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Inside the Battlegrounds Mobile India ban, and the impact on India’s mobile games market
The Indian government requested Apple and Google to remove Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) from their app stores on July 28th, one year after it launched in the country. Our research shows that the popular battle royale game, published by South Korean firm Krafton, is no longer available for download. The request comes in the wake of several allegations made against the game for being a rebranded version of PUBG Mobile, which was banned in September 2020 due to national security concerns. These concerns were recently raised in the Indian Parliament, with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stating that BGMI was a different app to PUBG Mobile, suggesting it was not a national security concern. It’s unclear what changed to cause MeitY to pull the app.
While the government has not issued a statement to confirm the game is permanently banned, Reuters reported that the title was pulled by MeitY using Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the same act that was used to justify the ban of 321 mobile apps since June 2020. BGMI is the 57th game pulled due to this regulation. The bans have primarily targeted mobile apps from China, primarily citing national security risks. BGMI’s takedown comes just 5 months after the ban of Garena Free Fire, the most popular battle royale game in India until then.
Krafton launched BGMI after PUBG Mobile was banned
MeitY originally banned PUBG Mobile in September 2020 due to national security and data privacy issues following, though not necessarily as a result of border tensions with China. While the PUBG IP is owned by Krafton, PUBG Mobile was developed and published in India by Chinese gaming giant Tencent. At the time of its ban, PUBG Mobile was the #1 game in India by both revenue and downloads and had been a key driver of mobile gaming growth in the country. The ban had a profound impact on the battle royale segment and broader gaming ecosystem, with the unserved demand satiated by Garena Free Fire over time.
Krafton announced in November 2020 that it would bring its core battle royale experience back to India, with BGMI launching in July 2021. Krafton fully committed to the Indian market by self-publishing the title, introducing local servers to store user data securely and in country, and by announcing it would invest over US$100 million in the Indian gaming, esports, entertainment and IT industries, which it has done. The game saw significantly high uptake at launch given the popularity of battle royale games in the country, with 40 million registrations prior to launch and 16 million daily active users in its first 10 days.
BGMI had over 100 million downloads in its first year
BGMI has been a huge success for Krafton and the title was on track to reach the 200 million download mark that PUBG Mobile had achieved prior to its September 2020 ban. The title had quickly become the #2 highest grossing mobile game in India and its 2022 revenue was set to exceed that of PUBG Mobile’s peak year. BGMI has also become the leading esports title in India with Krafton investing heavily in the space to set up the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series, an official league for Indian teams with a prize pool of US$260,000.
According to Niko’s Asia Esports Tracker, BGMI is the #1 title by prize pool in India, with its total 2022 prize pool accounting for 35% of total prize pool revenue for all local and regional esports tournaments. The game also saw massive endorsement from streamers, esports organizations, and teams with high participation across key events. The BGMI Masters Series LAN event was also the first tournament to be televised live on Indian TV, reaching 12.3 million viewers.
How this impacts India’s mobile game market
If BGMI does not return to app stores, we believe it may have a material impact on the short-term growth rate of India’s mobile game market and the esports ecosystem. Battle royale is the most popular mobile game genre by player spending in India according to data from Sensor Tower, accounting for over 1/3 of total mobile game spending in 2021. BGMI and Free Fire accounted for over 95% of total spend on mobile battle royale games in 2021 and H1 2022, but both titles have been removed from app stores this year. However, Niko’s research shows that Free Fire MAX, a high-end version of Free Fire from Garena, remains available on Google Play. It’s unclear how MAX is still operating on Google Play, but the MAX version was not specifically included in the ban list where Free Fire was banned.
There will also be a negative impact on the broader BGMI ecosystem, especially within esports and live streaming. Everyday players will now be looking for a new title to play, and we expect most to shift over to Free Fire MAX assuming the title continues to operate. Call of Duty: Mobile (Activision Blizzard) may also benefit given its strong position in the market as an established shooter game with a battle royale mode that consistently ranks in the top ten game revenue chart. Apex Legends Mobile (Electronic Arts), New State (Krafton – Title was formerly PUBG New State) and Farlight 84 (Lilith Games) are core battle royale games that may also benefit, but we note that these titles are not as established as Call of Duty Mobile and Free Fire MAX.

