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Esports Sets $3 million Payday Record as Sponsors and Big Brands Are Given the “Keys to the Kingdom” of Big Data
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As a 16-year-old was awarded a $3-million-dollar cash prize for winning a Fortnite tournament, the largest payout ever for a single player in an esports tournament, an Atlanta startup unlocked its war chest of advanced patented technology promising to boost esports for big money sponsors and brands by breaking the data barrier within live events. Move over content, data is the new king.
Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf, from Pennsylvania, is the 16-year-old who everyone is talking about after he was crowned king of Fortnite and took home the $3-million-dollar grand prize. The tournament, which was held in New York’s Arthur Ashe tennis stadium, had a total payout for all levels and ranks of $30 million dollars. But keeping to this trend of future sizable multi-million-dollar payouts may be difficult for other esports tournaments unless they can attract the deep pockets of corporate advertisers and sponsors. Massive exposure to this intriguing world of gamers is one way to secure large advertising spends; however, access to big data from this same group may be the keys to the kingdom.
Indeed, consultancy firm Accenture’s “Big Success with Big Data” study found that 79 percent of enterprise executives say that companies who don’t embrace big data will lose market strength and may face extinction. By now, it is a well-known fact that data is king when it comes to successful performance in the digital era.
Sponsors, advertisers, and brands in this technologically advanced age of millennials and their mobile devices have come to expect teams, leagues, and venues to deliver on the big data promise. Big data refers to extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behavior and interactions. One company has both chartered and taken the lead in the industry on delivering on this promise, not only within esports but all LIVE events: VNU (pronounced Venue). VNU has pioneered a new engagement technology platform called “engageLIVE.”
Pushing the data boundary is what engageLIVE is about. Last year the startup completed a proof of concept with Turner Sports during its ELEAGUE “Streetfighter V Championship” tournament. In a world where most teams and leagues are very happy with 5 to 10% participation in their apps during live events, VNU crushed those numbers, activating over 87% of the live audience in a moment’s notice (with zero pre-promotion) and holding their attention, with 90% of those activated participating during the entire engageLIVE session.
Betting big on data and live events is CEO and cofounder of VNU, Joe Carter. Carter is a former CNN host who worked at the cable news station from 2009 to 2016. He was a familiar face on HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade and various CNN news shows from early morning to late day. Since leaving the cable network, Carter has been laser-focused on maximizing engagement to drive actionable data during event downtime: “Our engageLIVE product combines the best features of demographic targeting and behavioral targeting into a new engagement platform which instantly enables any live venue to gamify and monetize the downtime of any live event while turning fans into advocates of the event sponsors and brands.”
The engageLIVE platform comes from Internet patent pioneer Jovan Hutton Pulitzer and his patent/development incubator FLIP.Ventures. A number of Pulitzer’s technology innovations and patents (for instance, how you scan and connect with QR codes and bar codes on your mobile devices) are already in use on more than 11 billion mobile devices globally. This scan-and-connect software, which comes pre-installed on most current devices, allows Carter’s company to activate the engageLIVE feature set in seconds.
“We spent several years meeting and brainstorming with executives in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and other live events finding out what everyone really needs to engage their fans and also what would make it useful for sponsors and brands,” Carter states. “We are now rolling out what the teams, leagues, venues, brands, and sponsors told us they wanted to engage live audience members. We deeply researched the needs of all and then created the only technology product which could deliver on it.”
VNU’s results with Turner’s ELEAGUE were exceptional, but Carter set out to push the engagement boundaries to show his technology company could succeed against higher stakes. VNU partnered with Esports Stadium Arlington to engage a crowd of thousands over a 12-hour period during a championship tournament.
Breaking ground and being bold is what Esports Stadium Arlington is known for. The 10-million-dollar, 100,000-square-foot facility located in Arlington, TX, is North America’s largest dedicated esports facility. The building is a joint venture of the city of Arlington and Esports Venues LLC, an arm of Infinite Esports, which is owned by Texas Rangers co-owner/COO Neil Leibmen. VNU and its platform engageLIVE activated and engaged the crowd during every downtime moment on championship Sunday at a popular tournament called Low Tier City 7.
