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Top esports earners of 2018: How much have they made?

Photo source: pexels.com – Credits: Jamie McInall
Esports continues to grow and top players are making more money than ever before. New sponsors, tournaments, and technology are making it possible for esports athletes to make a great living playing video games. In some cases, esports athletes are making more than traditional sports stars. Fans of esports can play free online slots when they are not following the great esports action. With 2018 nearly over, here are the top esports earners for 2018.
- Anathan Pham – $2.25 million
Melbourne’s Anathan Pham became an “esports millionaire” this year. Pham is just 18-years old, but already he is an experienced esports athlete at the top of his chosen game. The DOTA 2 player is currently the No. 11 ranked player in the world. Pham participated with his team OG at the 2018 International DOTA 2 Championship. OG won the tournament and the victory made Pham Australia’s 19th highest earning sportsperson for 2018. Pham has done well and so can esports fans when playing online casino games.
- Topias Taavitsainen – $2.25 million
Topias Taavitsainen is the 14th ranked DOTA 2 player in the world. Taavitsainen plays alongside Pham on the OG team. The Finnish esports athlete has had a rapid rise and is now seen as one of the world’s best. According to reports, before 2018’s amazing $2.25 million in earnings, Taavitsainen’s best year was in 2017 when he made just under $900 in winnings. It has been a rapid rise.
- Sebastien Debs – $2.28 million
Sebastien Debs is a teammate of both Pham and Taavitsainen on the OG team. The trio’s success at the 2018 International Dota 2 Championship is why they are so highly ranked in earnings this year. The trio shared the more than $15m prize pool for DOTA. Debs’ best earnings year prior to 2018 was 2015 when he took home over $21,000. The Frenchman will hope OG can repeat at next year’s DOTA 2 Championship.
- Johan Sundstein – $2.28 million
Of course, Johan Sundstein is a part of the OG team that won the DOTA 2 Championship. Currently ranked No. 2 in the world, Sundstein has been winning serious cash for six years. He started out playing Heroes of Newerth at age 15, but switched to DOTA with HoN fading in popularity. For the last four years as a DOTA player, Sundstein has made at least six figures in earnings, and each year he has seen his finances increase. At only 24, Sundstein is living a life that millions of young men wish they had.
1.Jesse Vainikka – $2.29 million
Jesse Vainikka was the fifth and final member of the OG Dota 2 Championship team. This year marks the 26-year-old’s first million-dollar season as an esport athlete. However, he has been killing it in earnings since 2015 when he made over $51,000. The last two years of competitive action have seen Vainikka earn six figures. Considered the No. 6 DOTA 2 player in the world, Vainikka isn’t even the top-rated player in his home country of Finland. Despite not receiving the top ranking, Vainikka is the top earner in esports, which is a big middle finger to the ranking system.
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Allwyn commits to highest level of 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign
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– National Lottery ‘Add some play to Christmas’ campaign supported by enhanced protection measures –
– In a UK National Lottery first, Allwyn becomes a Level 3 Gift Responsibly supporter –
National Lottery operator Allwyn has unveiled its multi-channel ‘Add some play to Christmas’ campaign, which puts National Lottery Scratchcards at the heart – positioning them as a fun way to come together, no matter the occasion or the group.
As part of that, Allwyn has once again signed up to the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign – this year as a Level 3 sponsor, the highest possible level and a UK National Lottery first.
Founded in the early 2000s, the Gift Responsibly Campaign works to raise public awareness about the risks of youth gambling. Through partnerships with lotteries and other organisations, the campaign educates communities about the risks of buying lottery products for children.
As part of its commitments as a Level 3 supporter, Allwyn will carry a ’18+ Gift Responsibly’ mark across its National Lottery gifting-related festive advertising – to re-iterate the need for people to be 18 or older to buy, gift, receive and play.
The company has also created three brand new bespoke creative assets promoting responsible play that it will use:
- across its @TNLUK and @AllwynUK social media channels
- on in-store National Lottery media screens
- as part of a digital campaign
Allwyn already carries out extensive training with its 43,500 retail partners to prevent underage and excessive play, as well as running a rigorous ‘Operation Guardian’ programme for mystery shopping and knowledge checks with National Lottery retailers to ensure compliance.
The company’s advanced NCPG participation will also see it prompting its tens of thousands of retail partners to remind their customers to gift National Lottery products responsibly this festive season, through direct communications and trade advertising.
