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Everything You Need to Know Ahead of Intel Extreme Masters Sydney 2023: The First Live Counter-Strike 2 Event
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) returns down under to Sydney, Australia, on October 16 to 22 and will be the first ever live international tournament to be played on Counter-Strike (CS) 2. The final three days of the competition will be held in front of a live audience as fans are invited to enter the Aware Super Theatre to witness history being made.
- Intel Extreme Masters returns to Sydney as 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike teams face off on October 16 to 22 to battle it out for a share of the US$250,000 prize pool.
- During the final three days, the top six teams will compete in front of a live crowd at the iconic Aware Super Theatre.
- The winning team will cement their spot in eSports history as the first Champions in Counter-Strike 2 and take a step forward in the race to secure Intel Grand Slam V.
- Amongst others, local heroes Grayhound.Rivalry and VERTEX Esports Club will be attending, fighting for the crown.
- The competition will be streamed live from Sydney on ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels and via dedicated broadcast partners.
Here is all you need to know about IEM Sydney 2023
IEM Sydney 2023 will see 16 top CS 2 teams compete for a total prize pool of US$250,000, a win in the race to secure Intel Grand Slam V and a spot in the Group Stage of IEM Katowice 2024, the first ESL Pro Tour Championship event next year. Commencing October 16, contenders from around the globe will compete in Sydney with the six best teams facing off live in front of a packed-out audience at the Aware Super Theatre between October 20 to 22.
The Caches IV show-match
Powered by Intel and Acer, The Caches is a legendary fan-favourite show-match that will be making its return to IEM Sydney for a fourth time. As a lead-in to the IEM Sydney Grand Final, Team Australia will battle it out against Team UK at 16:30 local time on Sunday, October 22, with Chad ‘SPUNJ’ Burchill and Henry ‘HenryG’ Greer returning to the stage and continuing their epic rivalry.
Schedule and format
Group Stage (October 16 to 18):
- Featuring 16 teams of which the top six advance to the playoffs.
* The group stage will be a double-elimination bracket.
* Opening matches are best-of-one.
* All following matches are best-of-three.
* Group stage winners advance to the semi-finals.
* The group stage runners-up advance to the quarterfinals as the high seeds.
* The group stage third-place teams advance to the quarter-finals as the low seeds.
Playoffs (October 20 to 22):
- Played in a single elimination format.
- The quarter-finals, semi-finals and grand final will all be best-of-three.
Teams attending
- ENCE (ESL Partner Team)
- FaZe Clan (ESL Partner Team)
- G2 Esports (ESL Partner Team)
- MOUZ (ESL Partner Team)
- Natus Vincere (ESL Partner Team)
- Team Vitality (ESL Partner Team)
- Cloud9 (ESL World Ranking)
- Fnatic (ESL World Ranking)
- GamerLegion (ESL World Ranking)
- Monte (ESL World Ranking)
- Grayhound.Rivalry (Local Hero Invite)
- Apeks (European Qualifier)
- BetBoom Team (European Qualifier)
- Complexity Gaming (North American Qualifier)
- Lynn Vision Gaming (Asian Qualifier)
- VERTEX Esports Club (Oceanic Qualifier)
Prize money (USD)
TOTAL | $250,000 |
1st | $100,000 |
2nd | $42,000 |
3rd-4th | $20,000 |
5th-6th | $10,000 |
7th – 8th | $6,000 |
9th – 12th | $5,000 |
13th-16th | $4,000 |
Broadcast talent
- Tres ‘stunna’ Saranthus (Desk Host)
- Freya ‘Freya’ Spiers (Desk Host)
- Janko ‘YNk’ Paunovic (Analyst)
- Sudhen ‘Bleh’ Wahengbam (Analyst)
- Aleksandar ‘kassad’ Trifunovic (Analyst)
- Anastasija ‘Heccu’ Tolmaceva (Sideline Reporter)
- Alex ‘Machine’ Richardson (Caster)
- Chad ‘SPUNJ’ Burchill (Caster)
- James Bardolph (Caster)
- Alex ‘Hawka’ Hawkins (Caster)
- Mitch ‘Conky’ Concanen (Stage Host)
- Jordan ‘Elfishguy’ Mays (Caster)
- Mitchell ‘pilski’ Pilipowski (Caster)
- Geordie ‘Mac’ McAleer (Caster)
- James ‘jimNeso’ Cowan (Caster)
On-site side activities
Held in conjunction with IEM Sydney, the SXSW Sydney Innovation and Technology expo takes place on October 18 to 21, giving fans attending the event in person the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of on-site activities:
- At the Intel Booth, fans are invited to try out the latest games and hardware, participate in activities and get their idols’ signatures.