Not only is Esports Stadium Arlington known as America’s largest dedicated esports facility, but it now has bragging rights by having launched the first fully engaged & interactive esports event. Low Tier City 7 fans were interacting with the engageLIVE platform during every game break and game changes.
“EngageLIVE was a fantastic way to enhance the audience experience at Low Tier City in an authentic way. The active audience participation that engageLIVE generated using sponsor-driven questions during giveaways brings beneficial exposure to partners, which provided valuable insights. There are bright opportunities with engageLIVE for events to amplify experiential components for fans while simultaneously deriving valuable and informative ownable moments for stakeholders,” said Jonathon Oudthone, President of Esports Stadium Arlington.
Esports is hot, engagement is hot, and Carter’s company is hot. “Esports continues to show its huge potential, but it must prove it has full brand and sponsorship potential, and that it has the ability to deliver more than the traditional live events have in the past. The more is big data. We knew that if we could get fans to engage on a moment’s notice and share views, votes, values, and vision with the brands and sponsors, then the advertising and sponsorship dollars needed for the esports business to explode will be soon to follow. We’ve accomplished what we set out to develop and we’re now looking forward to the new ideas, data, offers, and brand messaging which springs forth going forward,” closes Carter.
Source: VNU, LLC
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This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Esports Sets million Payday Record as Sponsors and Big Brands Are Given the “Keys to the Kingdom” of Big Data
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Tom Horn Gaming is expanding its portfolio with the release of 243 Zeus Fruits, a slot that combines two proven player favourites – fruit slots and Greek mythology. The game delivers short feature cycles, multipliers, and higher stakes through the supplier’s QuickX mechanic.
Set against the backdrop of Mount Olympus, 243 Zeus Fruits blends the familiar symbols of a classic fruit slot with the power of Zeus. Players can enjoy 243 ways to win, with medium volatility, an RTP of 95.02, and maximum exposure of x100. The Wild 243 Respin feature frequently triggers wins, adding multipliers of up to x5 to maintain engagement and replayability.
The inclusion of QuickX encourages higher bets and appeals to bonus hunters and high-value players, while the game’s mobile-first design ensures smooth play across all devices. These elements combine to offer a straightforward, fast-paced slot that suits a wide range of players.
“243 Zeus Fruits continues our strategy of refreshing proven themes with features that increase both player enjoyment and operator returns,” said Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming. “The mix of classic fruit game with a mythological layer provides familiarity with added depth, while QuickX is expected to contribute to longer sessions and higher average revenue per user.”
Targeted at markets across Europe and further afield, 243 Zeus Fruits offers strong cross-sell potential, appealing to a broad audience from fans of traditional fruit slots to players drawn to narrative-based titles. Its combination of simplicity, speed, and modern features positions it as a versatile addition to casino lobbies worldwide.
243 Zeus Fruits will be available to operators worldwide from 28 October.
The post Fruits meet Gods in Tom Horn Gaming’s latest release, 243 Zeus Fruits appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Discipline Meets Drive: Kyrylo Korobka from Ready To Fight Joins GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives
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Lisbon’s streets set the pace for Season 2 of GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives—the drive-time podcast where iGaming’s sharpest voices speak freely, in motion. Hosted by Yevhen Krazhan, Chief Sales Officer at GR8 Tech, Episode 3 spotlights Kyrylo Korobka, Executive Director at Ready to Fight by Oleksandr Usyk, for a candid ride through the intersection of boxing, technology, and business execution.
Korobka leads operations at RTF, the ecosystem co-founded by the heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on a mission to digitize boxing. Before, he had a career in international corporations and held a CMO role within a major crypto project. He has helped steer large-scale events and partnerships, including the Usyk vs. Dubois blockbuster, while advancing new tech initiatives like a cross-border payments solution and federation partnerships for the next generation of fighters.
During the ride, Kyrylo opens up about:
- His role as Executive Director of Ready to Fight
- Co-organizing a major fight for Oleksandr Usyk and overseeing broadcast, marketing, and operations
- Partnering with boxing federations and the mission to digitize boxing for the next generation
- His path from international corporations and a crypto CMO role into sports business
- Why his day-to-day is more “business” than “sport”
- What it’s like working with a superstar like Usyk and meeting other legendary athletes
- A standout partnership: Queensberry Promotions (founded by Frank Warren)
- How his view of iGaming evolved beyond “just casino”
- Learning from setbacks: treating failures as lessons and not repeating mistakes.
