker. The increase of players has been forced by the closure of land-based casinos meaning people had to move online to access casino games. And it was not just normal casino games that had to take place online, many large gambling events like the World Series of Poker tournament also had to move online due to the recent pandemic. Many events and competitions were already taking place virtually, however this year has seen more events than ever make the transition online, is this phenomenon going to stay?

Virtual Competitions

There has also been a boom in virtual gaming tournaments, or esports tournaments, during this time. The number of tournaments has skyrocketed in comparison to previous years, so too has the audience numbers on streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube. As conventional tournaments across the sports and entertainment industries have faced cancellations or postponements, virtual competitions have acted as their replacements.

There are three main types of esports that are run as virtual gaming competitions. One is first person shooters (FPSs), these can be player v player or team games, with popular examples including Call of Duty, Doom and Counter-Strike. There are also fighter gaming competitions, such as those held for Super Smash Bros or Street Fighter. However, some of the most anticipated tournaments are those in the Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) category, with League of Legends and DOTA 2 being the big names in this area.

Many players participate in these events due to their financial incentives. Large corporations sponsoring these events draw in professional players with the promise of huge cash prizes. Pros train for these events all year round, gaming to them is a career choice as they fund their passion through prize winning and sponsorship deals scored through their streaming channels. DOTA 2 is by far one of the biggest tournaments in terms of the amount of prize money it gives out. Since the game was released in 2013, there have been 54 tournaments and the average prize has been a hefty sum of $111,111 US dollars. This year’s prize money hase totalled $6 million.

Replacing Sporting Events

Virtual gaming tournaments this year have acted as a good replacement for some of the major sporting events.

After F1 was forced to postpone earlier this year, Torque Esports’ All-Star Esport Battle took over in March. Racers from a variety of motorsports joined in on the action, including the legendary Max Verstappen. Verstappen found victory at the Redline’s Real Racers Never Quit competition series when he won the first qualifier, however the final saw Rudy Van Buren take home the top prize after he dropped out. Van Buren actually holds the title of ‘World’s Fastest Gamer’ in 2017.

There was also the virtual Formula One Grand Prix which attracted both pro gamers and champion F1 stars. This was the second time the event ran and this year it was based on Albert Park circuit in Melbourne. Competitors included Ben Stokes, an England cricketer, and racing driver Alex Albon. The trophy was won by two time Grand Prix winner Charles Leclerc.

Another high-profile esports tournament was the Fortnite World Cup. In the summer of 2019, the Fortnite finals were streamed across Twitch, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and within the game itself. Weekly online tournaments started in April, with players from each region competing to qualify for the finals and be in for a chance of winning a cut of the $1,000,000 prize pool. The overall winner was 16 year old Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf, who lifted the trophy at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. This year however, Epic Games have had to put a stop to the World Cup this year due to the cross-region nature of the event. They instead moved all over competitions exclusively online this year, including the Fortnite Champion Series and the Fortnite Cash Cups.

Virtual Gaming Industry is Growing

At the rate that the virtual gaming industry is growing, in the future we may see the same kind of media coverage and attention for these tournaments as we do some of the major traditional sports competitions. Huge audiences already enjoy watching these events via live streams, and many also place bets too. As stadium events around the world continue to be cancelled and postponed, virtual gaming tournaments are continuing to become a more mainstream form of entertainment for fans of competitive sports.


Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: The boom of virtual gaming tournaments

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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Red Rake Gaming releases Super 60 Stars, the newest slot in its successful Super series

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Red Rake Gaming has released Super 60 Stars, the latest addition to its acclaimed Super series, now available to all partner operators.

This new release retains the fast-paced gameplay and wide variety of features that have made the series one of the most popular in the iGaming industry, while also introducing an exclusive new addition that adds even more excitement to the game.

The new feature in Super 60 Stars is the “Super 60 Stars” symbol, which can appear anywhere on the reels and trigger the brand-new “Super 60 Gold X” minigame. In this minigame, players can land the “Super X” symbol to multiply the value of the silver coins and accumulate big wins through the gold coins. On top of that, the “Super 60 Coins” system brings the familiar “Minor, Major and Grand” prizes, offering great win potential.

The game also includes some of the most successful features from previous titles in the series, such as “Sticky Wins” and progressive multipliers triggered by the “Super 25 Stars Wild” symbol, as well as the “Crystallize Symbols” and “Lucky Multipliers”, with multipliers of up to x50, and the «Star Fusion Minigame», which merges symbols for bigger rewards.

Other popular features also make a return, including the “Super 10 Stars Mini-Slot” and the “Frenzy Wheel Minigame”, with multipliers of up to x100, plus expanding Wilds with Respins, the “Wheel Bonus”, and “Free Spins”.

With its polished design, fast-paced gameplay and broad variety of features, Super 60 Stars strengthens the appeal of an already established series and stands out as a key release for operators looking to offer high-performing, differentiated content to their players.

