Asia
PAGCOR Inaugurates First-ever PAGCOR Village in Batangas
A year after commencing its construction, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) formally inaugurated on May 23, 2022 the first PAGCOR Village to be completed in Batangas province.
The housing project worth P30 million was funded by the state-run gaming firm to provide safe housing for indigent families who were displaced by the eruption of Taal Volcano in January 2020.
Lemery was one of the municipalities in Batangas which received PAGCOR funding for construction of permanent shelters outside of permanent danger zones, as declared by the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo, who led the inauguration of the PAGCOR Village in Lemery, underscored PAGCOR’s role in nation-building, especially in areas that need its help the most.
“PAGCOR, as a government entity was not only created to operate and regulate games of chance but to also ensure that the revenues from regulated gaming is channeled back to our country’s coffers and other vital programs of the government,” she said.
“This PAGCOR Village is just one of our many CSR programs, whose major aim is to give Filipinos a better life, in your case, a safe haven from the possible hazards caused by the Taal Volcano eruption,” Domingo added.
Asia
WorldMatch Announces Strategic Partnership with KGI
WorldMatch, leading provider of premium online gaming solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with KGI, marking a significant milestone in its expansion into the Philippine market. The collaboration with KGI represents WorldMatch’s inaugural and exclusive direct client in the Philippines, positioning the company as a key player in this burgeoning market.
As part of this partnership, WorldMatch has obtained certification for its games by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), ensuring compliance with local regulations and standards. This certification underscores WorldMatch’s commitment to providing high-quality gaming content that meets the strict requirements of regulated markets.
“The partnership with KGI and the certification by PAGCOR mark a pivotal moment for WorldMatch. Entering the Philippine market represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our presence in a regulated and rapidly growing industry. We are excited to collaborate with KGI and deliver our cutting-edge gaming solutions to players in the region,” said Xhuljana Demerxhiu, Head of Sales at WorldMatch.
The Philippines is a key market for the online gaming industry, with its robust regulatory framework and growing demand for innovative gaming experiences. By partnering with KGI and obtaining PAGCOR certification, WorldMatch is poised to capitalize on this opportunity and establish a strong foothold in the region.
Mr. Marvin A. Tort, President of KGI, said: “KGI is looking forward to this collaboration with WorldMatch, which is well known for its innovative gaming products with engaging gameplay. We are proud to be their partner in this region.”
Asia
Kazakhstan to Host the Games of the Future 2026
Following a highly competitive process, Phygital International announced that Kazakhstan has been chosen as the host of the Games of the Future 2026.
This annual tournament, which is the pinnacle event of the phygital sporting world, received hosting bids from countries across the world, all bidding to follow the UAE in becoming hosts of this prestigious event.
Kazakhstan proved itself the ultimate winner with the Phygital International Expert Committee judges, after showcasing its expertise in hosting international tournaments, its state-of-the-art sports venues – along with the perfect mix of being a nation that embraces sports, culture and tradition as well as its technology and innovation capabilities.
The Games of the Future is a unique international event, which brings together the next generation of dynamic sporting heroes from all over the world. Phygital International expects the Games of the Future 2025 in UAE and now, 2026 in Kazakhstan to welcome thousands of world-class athletes and esports persons as part of multinational clubs. They will participate in the multi-sport event which comprises of a number of phygital sport challenges.
Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, said: “We’re hugely excited at the prospect of Kazakhstan receiving the phygital flame from next year’s host, the UAE to host the 2026 tournament. It’s so pleasing to see the exponential growth of not only phygital sports, but also the global phygital community.
“In fact, the host nation bidding process for the Games of the Future 2027 is already hotting up but there’s still time for other countries to put their bid in before the deadline in December.”
Yerbol Myrzabossynov, Minister of Tourism and Sports for the Republic of Kazakhstan, said: “It is a privilege for our great nation of Kazakhstan to be awarded the honour of hosting the Games of the Future in 2026. Our country has supported phygital sport from its very inception, and we take pride in being the next in line to host this great event and we’re excited to receive the phygital flame from the UAE, who’s hosting in 2025 we greatly look forward to.”
The Games of the Future places no restrictions on its participants and welcomes everyone, regardless of their age, gender and nationality. The deadline for submitting applications to host the tournament in 2027 is December 31, 2024.
Asia
FIFA and Konami join forces to include eFootball at FIFAe World Cup – A golden opportunity for Indian esports
In a country where mobile gaming dominates and interest in football continues to rise, India’s talented gamers now have the opportunity to compete for glory on the global stage in eFootball at the FIFAe World Cup. Following the recent partnership between FIFA and Konami, eFootball, Konami’s football simulation game, has been officially included as one of the official titles featured in the FIFAe World Cup, alongside Rocket League and Football Manager.
In this inaugural year of this new development, India is among 18 countries officially invited to participate in eFootball at the global tournament, joining nations such as Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Spain, and Portugal. The top-performing athletes from each country will face off in the finals later this year across both mobile and console platforms.
According to the India Games Market Report 2023 by Niko Partners, India is primarily a mobile-first market, with 96.8% of gamers using smartphones or tablets. The total number of gamers across all platforms is expected to reach 641.2 million by 2027.
With India at the forefront of the mobile gaming revolution and eFootball available for free download, the country’s vast base of mobile gamers have the chance to turn their passion into success on the international stage. The free-to-play aspect also facilitates easier training and participation for India’s talented mobile gamers across all backgrounds, eliminating barriers that typically limit access to high-level competitive play.
Sharing his thoughts on the opportunity this presents for India’s esports industry, Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming said, “This collaboration between FIFA and Konami to bring eFootball into the FIFAe World Cup is a significant moment for Indian esports. India’s inclusion in this global event is a source of immense national pride. The accessibility of a free-to-play game like eFootball ensures wider participation, and with FIFA fueling the esports ecosystem, we are witnessing the seamless integration of sports and esports—ushering in new opportunities for Indian gamers to shine on the world stage.”
eFootball is also set to be featured in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s upcoming WAVES Esports Championship 2025 (WESC). The nation has also been consistently competing in the title at the Global Esports Games.
“The recognition of India as a region in a global esports tournament like the FIFA eWorld Cup is monumental for Indian esports. This collaboration between KONAMI and FIFA opens up valuable avenues for both mobile and console gamers across the country to compete on the international stage. Additionally, with eFootball being included in the roster of tournaments like WAVES 2025 which is supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the title has great potential to bring further opportunities to aspiring Indian esports athletes,” commented Animesh Agarwal, aka 8Bit Thug, Co-Founder of S8UL and 8Bit Creatives.
-
Asia7 days ago
Asia Pioneer Entertainment Holdings Limited appointed Maria Garcia to its Board of Directors
-
Cryptocurrency7 days ago
Armchair Online BV Launches CryptoCasino.com and $CASINO Token to Disrupt Blockchain Betting
-
Industry News7 days ago
Amusnet Wins Best Game Studio at the SiGMA East Europe Awards 2024
-
eSports7 days ago
BETBY AGREES LONGTERM MULTI-MARKET CSGO EMPIRE PARTNERSHIP
-
Latest News7 days ago
Thunderkick commits to expansion in Italy with CasinoMania partnership
-
eSports5 days ago
We ran CS2 Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024 through a SuperComputer to predict the final stages — with Neymar’s FURIA team set to cause more massive shocks on home soil
-
Conferences in Europe6 days ago
“Finding Xanada”: Vladimir Malakchi on Revolutionizing iGaming Investments and Fostering Innovation
-
Compliance Updates6 days ago
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) delivers gold standard certification to core EveryMatrix platform products