- At the ESL Shop, attendees can pick up official eSports merch including exclusive drops, Kolex Cards and their favourite team’s jersey. Local teams Vertex and Grayhound.Rivalry will also be stocked.
- The Monster Energy Booth features a sampling bar where fans can grab their prefered flavor, meet Monster streamers, get a fresh haircut and more.
- Stay tuned as additional details and activities will be revealed.
Where to watch
Fans tuning in online and watching the matches from around the globe can look forward to an exciting broadcast filled with extra content.
The live broadcast will be available on the ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch for free on-demand via YouTube.
Assets for IEM Sydney 2023 can be found in the press kit.
For more information about IEM Sydney 2023 and the latest updates, please visit the official website and follow ESL Counter-Strike on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Details of the mentioned activities are still subject to change.

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NetBet Partners with Fight Disciples
NetBet, a leading online gaming platform, has announced an exciting new partnership with world-renowned boxing & MMA podcast the Fight Disciples, co-hosted by award-winning broadcasters Adam Catterall and Nick Peet.
The partnership will span some of the UFC’s biggest events, including Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier at UFC 318, as well as major upcoming boxing bouts.
This partnership builds on NetBet’s recent announcement as the official betting partner of the UFC in the UK and other parts of Europe. It will play a key role in boosting visibility for NetBet’s popular UFC Predictor Game. As part of the collaboration, NetBet branding will feature across all Fight Disciples UFC content, including behind-the-scenes access and exclusive fighter interviews.
Part of this deal will also see the Fight Disciples and NetBet team up to provide all-encompassing coverage for three huge upcoming boxing fights; Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois, Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Terrance Crawford.
Adam Catterall, co-host of the Fight Disciples Podcast, said: “We’ve always prided ourselves on being the voice of the fight fan, so teaming up with NetBet – the official sportsbook and betting partner of the UFC – is a massive moment for us. This partnership gives us the opportunity to get even closer to the action and, more importantly, bring our audience along with us. Whether it’s behind-the-scenes insight, exclusive content, or on-the-ground access at the biggest events, it’s all about delivering that front-row feeling to our listeners.”
Tristan Wootton, Head of UK at NetBet added: “With NetBet making huge waves in the world of fight sports, this partnership with the Fight Disciples represents another exciting opportunity with regard to brand development. We feel confident that our players will enjoy the engaging content produced from this partnership, with so many brilliant UFC and boxing shows just on the horizon!”
The post NetBet Partners with Fight Disciples appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Soft2Bet’s brand Don.ro Becomes Main Sponsor of CFR Cluj in Multi-Year Agreement
Soft2Bet continues its strategic expansion in Romania through its rapidly growing online entertainment brand, Don.ro, which has entered a multi-year agreement as the main sponsor of CFR 1907 Cluj, one of Romania’s leading football clubs.
Beginning with the 2025-26 Liga 1 season, leading Romanian brand Don.ro’s logo will feature prominently on CFR Cluj’s home and away kits, training gear, and throughout the “Dr. Constantin Rădulescu” stadium. The partnership with CFR Cluj also includes a slate of live and digital activations powered by Soft2Bet’s innovative platform, designed to deepen fan engagement.
“We are excited to announce our partnership with Don.ro, a Romanian brand that shares our values of performance, professionalism, and the desire to build something lasting. The fact that Don.ro is becoming the main partner of our club is both a validation of the work we do every day and an important step in strengthening CFR Cluj’s image both nationally and internationally.
