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Team Vitality is victorious at Intel® Extreme Masters Rio 2023 and qualify for IEM Cologne later this year

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Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Rio 2023 has come to a thrilling end, with Team Vitality emerging victorious after an intense competition between 16 of the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) teams from around the world. The competition was held from April 17-23, and the final three days took place in front of a passionate crowd at the iconic Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Group Stage began on April 17, with the participating teams competing in two groups of eight. The six best teams  – BIG, Cloud9, FURIA, Heroic, Natus Vincere, and Team Vitality –  then proceeded to the live Playoffs on April 21-23, where they faced off against each other in front of an energetic crowd. In the first Semi Final, Team Vitality completed the reverse sweep over Cloud9 to advance to the Grand Final on April 23. During the other Semi Final, Heroic managed to close out the match with back-to-back rounds, 16-9, meaning they secured their spot as Finalists of an IEM competition in the Brazilian coastal city for the second time.

Team Vitality kicked off the Grand Final strong by winning the first seven rounds back-to-back, and managed to fend off a powerful Heroic comeback to clinch the first game on Vertigo. In the second round, things were looking good for Team Vitality, but Heroic came back strong to tie the match after 11 rounds. However, this wasn’t enough to stop the French organization from claiming their deserved place as the Intel® Extreme Masters Rio 2023 champions, and denying Heroic their first IEM title.

After a hard-fought and exciting match, Team Vitality beat Heroic, with a score of 2-0 winning the coveted trophy and taking home the lion’s share of the $250,000 prize pool and a win in the race to the Intel® Grand Slam V and its $1,000,000 cash prize. As the winners of IEM Rio 2023, they join G2 Esports and FaZe Clan as the third team to qualify for a spot in the Group Stage of IEM Cologne 2023. Team Vitality player,  Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, also secured the DHL MVP award which is judged on a combination of player performance, fan voting, and broadcast talent voting.

Starting the Group Stage from the lower bracket, Team Vitality defeated MIBR, FaZe Clan, and OG, 2-0, 2-0, 2-1, respectively to qualify for the Playoffs which saw the international squad only lose one game throughout the final phase of the tournament.

Team Vitality’s Dan “apEX” Madesclaire commented: “I’m proud of the boys but what we need to remember is that last time, we won the last tournament before the Major and we messed up. So, now we know what [we] have to do. It’s a game of confidence for sure and I think we were the better team today.

I think the biggest improvement we had was our map pool, right now it is getting really good. We worked a lot on our weakest map; this shows it. That’s one tournament win in 2023 and I hope for some more.”

Fans from Brazil and beyond had the opportunity to experience the excitement of the competition live during the Playoff Stage and witness the top teams in action. IEM Rio 2023 saw a peak viewership of more than 562,000* and attracted more than 15,000 fans over the final three days.

Local favorites FURIA, MIBR, and Imperial Sportsbet thrilled the home crowds, showing their skills and determination against top-tier teams from around the world. FURIA managed to get all the way through to the quarterfinals where they were eventually defeated by Heroic, while both MIBR and Imperial Sportsbet got eliminated after losing their first two matches.

While at IEM Rio, fans around the world got to see some of their favourite players compete in a one-off show match on Counter Strike 2 with Team Brasil, featuring Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, Epitácio “TACO” de Melo, and Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato, going against Team World, including Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund and Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev. In the end, Team World bagged the win with a result of 16-8.

Next up in the ESL Pro Tour for CS:GO are the currently ongoing ESL Challenger League Season 45 concluding on May 28, ESL Challenger Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia, on April 28 – 30, and IEM Dallas 2023 in Dallas, Texas, USA, on May 29 – June 4. For more information the latest updates about ESL’s CS:GO esports ecosystem, head to the official ESL Pro Tour website, and follow ESL CS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

*According to Escharts

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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Meridian Donate: Revolutionizing CSR in the Betting and Gaming Industry

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  • Innovative engagement strategy positions MeridianBet as a leader in CSR within the betting and gaming industry
  • Optimized brand loyalty as active customer participation in CSR strengthens connection and loyalty
  • Scalable impact, as the model is designed for expansion and could be adapted to new markets, indicating potential for widespread adoption and growth

Transforming Customers into Environmentalists and Humanitarians

MeridianBet’s pioneering initiative, Meridian Donate, is transforming the betting industry by engaging customers directly in corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions. This unique platform allows customers to actively participate in and fund various environmental, societal and humanitarian projects, setting a new standard for customer engagement and community impact.