- His #1 “champion rule”: discipline and consistency at every stage.
“Boxing at the elite level is discipline, preparation, and execution—exactly how winning platforms are built,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech and host of Bet It Drives. “Kyrylo shows how Ready to Fight thinks like a tech company: digitize the sport, empower the community, and move fast with the right partners. That’s the GR8 way: performance first, innovation always.”
It’s been almost a year since GR8 Tech started its partnership with Ready to Fight. As RTF’s exclusive Partner in Tech, GR8 Tech brings a scalable, high-performance sportsbook and iGaming platform, top event coverage, smart margin management, and a geo-specific approach, while RTF channels champion-level vision to digitize boxing for fighters and fans. Together, they’re rolling out exclusive sports fashion drops, new features, and digital activations to bring the boxing world closer through great tech.
Watch or listen to Season 2, Episode 3 with Kyrylo Korobka on:
Season 2 of Bet it Drives launched with Rasmus Sojmark and kept pace with Tiago Pereira. The podcast continues with the upcoming episode featuring Kelly Kehn.
The next chapter of iGaming belongs to champions who play smart and bold. Meet GR8 Tech at booth 5028-2 during SiGMA Central Europe 2025 in Rome, November 3–6, and discover the Heavyweight Rulebook built for operators ready to scale, localize, and win.
The post Discipline Meets Drive: Kyrylo Korobka from Ready To Fight Joins GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has announced the winners of the IAGR International Regulatory Awards 2025, with regulators from Australia, Nigeria and Denmark taking home trophies during the IAGR Toronto conference.
IAGR President Ben Haden, who served on the judging panel, said this year’s winners demonstrate measurable progress and sustainable outcomes.
‘Our judges looked for clear problem definitions, robust interventions and evidence of impact. The 2025 winners show how thoughtful reforms, strong governance and targeted education can improve consumer protection and market integrity over the long term,’ said Haden.
- Regulatory Excellence Award: NSW Independent Casino Commission (Australia)
For leading a three-year, milestone-driven remediation of Crown Sydney following the Bergin Inquiry — eliminating junkets, strengthening financial-crime controls, enhancing harm-minimisation and reforming governance.
- ‘The NSW Independent Casino Commission is proud to be recognised for its dedication to restoring the expected standards at Crown Sydney. This has included three years of intense remediation which has completely transformed the casino’s governance, culture, safety and compliance functions.
- ‘The NICC has proven that it is possible to enact long lasting change and in doing so has set a new standard for Australian casino operations.’ – Murray Smith, Acting Chief Commissioner, NSW Independent Casino Commission
- Regulatory Innovation Award: Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (Nigeria)
For SAFEPLAY, Africa’s first regulator-led, multi-operator self-exclusion platform — centrally managed by the regulator and integrated with operator systems — creating a consistent, replicable model for consumer protection.
- ‘We are honoured to receive the IAGR Regulatory Innovation Award for our SafePlay initiative. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to responsible gambling, player protection, and data-driven regulation that puts the welfare of Lagos residents at the heart of our innovation.’ – Bashir A. Are, Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority
- Best regulatory campaign: Danish Gambling Authority (Denmark)
For an interactive, school-based education programme that engages young people with practical demonstrations and surveys evidencing shifts away from gambling ‘to make money’ towards safer play and awareness of help services.
- This marks the second consecutive year that the Danish Gambling Authority has received the Best regulatory campaign award. ‘I’m very proud that IAGR has bestowed The Danish Gambling Authority with this award. It’s crucial that young people understand that gambling is designed so the player always loses in the long run. By conveying this message, we hope to promote a balanced attitude toward gambling and I’m extremely honoured that our efforts are recognised internationally.’ – Anders Dorph, Director, Danish Gambling Authority
These awards underscore the importance of collaboration, innovation and dedication in the global regulation of gambling.
The post IAGR announces winners of 2025 Regulatory Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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