We are pleased to have a dynamic partner by our side, one with a modern vision who believes in the power of sport to inspire and bring people together. Moreover, Don.ro has chosen to offer each season ticket holder this season an official jersey — a gesture of appreciation for the passion and loyalty with which they support us.” — Cristian Balaj, CFR Cluj President.
The partnership between Soft2Bet and CFR Cluj brings together Don.ro’s award-winning online gaming brand and a club with a rich history of success, including eight league titles, four Romanian Cups, and four Super Cups. Both sides are driven by a commitment to high performance, bold ambition, and fresh ideas, which makes this collaboration especially well-aligned.
“We are honored to join the CFR Cluj family, a symbol of excellence in Romanian football. This partnership reflects the shared values that bring us together — performance, responsibility, and respect for the community.
At Don.ro, we are committed to promoting a safe and balanced entertainment environment, and through our collaboration with CFR Cluj, we aim to deliver a strong message about the importance of responsible play, both on and off the field.” — Marius Mirasovici, Official representative of Don.ro brand
The partnership is designed to deliver real value to Don.ro’s players and the wider local community. With Soft2Bet’s backing, Don.ro will launch a range of activations tailored to Romanian audiences, such as exclusive match-day experiences, localised campaigns, community events, and responsible gaming initiatives, bringing fans closer to the action and rewarding their loyalty in meaningful ways.
Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, highlighted: “At Soft2Bet, we excel in building powerful and award-winning brands that forge deep connections with players through localised experiences. Don.ro’s partnership with CFR Cluj embodies this vision,combining a top-performing club with our drive for tailored gamified experiences, product excellence, and a passion for performance.”
Launched in 2024 and recognised as “Best Launch of the Year” at the 12th Meeting of Gambling Professionals, Don.ro delivers over 3,484 casino games, a full live-dealer lineup, and a complete sportsbook. The platform runs on Soft2Bet’s proprietary MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application) technology, which enhances player engagement through mission-based features and in-game challenges.
The post Soft2Bet’s brand Don.ro Becomes Main Sponsor of CFR Cluj in Multi-Year Agreement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Week 27/2025 slot games releases
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming
PG Soft has served up a classic slot with its Diner Frenzy Spins. This is a 5-reel, 4-rows video slot featuring connecting ways and sticky symbol respins. Diner Frenzy Spins is set within a vibrant, retro-futuristic diner with a buzzy atmosphere thanks to a playful soundtrack. During any spin, the Mystery Respin may be randomly triggered while the reels are spinning.
ELA Games calls back to a classic yet luxurious gaming experience with its new title, Juicy Crystal. The game offers a unique and modern twist on the beloved and familiar fruit machine format, featuring timeless symbols and rich visuals. The studio’s trademark attention to detail and quality delivers a game that’s exciting, memorable and elegant.
Amusnet presents its newest Online Casino portfolio expansion – a royal-themed slot filled with exciting bonus features. The release adds to the fun of the player-favourite Extra Crown game series, this time with six reels and 100 paylines, top-notch graphics and a vibrant soundtrack. A total of 11 symbols are scattered across the now six reels and 40 fixed paylines, along with some special features that make the gameplay more engaging and fun.
Play’n GO illuminate their classic Moon Princess universe once more with Moon Princess Stargazing, a grid slot set among icy stars and rising multipliers. Set beyond Neptune in the icy reaches of the Kuiper Belt, Moon Princess Stargazing marks a radiant new chapter in one of Play’n GO’s most celebrated series. Players reunite with Star, Nova and Astra – the celestial trio whose powers help forge constellation connections and unlock sky-high wins.
Step into the golden sands of Ancient Egypt with Ra’s Relics Bonanza, a thrilling 6×5 cascading slot adventure from Booming Games! Land 8 or more matching symbols anywhere on the reels to secure a win, as winning symbols vanish and new ones tumble down, unlocking endless chances for treasure. Keep an eye on the Divine Scarab, collecting scatter symbols throughout the base game and triggering Free Spins at any moment.
The post Week 27/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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