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Team Vitality and Bodyguard publish first report on online hate and toxicity in esports
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- To mark Mental Health Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day, Team Vitality and Bodyguard have released a report investigating online hate and toxicity within esports.
- The findings highlight the urgent need to provide a safe, inclusive, and positive online environment for players, fans, and professionals.
- This initiative is part of the KARE program launched by Team Vitality in 2023. Supported since its launch by its partner EVNIA (Philips’ gaming monitor brand), KARE focuses on three pillars: awareness, prevention and action, to make mental health a central priority in esports and gaming.
Key figures
(August 1 – October 6, 2025)
- 19 accounts linked to Team Vitality were protected by Bodyguard: both male and female players, and official accounts.
- Over 57,000 messages were analysed, including more than 2,000 blocked by Bodyguard to ensure a safer and more inclusive environment.
- More than 4.5 million followers of the 19 accounts protected by Bodyguard benefited from this protection across Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube.
- The rate of hateful messages was 3.6%, slightly below the esports average of 4.2%, showing that the measures put in place are starting to have an impact.
- Over 10% of messages were positive, a result in line with industry standards.
For the first time in France, an esports club is taking a stand against hate and toxicity online. A leader in both the French and international scenes, Team Vitality and its partner EVNIA have joined forces with Bodyguard, a technology solution that allows brands and platforms to moderate texts, comments, images, and videos across their online accounts in real time.
This initiative is part of the KARE program, launched by Team Vitality in 2023. The shared goal is to protect the mental health of those involved in esports, support their performance, and provide the community with a safer environment. Together, the three organisations are fostering a healthy and positive environment within the esports industry.
Tens of thousands of hate messages controlled
As Team Vitality regularly competes in the world’s biggest tournaments, from the Esports World Cup to Rocket League Worlds, their players and talents are directly exposed to online hate.
Since August 1, 19 official club accounts have been protected by Bodyguard. Thanks to its hybrid AI technology combined with human expertise, Bodyguard can detect, analyse, and remove toxic content in real time, based on the custom moderation rules tailored and set by Team Vitality. As a result, over 2,000 hateful messages have already been blocked, mainly on Team Vitality’s X and Instagram accounts, where toxicity rates reach 4.6% and 2.5% respectively.
Since August 1, approximately 4.5 million followers of the 19 accounts protected by Bodyguard have benefited from this protection against toxic messages. These messages are far from harmless: they include violent attacks related to performance, calls to exclude certain players, racist, homophobic, fatphobic, or religious insults, as well as threats targeting players’ families. Some users repeatedly post toxic messages, which can make up as much as 80% of their comments. This kind of online abuse, if left unchecked, can have serious consequences on a player’s mental health and performance.
“In esports, just like in traditional sports, online hate can destroy careers. With Bodyguard, we protect both the players and the passion of millions of fans,” explains Charles Cohen, Founder and CEO of Bodyguard.
“In esports, the pressure doesn’t stop when the match ends. It often continues on social media, where every decision and action is scrutinised. After a win, messages can be friendly and supportive, but after a loss, they often become a heavy burden. For a coach, as well as for the players, this constant pressure eventually takes its toll. It’s essential to protect our teams and stay on the right path, even when the online storm feels more intense than the match itself,” says James “Mac” MacCormack, League of Legends coach at Team Vitality.
Toxicity under control, but still worrying
Sport or esports, the challenge remains the same. Insults, hate speech, and online harassment can have devastating effects on an athlete, impacting their confidence, morale, and performance. For Team Vitality, 3.6% of messages are hateful, slightly below the esports average of 4.2%, showing that the measures put in place are beginning to pay off, including the partnership with Bodyguard, awareness initiatives, engagement with the community, etc. In comparison, football is less exposed to toxicity (3%), but much more affected by unwanted content (3.5% versus 1% for esports).