Key Features of Meridian Donate:

  • Direct customer involvement: Customers are not just donors but active participants in CSR decisions
  • Diverse programs: Offers choices from global afforestation to local humanitarian efforts
  • Partnerships with renowned organizations: Collaborates with entities like the Red Cross and UNICEF

Expanding Impact: A Year-by-Year Growth

The Meridian Donate platform has seen substantial growth in its scope and impact:

  • Number of individual campaigns: Grew from 8 in 2021 to 20 in 2023
  • National markets Integrated: Expanded from 3 in 2021 to 8 in 2023
  • Direct Beneficiaries: Increased from 43 NGOs in 2021 to 159 in 2023

In 2023 alone, the platform’s expansion into eight markets facilitated 20 customer-funded campaigns, directly benefiting 159 NGOs, up from 122 the previous year.

Continued Commitment to Innovation and Community Involvement

Meridian Donate not only showcases MeridianBet’s dedication to CSR but also redefines the role of digital marketing within the industry. By converting sports bettors into active CSR participants, Meridian Donate enhances customer loyalty and brand value, making it a critical element of MeridianBet’s market strategy.

Recent Successes and Future Outlook

In its recent operation, Meridian Donate has launched an ambitious global afforestation initiative, committing to plant 20,000 seedlings across various regions. This project not only underscores our environmental commitment but also enhances our brand’s community presence. Already, several hundred contributions have been recorded in the platform’s first month, indicating robust customer engagement and support.

The post Meridian Donate: Revolutionizing CSR in the Betting and Gaming Industry appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Imagine Live Launches Casino Hold’em

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Imagine Live proudly unveils its latest game addition – Casino Hold’em. This thrilling new game promises to elevate the poker experience for enthusiasts and novices alike, combining the excitement of traditional Texas Hold’em with the thrill of live casino action.

Casino Hold’em offers players a dynamic and immersive gaming experience. With sleek graphics, intuitive gameplay, and live dealers, players will feel seated at a high-stakes table in a world-class casino right from the comfort of their homes.

Key features of Casino Hold’em include:

Neon-lighting Studio: Casino Hold’em has a very inviting atmosphere. It features an elegant, well-designed studio with neon lighting that evokes a sophisticated gaming environment.

Captivating Gameplay: Stunning graphics and seamless gameplay transport players to the heart of the action.

Bonus Bet: In Casino Hold’em, players can place a Bonus bet alongside their initial Ante bet. Even if the Play bet is lost, the Bonus bet remains unaffected and can still be won if the specific hand criteria are met.

Multiplatform Compatibility: Enjoy Casino Hold’em on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices, allowing players to play anytime, anywhere.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Casino Hold’em to our players,” said Mikayel Aznauryan, Chief Product Officer at Imagine Live. “At Imagine Live, we’re committed to delivering premium gaming experiences, and Casino Hold’em is no exception. With its blend of live action, strategic gameplay, and neon design, we believe it will quickly become a favorite among poker enthusiasts worldwide.”

The post Imagine Live Launches Casino Hold’em appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Relax Gaming increases Italian presence via Octavian Lab aggregation deal

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Relax Gaming, the iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has further increased its footprint in the Italian market with Octavian Lab.

Octavian Lab is a software house and service provider for online gaming suppliers. Led by highly specialised technicians, the company is committed to the development of products, protocols and integrated solutions in key regulated iGaming markets.

This partnership will see Octavian Lab’s operator partners in Italy, including leading sportsbook and casino Eurobet, gain access to a host of popular Relax Gaming titles.

Eurobet players are now able to enjoy timeless classics from Relax Gaming including the hugely popular Money Train series, Wild Chapo 2 and Marching Legions.

Gianluca Crimaldi, Director of Italy at Relax Gaming, said: “In order to continue our hugely successful trajectory in key markets such as Italy it is imperative that we continue working alongside some of the industry’s best aggregators.

“We are delighted to partner with the talented team at Octavian Lab who are helping ensure our games reach Italian players via the country’s top operators.”

Emanuele Nocentelli, CEO of Octavian Lab added: “We are proud of our partnership with Relax Gaming, one of the industry’s leading providers of high-quality games. It’s fantastic to be distributing their portfolio via our Gaming and Aggregation platforms and we are confident that Relax content will resonate with a wide audience of players across Italy. We look forward to maintaining and building upon this partnership for a long time to come.”

The post Relax Gaming increases Italian presence via Octavian Lab aggregation deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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