Jordana Jackson, Head of Participant Protection at Allwyn, commented: “Since becoming National Lottery operator early last year, we’ve made great progress on our participant protection plans. We’re proud to once again be supporting the NCPG’s Gift Responsibly Campaign and, for the first time in the UK National Lottery’s history, commit to Level 3 sponsorship – the highest level of support possible. This commitment includes a range of activity to remind everyone that, while National Lottery Scratchcards can add festive fun and help raise over £30m a week for Good Causes, they’re strictly for adults.”
The post Allwyn commits to highest level of 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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LeoVegas Group signs partnership deal with Valletta FC and boosts local footprint in Malta
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LeoVegas Group has entered into a two-year partnership agreement with Malta Premier League club Valletta Football Club. As Exclusive Online Gaming Partner, the LeoVegas Group corporate brand will feature on the men’s squad’s match kits, at training grounds, and prominently across the club’s digital channels. The partnership will enhance the Group’s brand visibility and commitment to the local community, while further strengthening its position as an employer of choice in igaming.
LeoVegas Group and Valletta Football Club, one of the most successful clubs in Malta’s history, today announced a new partnership that will see LeoVegas Group’s corporate brand become the club’s Exclusive Online Gaming Partner during the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons. The agreement includes match kit sleeve branding for the men’s squad, visibility across all club facilities, including the Rabat Football Ground and Dangli Football Ground and the matchday fanzone, as well as branding on the squad’s training bags. The club’s digital channels, which have tens of thousands passionate followers on social media such as Instagram and Facebook, will regularly feature the LeoVegas Group logo in their content.
As partners, LeoVegas Group and Valletta Football Club will also collaborate to create exciting branded experiences across the Maltese capital for both fans and employees. Group employees can look forward to exclusive matchday opportunities and VIP experiences. The partnership enables LeoVegas Group to further strengthen corporate brand awareness across the Maltese islands and continue positioning the Group as an employer of choice for talent seeking careers in the growing igaming industry.
Additionally, the partnership includes branding on the youth team’s kit. This shirt sponsorship opportunity will be donated by LeoVegas Group to a local non-governmental organization (NGO), which will be selected through a popular vote by club members during a club meeting.
Stefan Nelson, LeoVegas Group CFO and Malta Managing Director, said “We are very proud to partner with Valletta FC, one of the most successful and popular clubs in Malta. Our Group has considered itself a partly Maltese company almost since its inception, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the capital’s club to create exciting opportunities for fans, employees, and future talent alike. When two strong lions join forces, great things can happen!”.
Claudio Grech, Valletta Football Club President, said “This partnership brings together two brands that share Malta’s global reputation for excellence in gaming, entertainment, and sport. LeoVegas Group has become a world leader in mobile gaming while Valletta FC stands as Malta’s largest football club. Both of us thrive on delivering excitement and engagement — whether through live football or immersive digital experiences. We also share a forward-looking vision that embraces technology and online communities to connect with our audiences. As LeoVegas Group continues to expand internationally, Valletta FC is equally determined to evolve into a regional football powerhouse, making this collaboration a natural and powerful alignment of ambition, innovation, and Maltese pride”.
The post LeoVegas Group signs partnership deal with Valletta FC and boosts local footprint in Malta appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Gamblers Connect Named Finalist in Three Categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026
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Gamblers Connect has been officially shortlisted in three categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026, one of the most respected global recognitions within the gaming and iGaming sectors.
This announcement marks an important milestone for the company, reflecting its continued growth, consistent industry presence and long-term commitment to responsible and high-quality affiliate operations.
Gamblers Connect has been shortlisted in three distinct categories: Affiliate (Company) of the Year, recognising its public-facing affiliate excellence; the Great Place to Work Award (Operator), highlighting the strength of its internal culture; and the Safer Gambling Award, which reflects the company’s commitment to responsibility standards across its operations.
The 19th annual International Gaming Awards will be held on 18th January during ICE Barcelona. It is regarded as one of the leading global recognitions for excellence across the gaming industry. Each year, the IGA highlights companies that show innovation, quality, responsibility and meaningful contribution to the sector.
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “Being shortlisted across three very different categories shows our strength on multiple levels. It recognises our public-facing work, the culture behind it and the responsibility standards that guide everything we do.”
The post Gamblers Connect Named Finalist in Three Categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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