According to the Ukrainian ua.news portal, Vladislav Leen Stepanov, who is a CS:GO player of the Ukrainian L&G eSports team belonging to the famous businesswoman Alona Shevtsova, was transferred to the Monte Gen academy of another local high-profile team Monte. As of today, the first lineup of the team occupies the 9th place in the world ranking.

Vladislav has been playing CS:GO for L&G since March 2023. He held the position of the defensive rifler and spacing positions for attack.

Vladislav joined the team together with another player David Merl Davidyan and coach Dmitry rjy Chumak. Immediately after the transfer, Leen said that L&G is a very cohesive and persistent team, so it will definitely show its real potential in the near future. And that’s what’s actually happened! In just a few months after the lineup update, the team showed excellent results in the most popular tournaments and reached the top 100 of the world in the prestigious HLTV rating.

“L&G is a cool team, and these guys really know everything about teamwork. Therefore, I am sure that we will show our real level soon. Our progress is much faster than in other teams,” says Vladislav Leen Stepanov.

Alexander Dovzhenko, who is the founder of ENTER ESPORT agency, which promotes L&G, thanked Vladislav Leen Stepanov for a strong partnership with L&G and wished him great achievements in the new team.

“Together with Vlad, we spent one of the most productive periods of our team. In addition to professional relationships, we managed to establish good personal relationships. We would like to thank Vladislav for his contribution to the development of our team and wish him good luck and achievement of his goals in the new team,” said Alexander Dovzhenko, CEO of ENTER ESPORT.

He also recalled that the L&G team started competing in top tournaments and almost immediately made its way to the Advanced division of the ESEA League Europe. In addition, the team participated and won prizes in such European tournaments as the SCL League, WhiteBit Crypto Open, Phoenix League, and local competitions.

The L&G eSports team was founded in 2021 on the initiative of Alona Shevtsova, a Ukrainian businesswoman, philanthropist, and active participant in the Ukrainian fintech community. Both in Ukraine and abroad, Alona Shevtsova is known as the founder of the LEO International Payment System. In addition, she was a shareholder and chairman of the supervisory board of a large Ukrainian bank. Alona Shevtsova uses the money earned in business for various charitable, educational, and cultural projects, as well as to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

BETBAZAR’s COO, Max Sevostianov, is preparing to travel to Georgia this month to discuss the ongoing development of eSports at the SBC Summit in Tbilisi. What are the key messages he wants to get across while there, and how does he view the importance of eSports in the region currently?

One of the main topics we want to discuss at the summit is the ongoing development of eSports in the region and how BETBAZAR can help operators and suppliers tap into this lucrative and fast-growing market.

eSports is one of the most popular and engaging forms of entertainment for millions of fans worldwide, showing continued growth in regulated markets worldwide.

The Black Sea, Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions are no exception. In fact, these regions have some of the most passionate and dedicated eSports fans and players in the world. Georgia has a thriving eSports scene, with several professional teams competing in international tournaments such as Dota 2, CS:GOe and League of Legends. Ukraine is home to some of the most successful and influential eSports organizations, such as the multiple championship-winning Navi (Natus Vincere). At the same time, Uzbekistan also has a flourishing scene, with their team recently picking up 22 gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games.

These examples highlight the huge potential for iGaming and sports betting operators to offer innovative and exciting eSports products and services in these regions. However, some challenges will need to be overcome, such as regulatory uncertainty, lack of infrastructure, cultural differences and consumer preferences. That is why I believe that BETBAZAR can be a valuable partner for anyone who wants to enter or expand their presence in the eSports market in these regions.

With Tbilisi having recently unveiled plans to construct what will be the largest arena in central Europe, what do you expect the knock-on impact to be for online bettors in Georgia to be? Do you think the presence of large, international events will help to drive further interest in online betting in the country, and does this also create further opportunities to introduce bettors to eSports?

I think that the construction of the new arena in Tbilisi will have a positive impact on the online betting market in Georgia. It will allow the city to host various sports and entertainment events, attracting more visitors and helping shine a spotlight on everything the city has to offer.

It will also create more interest and demand for online betting in Georgia. The country has a liberal and regulated online gambling market, with the number of active bettors growing yearly.

In turn, this should generate more interest from sports bettors in eSports. eSports have huge and loyal fanbases that engage using live streams, social media, and other modern platforms, and this is something that operators in the region would love to tap into. The opportunities this could present could be hugely beneficial for the Georgian economy.

As a general overview, what are the main sports that are currently popular in the Georgian market and what eSports equivalents are available?

Football, basketball, rugby union, wrestling, judo, and weightlifting are the most popular sports in Georgia. Some of these sports have eSports equivalents, such as EA FC and FIFA for football, NBA 2K for basketball, and the UFC games series for MMA. However, other sports like rugby union, wrestling and weightlifting do not have widely played eSports versions.