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Team Vitality announce Clément “CyvOph” Millard and Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu as new signings
Today, Team Vitality is excited to announce the arrival of VALORANT players Clément “CyvOph” Millard and Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu the club’s elite roster.
French player CyvOph will join the VALORANT roster from Mandatory with immediate effect, while Sayonara has been loaned to DVM in the French VRL – French Challengers League.
20-year-old Frenchman Clément “CyvOph” Millard has officially joined Team Vitality’s VALORANT roster. CyvOph, formerly of Mandatory, is one of France’s top up-and-coming talents, with a plethora of French tournament wins under his belt, including the VALORANT Open Tour France 2022: Stage 2.
“CyvOph is an extremely motivated player that has shown great potential when working with the team.” says Daniel “Faded” Hwang, Head coach of Team Vitality’s VALORANT team. “His natural connection with the team and willingness to grow makes him the perfect fit.”
In addition to the signing of CyvOph, Team Vitality has also signed Moldovan prodigy Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu on a pre-contract. Sayonara joins from DVM, and has been loaned back to the French organisation to further his development in the VALORANT scene. Regarded as one of Europe’s top prospects, Sayonara was named Stage MVP during the VALORANT Challengers 2025 France: Revolution Stage 1 semi-final earlier this year. He has also featured for Fnatic in numerous off-season tournaments, such as Red Bull Home Ground and the Riot Games ONE PRO INVITATIONAL 2024.
With the additions of CyvOph and Sayonara, Team Vitality has strengthened its position as one of Europe’s top VALORANT teams, following their VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff win, and top-four finish at VALORANT Masters: Bangkok. The team will consist of Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel, Kimmie “Kicks” Laasner, Felipe “Less” de Loyola Basso, Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev, and Clément “CyvOph” Millard.
“We’re thrilled about the new additions to our VALORANT roster,” says Fabien “Neo” Divide, President of Team Vitality. “Securing one of France’s top talents in CyvOph reinforces our identity as one of the world’s leading organizations and with Sayonara joining, our roster is stronger than ever. Their skill, dedication, and synergy with the team put us in a great position for the challenges ahead. We can’t wait to see them in action and for our fans to support us on this journey.”
With CyvOph’s addition to the team, Nikita “trexx” Cherednichenko will move to the inactive roster.
The new-look roster will be first seen at the VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 1 – Group Stage, beginning on March 26, 2025.
The post Team Vitality announce Clément “CyvOph” Millard and Ștefan “Sayonara” Mîtcu as new signings appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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‘Nudge Me I’m Irish’: AGS Premieres Gold Nudge™ and Diamond Nudge™ at Graton Casino This St. Patrick’s Day
AGS celebrated the world premiere of its first mechanical nudge games—Gold Nudge™ and Diamond Nudge™—on St. Patrick’s Day at Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, California. The event marked the debut of these exciting new titles, exclusive to AGS’ Revel™ slot cabinet, the company’s first mechanical stepper product.
The evening kicked off with a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony, where invited players enjoyed an exclusive first spin on the new games. To make the premiere even more memorable, a playful leprechaun roamed the casino floor, spreading St. Patrick’s Day cheer and handing out themed swag. The night culminated with a thrilling raffle drawing, where one lucky winner walked away with a Gold Nudge-logoed whiskey barrel to commemorate the event.
“The world premiere of Gold Nudge and Diamond Nudge at Graton Resort & Casino underscores our commitment to delivering cutting-edge entertainment,” said Brian Green, Chief Operating Officer of Graton Casino. “This groundbreaking slot machine sets a new benchmark in gaming, offering our guests an exceptional and exclusive experience.”
Gold Nudge and Diamond Nudge highlight AGS’ ability to adapt popular video game mechanics—such as nudges and wild multipliers—into a stepper format. These games feature up to 11 possible nudges, double and triple wild multipliers in Gold Nudge and watermark multipliers on bars and sevens on Diamond Nudge, and a 3-tier progressive jackpot to offer big wins.
