The International Esports Federation (IESF) is pleased to announce the conclusion of the bidding process for hosting the 2025 and 2026 IESF Events – the World Esports Championship and Regional Qualifiers. For the first time in our history, we have received a record number of applications, with over 30 cities from across all continents submitting their bids to host our signature Esports events.

The increased interest in hosting IESF events reflects the expansion of the Esports community and the impact these tournaments have had on the intern ational esports scene. From Europe to Asia & Oceania, Africa to the Americas, cities are making significant efforts to develop their local Esports ecosystems while also presenting their capability to host nations from around the world. The opportunity to serve as the home of Esports for a year is seen as a meaningful step forward, with long-lasting benefits in both the local and international growth of Esports.

“Over the last five years, IESF events have grown rapidly, and so has the excitement around hosting one of the world’s biggest esports events. IESF events are truly one-of-a-kind and bring huge value to our host nations – or as we like to call them, the “Esports capital of the world.’ It’s amazing to see this growing interest, and we can’t wait to continue bringing the global Esports community together through these incredible events.”- stated Boban Totovski, the General Secretary of IESF.

We are now thoroughly reviewing the applications to determine which cities meet our criteria and requirements and align with IESF’s core mission of developing Esports in a sustainable and inclusive manner.

IESF is dedicated to ensuring that every event we host leaves a meaningful and lasting impact. The upcoming selection of our host cities will shape the future of many Esports communities across the globe and redefine the Esports landscape by supporting new emerging regions and strengthening the existing ones.

SOFTSWISS, a global tech supplier of software for the iGaming industry, along with its employees, has actively aided communities affected by the recent flooding in Southern Poland.

In September, Storm Boris brought devastating floods to Central and Eastern Europe, causing widespread damage. Torrential rains left thousands of homes submerged, severely impacting numerous cities in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania. In Poland, the southern regions were hit the hardest, with dozens of towns requiring urgent evacuations and support for affected communities.

To provide immediate relief, SOFTSWISS made a financial donation to the Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy, a well-known Polish charity organisation. SOFTSWISS has two development offices in Poland, allowing employees to quickly join the relief efforts and offer their assistance during the flood.

Under the company’s coordination, Polish employees packed boxes of over 100 kilograms of essential items, including food, hygiene products, and necessities such as matches, candles, and batteries. SOFTSWISS handed these supplies to Caritas Polska, a charitable organisation spearheading relief efforts for the affected areas.

Earlier this year, SOFTSWISS also organised a large-scale charity and awareness campaign to support flood-hit regions in Brazil. 

“Unfortunately, natural disasters happen, and we don’t want to stand idly by. We strive to help in any way we can. This aligns with one of our core values, We See People, which applies not only to our employees. We always see the people beyond the business, and I believe our ESG initiatives reflect this,” said Natalia Perkowska, Deputy Chief HR Officer at SOFTSWISS.

The aid campaigns in Poland and Brazil are part of SOFTSWISS’ broader global strategy focused on social responsibility and sustainable development (ESG). The company also dedicates to long-term social and environmental projects, with notable initiatives such as participation in World Environment Day, Pink October, Movember, and various environmental protection efforts.

Recently, SOFTSWISS was recognised as The Best Employer of 2024 at the SBC Awards.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 23,500 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

Leading sportsbook provider enhances US sports portfolio with expanded markets and micro-betting features

Altenar, a leading sportsbook and iGaming software provider, has extended its partnership with Swish Analytics to significantly upgrade its baseball betting markets, further strengthening its focus on US sports.

The Major League Baseball upgrade builds on Altenar’s existing offering, which includes same-game parlays, player specials, and pitcher lines. Powered by its partnership with Swish Analytics, the supplier is adding fast markets and micro-betting options, allowing players to wager on outcomes such as the next pitch, number of runs or speed of next pitch.

Founded in 2014, Swish Analytics is a leader in the US sports analytics, betting and fantasy sports verticals, renowned for its next generation predictive data products across the core four US sports. The provider has built its top-tier reputation as an Authorized MLB Data Distributor in the States since 2019.

Looking ahead to the 2025 MLB season, Altenar will expand its platform with live same-game parlays and live player specials, giving operators even more tools to engage baseball bettors.

These enhancements will provide Altenar’s operator partners with a broader range of betting options and reinforces the provider’s commitment to delivering tailored and engaging solutions for the US market.

Dinos Doxiadis, Sportsbook Product Development Manager at Altenar, commented: “We have invested heavily to create a great US product. At Altenar we’ve already built a top-tier offering for American football, ice hockey, and basketball, and this baseball upgrade completes the final piece of the puzzle.

“These new features will secure a competitive edge for our partners in the US sports betting market, providing them with more dynamic and engaging options.”