As such, there may be an opportunity for operators to introduce new eSports games that cater to the Georgian market’s preferences and culture.

I think it’s fair to say that one of the main barriers to iGaming growth in Georgia in the past has been the country’s technological infrastructure. How would you say this situation has improved in recent years to the point Tbilisi is now viewed as a bit of a technological hotspot?

Georgia has made significant progress in improving its internet infrastructure in the past two decades. The country is actually ahead of the rest of the EU in terms of fibre penetration, and up to 70% of Georgians are now using the internet daily.

The country’s geographical location and modern infrastructure make it an attractive place for routing and storing data, and efforts are underway to enhance its potential as a regional internet hub. Tbilisi, as the capital and largest city of Georgia, is naturally benefiting from these developments and attracting more iGaming operators and providers to base their operations there.

Although Romania is probably the Eastern European market that has received the most interest from operators in recent years, many industry experts believe there’s a similar opportunity to be found in Georgia. What is it about the country that you think makes it a potentially lucrative market for betting companies, and what are the local cultural differences they should be aware of?

One of the factors that makes Georgia a potentially lucrative market for betting companies is its relatively liberal and stable regulatory environment. Georgia legalized iGaming in 2005 and has since maintained a low-tax regime for operators. The country does not restrict foreign ownership or licensing requirements for online gambling companies, allowing them to offer a wide range of products and services to Georgian customers.

It also has a growing middle class with increasing disposable income and internet access, creating more demand for online entertainment and gaming options. However, there are also some local cultural differences that operators should be aware of when entering the Georgian market. For example, Georgians are known to be very hospitable and sociable people who value personal relationships and trust over impersonal transactions. Therefore, operators may need to invest more in customer service and loyalty programs to build rapport and retention with their clients.

Georgians are also very patriotic and proud of their national identity and heritage, which may influence their preferences regarding online gaming. Operators may need to tailor their content and marketing strategies to appeal to the local sensibilities and tastes of Georgian customers if they want to succeed in the region.

Regardless of how the betting industry in Georgia develops over the coming years, it’s true that many companies have already chosen Tbilisi as the base for their Eastern European and West Asian operations. What is it about the city that you think makes it an attractive location to base an iGaming hub, and do you believe we’ll see many new providers begin to emerge there in the coming months?

As mentioned earlier, Tbilisi is an attractive location to base an iGaming hub because of its advanced internet infrastructure, favorable regulatory climate and strategic geographical position. It also offers other advantages such as a low cost of living, a skilled and educated workforce, a vibrant and diverse culture and a rich history and heritage.

These factors make Tbilisi an appealing destination for both iGaming professionals and customers who are looking for quality services and experiences. I believe we will see many new providers begin to emerge there in the coming months as more operators recognize the potential of the market and the benefits of operating from Tbilisi. I also think that Tbilisi will become a hub for innovation and collaboration in the iGaming sector as more local and international players join forces to create products and solutions that cater to the needs and preferences of regional and global audiences.

Of course, BETBAZAR is always looking for innovative new start-ups to invest in or top-quality products to add to its online B2B iGaming marketplace. Are you currently working with any Georgian content providers, or are there any B2B businesses that have caught your eye there?

I’m thrilled to let you know we’ve stumbled upon a really cool startup in Georgia. We can’t wait to tell everyone about it, but you’ll be hearing more as soon as we add it to our collection of awesome offerings.

We’re always searching for fresh, innovative startups or standout products to spice up our online B2B iGaming marketplace. So, while this new Georgian startup is our star find, we’re not stopping there, and our eyes are always peeled for the next big thing.

So, to answer the question – while we’re super excited about this one startup, we’re always open, looking, and ready to jump on other fantastic opportunities in Georgia or anywhere else. Stay tuned for all the exciting details!

About BETBAZAR

BETBAZAR is a B2B worldwide iGaming marketplace. Company mission is setting a new sales standard sourcing specialist iGaming products and advising on their role within existing strategies to deliver growth to our partners.

The Canadian esports industry has enjoyed a remarkable growth curve in recent years and it should continue to flourish during this new age of contagion. Many esports firms have opted to go public in Canada as its stock exchanges impose fewer regulations than their prominent US counterparts. That has seen Canadian capital markets play a central role in driving the global esports boom.

Competitive gaming is also growing increasingly popular in Canada. Last year, analytics firm NewZoo revealed that 1.5 million Canadians watch esports on a monthly basis. That figure has spiked in 2020 after traditional sporting events were postponed as a result of the Covid-19.