These titles also showcase AGS’ ongoing success across multiple game formats. The company has made waves with its 3-reel products, excelling not only in mechanical stepper, but also in video slots and online real-money games. AGS has earned top spots on recent Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG) performance reports for its 3-reel games across both land-based and online platforms, underscoring the widespread appeal and success of their game library.
Diamond Nudge will also be showcased at the Indian Gaming Association (IGA) tradeshow at the end of the month, where AGS will continue to showcase its innovative gaming solutions to an even wider audience.
The post ‘Nudge Me I’m Irish’: AGS Premieres Gold Nudge™ and Diamond Nudge™ at Graton Casino This St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Vixio Selected As “Best RegTech Platform” in 2025 FinTech Breakthrough Awards Program
Prestigious Annual Awards Program Recognizes Outstanding Financial Technology Products And Companies Around the World
Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, today announced that it has been named “Best RegTech Platform” in the FinTech Breakthrough Awards program conducted by FinTech Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organisation that recognises the top companies, technologies and products in the global FinTech market today.
The Vixio platform delivers actionable compliance intelligence to over 180 jurisdictions worldwide, focusing on payments and gambling. The fully interactive platform comes with self-service tools for complete control over the information flow. Its filters and search engines, monitors and alerts, and self-service tools empower users to tailor information to their needs.
Vixo’s AI-enhanced technology enables customers to integrate data, information and insights seamlessly into their daily workflows. Dashboards and customisable watchlists enable real-time tracking of regulatory developments in target jurisdictions or for certain business lines. Additionally, the recently added VIQ AI Search utilises state-of-the-art LLM Claude 3.5 Sonnet, allowing users to interrogate the data on the platform for specific insights.
At the core of Vixio’s solution is an expert team of analysts and researchers. These experts regularly spend time with lawmakers, regulators and industry participants to understand regulatory issues, and then deliver timely expert insights to help clients navigate the ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
“Compliance teams can no longer rely on manual research to stay ahead of the curve—that’s why they partner with Vixio. The payments and gambling space are two highly regulated industries, making it critical to adhere to licensing obligations, adapt to changing regulations – especially between jurisdictions and product types, and identify growth opportunities,” said Steve Johansson, Managing Director, FinTech Breakthrough. “The Vixio platform combines their expertise with advanced technology to prioritise relevant intelligence, helping compliance teams cut through the noise. We’re proud to name them 2025’s ‘Best RegTech Platform!’”
The FinTech Breakthrough Awards is the premier awards program founded to recognise the FinTech innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the world in a range of categories, including Digital Banking, Personal Finance, Cryptocurrencies, Lending, Payments, Investments, RegTech, InsurTech and many more.
“We’ve designed our platform to save our clients significant time, and ensure users can identify areas of compliance that may become areas of risk or vulnerability to their business if left unaddressed. By harnessing advanced technology, we’re essentially removing time-consuming and resource-heavy manual searches and lowering costs,” said Mike Woolfrey, CEO, Vixio. “We’re overwhelmed with gratitude to accept this award from FinTech Breakthrough. Going into the next 12 months, In response to client feedback, we plan to expand coverage to new verticals and jurisdictions while continuing to enhance platform functionality.”
Additionally, Vixio’s new Horizon Scanning feature is supported with data to project market outcomes. It provides users with links to the original legislative texts and references so users and external legal counsel can analyse and interpret the regulations themselves. Vixio’s intuitive interface and search menus help compliance analysts explore growth opportunities proactively with a clear understanding of the regulations in given jurisdictions for each product and service. Additional bespoke tools and functionality allow users to integrate data seamlessly into their daily workflow and to export intelligence for reporting.
To learn more about simplifying compliance management with Vixio’s award-winning regulatory intelligence solutions, visit vixio.com.
The post Vixio Selected As “Best RegTech Platform” in 2025 FinTech Breakthrough Awards Program appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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