Now available across all Red Rake Gaming partner casinos, as well as through its renowned tournament tool.

For additional information please contact: [email protected]

The post Red Rake Gaming releases Super 60 Stars, the newest slot in its successful Super series appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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GAMSTOP reports record registrations in 2025

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  • 44% increase in under 25s choosing to self-exclude from gambling
  • Younger consumers choosing six-month exclusion to manage their gambling
  • New chair Chris Pond to take up post in September

GAMSTOP, the national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling, has reported a 19% increase in registrations in 2025, with monthly registrations breaking all previous records twice in successive months.

The increase in registrations has been driven by younger consumers, aged 16-24, with self-exclusions increasing by 44% year-on-year in the first six months of the year. Four out of ten are choosing to exclude for the minimum six-month period, up from 36% in the previous year which could mean they are using GAMSTOP as a flexible, preventative tool to manage their gambling, though more research is needed to understand patterns of behaviour.

With self-exclusion at record levels, the Gamstop Group has announced its new chair will be Chris Pond, who replaces the outgoing Chair Jenny Watson CBE in September after her seven-year stint. Mr Pond is highly experienced in financial services and has worked across the public, private and non-profit sectors.

He is currently Chair of the Money and Mental Health Advisory Board and the Financial Services Consumer Panel at the Financial Conduct Authority. He has previously chaired the Financial Inclusion Commission, served as the CEO of two national charities and was a Work and Pensions Minister during his eight years as a Member of Parliament.

Since GAMSTOP’S inception in April 2018, nearly 600,000 vulnerable consumers have registered for the service and self-exclusion is continuing to increase at record rates. In April 2025, a record 10,281 consumers registered with GAMSTOP – the first time the monthly figure had ever topped 10,000 –and Monday April 7th, two days after the Grand National, was the busiest ever day with 437 registrations. However, the monthly record was eclipsed in May, with 10,344 new registrations.

The 2025 data reveals a growing preference for six-month exclusions across all age groups, a 29% year-on-year increase. However, the maximum five-year exclusion remains the most popular amongst all age groups, except under-25s and currently accounts for nearly one in two of all exclusions (47%). Since 2018, 53% of all registrations have been for the maximum five-year period.

GAMSTOP introduced a new ‘5 years with auto-renewal’ exclusion in December 2024 for vulnerable consumers looking to extend their exclusion from gambling websites and apps. The new 5 -year auto-renewal option was developed in direct response to feedback from users and the take-up has been high, with nearly half of those registering for a five-year exclusion choosing this option.

New registrations – H1 2025

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
6 months 39% 27% 23% 21% 22%
1 year 26% 26% 23% 22% 22%
5 years 35% 47% 54% 57% 56%

 

Registrations – all time

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+
6 months 33% 23% 20% 20% 20%
1 year 26% 23% 22% 21% 22%
5 years 41% 54% 58% 59% 58%

 

Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, said:Our data shows a significant spike in the number of younger consumers who are GAMstopping to manage their gambling, and this has driven the record registrations in 2025. They are increasingly choosing six-month exclusions, which suggests that GAMSTOP is being used as a tool to allow them a break from gambling. We have worked very hard to increase awareness of GAMSTOP amongst younger consumers and to destigmatise the use of self-exclusion. We want them to realise that GAMSTOP can be used as a preventative tool alongside other solutions, giving them breathing space to take back control”.

 

The post GAMSTOP reports record registrations in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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STAKE SIGN FOOTBALL LEGEND PATRICE EVRA AS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR

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Betting giants, Stake has today confirmed that former Manchester United and Juventus legend, Patrice Evra, has signed a deal to become a Global Ambassador for the brand.

Evra is the latest football legend to partner with Stake, joining fellow Premier League icon, Sergio Aguero as part of the Stake family. The former left-back enjoyed a trophy laden career, winning 17 major titles, including the UEFA Champions League, and five Premier League titles as part of an iconic Manchester United squad.

Evra’s larger than life personality has seen him remain a source of great entertainment since his retirement. Now considered a respected pundit, Evra has become known for his strong opinions and sharp wit.

Patrice Evra commented:“I am so excited to be working with Stake, and joining the family. They are such a fun and exciting brand who are at the top of their game, and to be joining their team of iconic Ambassadors is a privilege.

“I am a massive MMA fan, and Stake is a brand that everyone thinks of when it comes to the sport. To be on the same team as MMA Champions is great, and also to have a former rival from Manchester City, Sergio Aguero, now on my team, is fantastic.”

Akhil Sarin, Chief Marketing Officer at Stake, said: “Patrice is a footballing icon and one of the best players to ever play in his position. As much as his incredible credentials, we love his eccentric, larger than life personality and his strong opinions on the beautiful game. We see great synergy between Patrice and the Stake brand, and are really looking forward to what will be a great partnership.”

 

The post STAKE SIGN FOOTBALL LEGEND PATRICE EVRA AS GLOBAL AMBASSADOR appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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