Fans cannot pack out stadiums to watch their favourite CS:GO, Dota 2 and LoL stars in action right now. However, the events have gone digital instead, allowing viewers to enjoy gripping action 24/7 during the lockdown.

Players Become Millionaires

A decade ago, competitive gaming was a niche, underground pursuit in Canada. The first star gamer to put the country on the map was Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, who led Evil Geniuses to victory in The International 2015. By that point, The International had firmly established itself as the world’s richest esports tournament, and prize money that year stood at a cool $18.4 million (US dollars).

Aui_2000 and his four teammates took home a first prize of more than $6.6 million, making him an overnight millionaire and inspiring legions of young Canadians to follow in his footsteps. Aui_2000 has never managed to scale such impressive heights again, but Artour “Arteezy” Babaev has flown the flag for Canada with aplomb on the Dota 2 scene.

Arteezy is now a key member of the Evil Geniuses Dota 2 team, and he helped them finish third at The International 2018. Teammate Tal “Fly” Aizik is an Israeli/Canadian pro, with career earnings of $2.4 million. That makes him the highest-paid Canadian gamer of all time, ahead of Arteezy, who has earned $2.25 million, and Aui_2000 with $2 million.

Hayden “Elevate” Krueger also hit headlines when he secured a third placed finish in the duos event at last year’s Fortnite World Cup. He was just 16 years old at the time, and in one fell swoop he earned a $955,000 prize.

Williams “Zayt” Aubin, a 19-year-old Canadian, finished fourth in the duos event at the Fortnite World Cup, netting $750,000. He is now 20 and his career earnings stand at $1.1 million.

CS:GO is actually the most popular esports game in Canada. There are 19 pro squads in the country, and it has yielded many famous players, including Twistzz, NAF, stanislaw and shroud. Canada also has a thriving StarCraft II scene, while the likes of SquishyMuffinz and JKnaps have flourished at Rocket League.

Mergers and Acquisitions Spell Big Business

The success of these players has fuelled considerable interest in pro gaming among Canadians. Yet the country plays an even more important role behind the scenes. Both domestic and international companies have listed on the TSX, TSXV and CSE as a result of the favourable regulatory framework it offers.

This has led to a raft of opportunities for investors and legal professionals in Canada, creating jobs and boosting the economy, while putting the country at the centre of a thriving global industry.

We have seen some large mergers and acquisitions over the past year. On August 30, 2019, a Canadian esports behemoth was formed when Aquilini GameCo Inc. completed its acquisition of Luminosity Gaming Inc. and Luminosity Gaming (USA), LLC, as well as its subsequent amalgamation with J55 Capital Corp. The enlarged firm, Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc., now owns eight esports teams, including the popular Vancouver Titans Overwatch League franchise, along with 40 esports influencers, more than 100 gaming media websites, and more than 900 YouTube and Twitch channels.

A Flourishing Scene

Canada is now a hotbed for esports teams, streamers and publishers. Last year, the country’s largest dedicated esports arena opened in the heart of downtown Montreal. The Esports Central Gaming Complex boasts 94 cutting-edge PCs, 26 consoles, six racing simulators, two Virtuix Omni VR stations and more.

“It’s more than just entertainment, we’re here to unite the gaming community under one roof,” said Delilah Kanou, Esports Central’s president. “It’s a place to grow and thrive, with a supportive network of like-minded gamers. It’s the destination where future esports champions will emerge.”

Social distancing is the name of the game right now, but projects like Esports Central will help the competitive gaming scene flourish long into the future in Canada. The popularity of the scene will continue to soar in the years ahead. In 2019, NewZoo revealed that there were 450 million esports viewers around the world.

That figure will soar in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus lockdown. Gambling companies have reported a surge in demand for esports wagering markets during the absence of traditional sport and, as you can see here, there are a number of exciting options for fans to choose from.

The Sky is the Limit

It shows just how mainstream the esports scene is becoming. Fans of hockey, football and basketball might have previously written off pro gaming as the domain of nerdy types and shown zero interest in esports. Now they are clamouring to watch Dota 2, CS:GO and Rocket League tournaments.

Pro gamers are now multimillionaires with massive social media followings and highly aspirational lifestyles. Canadian gamers relate to them and want to follow in their footsteps, and this trend should one day help esports usurp traditional sports in the popularity stakes.

That might sound far-fetched, but competitive gaming is still in its infancy and it is already more popular than many traditional sports. It significantly over-indexes among teenagers and young adults, and they are the future. It will continue to become more exciting and dynamic each year thanks to advances in technology such as AR and VR, while traditional sports will remain staid and static.

Esports has the potential to become the most popular form of entertainment in the world, and Canada has the opportunity to remain at the heart of the trend. The future looks very bright indeed.