Today, Team Vitality’s women’s roster claimed victory in the Grand Final of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament at the Esports World Cup, a historic achievement both for the quality of their performance and the advancement of women’s esports on the global stage.

Facing Gaming Gladiators in the final, Team Vitality delivered a commanding 4-0 win. It was a resounding triumph, driven by exceptional individual performances and flawless team coordination.

Throughout the tournament, the team demonstrated outstanding consistency and control: a 2-0 win over FUT Esports in the quarterfinals, followed by a dominant 3-0 victory against Team Liquid in the semifinals, and culminating in a sweeping final against Gaming Gladiators. Notably, the team went undefeated throughout the MLBB Women’s Invitational 2025, held as part of the Esports World Cup.

After securing second place in the 2024 edition, despite a flawless season, this victory marks the long-awaited culmination of Team Vitality’s ambition, as the women’s squad finally lifts the world championship trophy.

Beyond the sporting achievement, this success also boosts Team Vitality in the overall Esports World Cup club rankings, with valuable points earned through this first-place finish.

In the top North of Portugal, just eight kilometres from the Spanish border lies Solverde’s Hotel Casino Chaves, overlooking the nearby city and surrounding hills. The four-star resort welcomes guests with premium accommodation in 78 rooms and suites, a Spa & Wellness Center with indoor and outdoor pools, event and conference infrastructure as well as two restaurants, no less than six bars – and a modern casino.

The Casino Chaves complements the comprehensive leisure offer with premium gaming entertainment across two floors. Ten live tables for American Roulette, Black Jack, Baccarat, Texas Hold’em Poker and the Portuguese Dice Game Banca Francesa as well as 260 EGMs of renowned international brands make the guests’ hearts beat faster.

This is where the latest NOVOVISION installation introduced its encompassing system functionalities for a modern casino management and administration as well as engaging loyalty dynamics. The NOVOVISION system roll-out comprises the varied tool sets of NV core, access, pay, promo, smart, tables, wallet and BI to facilitate maximum business efficiency and premium customer convenience across the entire gaming floor. The cash handling is based on TITO and access, player tracking and loyalty implemented via NFC card and facial scan verification. Casino guests can register either at the registration desk or on the new NOVOVISION SRTs (self-registration terminals) before they pass the NV access gates via card identification and facial recognition. All 260 EGMs were retrofitted with player tracking modules in order to map the customer journey in the individual customer profile, and for guests who have concluded their play, the NOVOVISION NCM 90 cash terminal serves as a high-capacity cash redemption power station.

In the background, the NOVOVISION CMS now runs the entire floor with a powerful tool set for inventory and floor control, accounting and reporting as well as business intelligence and a variety of NV smart STAFF applications to notify and inform staff about all kinds of floor events that deserve or require attention. Implementation and go-live took place in the last weeks of June, with detailed training and accompanying technical support during the launch.

José Manuel Xambre, Gaming Director Casino Chaves, said: “For Casino Chaves, NOVOVISION is far more than a new piece of software – it is the operational backbone that elevates every aspect of our business. By unifying 260 EGMs, live tables and all services under one real-time platform, the system gives management an unprecedented 360-degree view of the floor. NOVOVISION delivers the efficiency, transparency and agility required to compete in today’s data-driven gaming landscape, positioning Casino Chaves, and the wider Solverde Group, at the forefront of Portuguese hospitality and entertainment industry. The implementation of this project, which is crucial for Casino Chaves and also for the Solverde Group, was an enriching challenge for our casino operations team, always supported by the fantastic availability and professionalism of the Diverstock and NOVOMATIC teams, tireless in pursuing the objective of implementing the system in a non-disruptive way in daily operations. For that I have to say a huge thank you!”

George Paterakis, Project Manager NBS, said: “This roll-out project at the Casino Chaves was characterized by a meticulous planning policy from start to end which made it very easy for us to rule out any unknown variables and surprises. It was a great pleasure working with the professional teams at Solverde and Diverstock, and to implement a solution that introduces a paradigm shift in terms of operational efficiency and customer service for the casino and its guests.”

Marcos Pinto, Managing Director Diverstock, said: “It’s very gratifying to witness the success of NOVOVISION’s expansion strategy in Portugal: Four NOVOVISION rollouts with major operators in seven months, in total over 1500 EGMs and 70 tables, each casino installed in less than a week and with zero seconds of downtime. This was only possible with the extraordinary efforts and engagement of all parties involved. On behalf of the Diverstock team, I would like to thank all involved for the excellent work and support along the entire process. Special thanks to Manuel Silva Carvalho, CEO of Solverde Group, for giving us the opportunity to be part of an ambitious but necessary process of modernising Solverde operations and to José Xambre, Gaming Director at Casino Chaves, for the extraordinary planning and support throughout this installation.”

The appointment of the experienced executive signals a new chapter for the global betting brand, focusing on long-term strategy, market expansion, and industry leadership.

1XBET, the global gaming and technology brand, today announced the appointment of Simon Westbury to the role of Strategic Advisor. This move underscores the company’s commitment to appointing industry expertise to steer its next phase of global growth.

With over a decade of board-level experience in iGaming, Westbury will advise the 1XBET leadership on its international strategy, guiding sustainable entry into new markets and shaping the brand’s approach to key industry initiatives. His track record in driving strategy across B2B, sports, and media operations will be instrumental in executing the company’s long-term vision.

Commenting on his new role, Simon Westbury stated: “What truly drew me in was the leadership’s clear and ambitious vision for the future of the 1XBET brand. It’s rare to see a company with this scale and global presence so committed to a new phase of strategic evolution. My role is to act as a bridge, providing the guidance and structure needed to help the team channel their ambition into sustainable, long-term success. I’m genuinely looking forward to helping shape this new chapter.”

Quote from 1XBET Company Spokesperson: “We are delighted to welcome Simon Westbury to the 1XBET team. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment as we continue our global growth strategy. Simon’s unparalleled industry expertise in operational processes, combined with his profound understanding of the broader industry landscape and its stakeholders, will be invaluable. We are confident that his strategic guidance will be instrumental in navigating new market entries and addressing the evolving challenges and initiatives within the sector. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to strengthening our leadership team with seasoned experts who can drive our long-term vision and solidify our position as a forward-thinking industry leader.”

The appointment marks a deliberate step in 1XBET’s strategy to reinforce its global footprint. Bringing in an external advisor of Westbury’s calibre highlights a clear focus on continuous improvement, change management and the ambition to set new industry benchmarks.

His advisory role is effective immediately.