“Social media is everywhere, and in esports, its influence has become immense. For a player, or even a staff member, positive messages can be a source of comfort – but when they’re not, they can hurt, corrode, and sometimes even gradually destroy someone. This constant exposure pushes people to question and doubt themselves, and not always in a healthy way. It’s essential to find a balance and set boundaries. In this fight, Bodyguard is a true ally.” says Fabien Devide, known as “Neo”, President and co-founder of Team Vitality.
Creating a more respectful and accessible environment for everyone
By its very nature, esports thrives on social media and streaming – spaces where passionate communities react and share their emotions in real time. While this constant exposure fuels fans’ enthusiasm and attachment, it also comes with above-average levels of toxicity, highlighting the urgent need to protect esports players and safeguard their mental well-being.
The joint report by Bodyguard x Team Vitality clearly illustrates this dual reality. On one hand, 10% of messages received by Team Vitality are positive, a figure in line with industry standards. Esports fans particularly enjoy video content, vlogs, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage, reflecting real loyalty and solidarity towards their club. However, this encouraging signal contrasts with traditional sports: in football, nearly one in four messages is positive (24%), while esports caps at around 18%.
This gap highlights a specific challenge: esports fans express their enthusiasm as much through criticism and toxic comments as through passion, making moderation essential. While esports remains more exposed to online hate than traditional sports, Team Vitality, EVNIA, and Bodyguard show that with innovative solutions, it is possible to reduce toxicity and protect the community.
A pioneer in its approach, Team Vitality is raising awareness of the need to mitigate this online harassment. With Bodyguard, the club is paving the way for an esports environment where performance, inclusion, and freedom of expression coexist. This strong commitment is reflected in concrete tools to protect the community, players, and staff from the excesses of online hate.
The post Team Vitality and Bodyguard publish first report on online hate and toxicity in esports appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Refie, the new living interface inside ReferOn, it’s here.
ReferOn, the next-generation affiliate management platform, has launched Refie — a built-in interface layer that gives the platform its own awareness, making interaction faster, clearer, and more human.
Refie represents a new level of interaction within ReferOn, designed to make complex affiliate data easier to perceive and act on through visual feedback that turns system logic into something instantly understandable. He now lives inside the platform’s interface, appearing on onboarding screens and system state pages, where he reflects how the system feels and responds in real time.
Refie isn’t a chatbot or a mascot — he’s an integrated UX layer that connects technical precision with human intuition. By reducing noise and guiding attention naturally, he helps affiliate managers work faster while avoiding mistakes and staying aligned with live performance data.
We like to call this approach “lazy intelligence” — systems that think before you do so you can focus on what actually matters. Refie is the first visible step toward that.
Roadmap: From Awareness to Assistance
Refie’s introduction marks the beginning of ReferOn’s next development stage.
He’s the foundation for what comes next: gamification, engagement, and, ultimately, intelligent assistance. Through him, we’ll introduce a more interactive, rewarding experience where every action feels meaningful. Over time, Refie will evolve from a visual signal into a personal AI agent — the intelligent core of the ReferOn platform.
Vlad Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented, “Refie isn’t just an add-on or feature — it’s a reflection of how our platform and team think. For years, affiliate platforms have been built for reporting, not for people. We wanted to change that. Refie was born to simplify. He embodies how we think about technology: clarity, control, and connection should feel natural, not forced.
With Refie, ReferOn has learned how to say hi — not with words, but quietly, through awareness. It’s how the system shows it understands what’s happening. He represents the moment ReferOn moved beyond functionality and toward awareness, emotion, and intelligence. The launch goal is to show that the era of faceless B2B tools is ending.”
The ReferOn team will showcase the platform’s latest innovations at SiGMA Central Europe in Rome (Booth 5044). There, attendees can explore the system in action, connect with the team, and experience Refie — the living interface making its first public debut.
The post When Logic Finds a Face: Meet Refie, ReferOn’s New Living Interface appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Hölle Games, the German-based video slots studio celebrated for its distinct “Made in Germany” craftsmanship, has expanded its footprint in the German online gaming market through a new partnership with Betano.de, one of the country’s most dynamic and fast-growing iGaming platforms.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Hölle Games’ ongoing growth within Germany. Having already established a strong presence in the regulated market, the addition of Betano as a distribution partner ensures that even more players will have access to Hölle Games’ portfolio of visually striking, character-driven slot titles.
Through Betano.de, German players can now enjoy a broad selection of Hölle Games’ top-performing titles, which blend classic slot inspiration with contemporary visuals and smooth, intuitive gameplay. Designed and developed in Germany, Hölle Games’ content is known for its attention to detail, local market resonance, and commitment to player entertainment.
Robert Lenzhofer, CEO of Hölle Games, commented: “We’re incredibly proud to see our games featured on Betano.de, one of the most recognized brands in Europe. This partnership is another step in strengthening our local presence and making our uniquely German-crafted slots more accessible to players nationwide. At Hölle Games, we take great pride in combining creativity with compliance — building experiences that resonate with players while meeting the highest regulatory standards.”
Clemens Kaiser, Head of Commercial, Kaizen Gaming commented: “We’re thrilled to expand our casino offering with Hölle Games’ portfolio. Their content is a perfect match for the Betano brand — high quality, engaging, and locally relevant. We’re confident our players will enjoy what Hölle Games brings to the table.”
The partnership underlines Hölle Games’ commitment to strengthening its relationships with key regulated operators in Europe and reinforces Betano’s reputation for delivering diverse, premium gaming content tailored to local preferences. Together, the two brands continue to raise the bar for online casino entertainment in Germany.
The post Hölle Games Strengthens German Presence Through Partnership with Betano.de appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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To mark the launch of the 100th brand in 2025, SOFTSWISS, an international technology provider with over 15 years in the iGaming sector, will host a unique live show at SiGMA Central Europe 2025: the pit-stop-style assembly of a sports car, which will be gifted to the client behind the milestone brand on the final event day. This will be the first time a real vehicle is assembled live on the floor of an iGaming expo.
Over the three days of the event, a professional crew will assemble an Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition in real time, transforming SOFTSWISS Stand 4015 into a high-performance pit lane. This full-scale build sets a new bar for experiential engagement in the iGaming industry, giving attendees the opportunity to take part in assembling a sports car themselves.
During the show, professional mechanics will demonstrate how racing technology mirrors the architecture behind SOFTSWISS solutions: real-time analytics, scalable platforms, and automation. This three-day showcase will conclude with a symbolic moment – the gifting of the completed vehicle to the SOFTSWISS partner who launched the 100th brand on the company’s software in 2025. The ceremony starts on 6th November at 13:00 at Stand 4015.
“We believe every milestone is a shared success. Launching 100 new brands this year within the SOFTSWISS ecosystem shows the trust our partners place in us, and we’re proud to celebrate this moment together. This car represents precision, collaboration, and speed, the very values that define both racing and iGaming,” said Olga Resiga, Chief Business Development Officer at SOFTSWISS. “But more than that, this live build is a statement: we don’t just talk about innovation, we put it on display – in motion, in real time, and in front of the entire industry.”
Another major moment of the show will be the unveiling of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report – one of the industry’s most anticipated releases. Created in collaboration with NEXT.io, the report will offer a comprehensive outlook on the technology, regulatory shifts, and market dynamics shaping the industry.
The launch will take place on 5 November from 12:00 to 16:00 CET during the 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon by SOFTSWISS at Stage 2: People, Partners & Performance. The four-hour programme will bring together global experts for keynote sessions and panel discussions covering key challenges and opportunities for the year ahead – from regulatory evolution and player engagement to platform scalability and AI-powered operations. Pre-registration for early access to the full report is now open.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.
The post SOFTSWISS to Gift a Live-Built Sports Car To Celebrate 100 Launched Brands in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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