The Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) with the support of the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports is aiming to bring the prestigious International Esports Championships to India for the first time, marking a major milestone for the country’s burgeoning esports industry. In a strategic move to position India as a global leader in online competitive and skill-based gaming, SOGF is working closely with the International Esports Federation (IESF) to organise world-class tournaments on Indian soil.

In a pivotal meeting last week, representatives from the SOGF and the IESF General Secretary, Boban Totovski, jointly called upon the Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, to discuss their milestone partnership aimed at shaping the future of India’s esports ecosystem. 

In the meeting, the Hon’ble Sports Minister expressed strong support for SOGF and IESF’s initiative to introduce world-class esports programmes in India, emphasising the significance of developing the ecosystem and providing Indian athletes with international opportunities. He also endorsed SOGF’s efforts to regulate the esports and skill-based gaming ecosystem, reinforcing the government’s commitment to fostering a fair and competitive environment for the industry’s growth.

Shankar Aggarwal, President of SOGF said, “We are extremely thankful to the government and IESF for turning things around in such a short period of time. India’s potential in esports is immense, and this collaboration has the power to transform the esports landscape in the country. Not only will it broaden the reach of esports in India, but it will also pave the way for top-tier international competitions to be hosted in the country. With the support of the government and international bodies like IESF, we aim to foster a fair and thriving ecosystem. Our commitment is to nurture talent, regulate the industry, and ensure that Indian athletes have every opportunity to excel on the global stage.”

SOGF comprises Olympians, former high-ranking officials including former CJI and SC Judges, civil servants, and industry veterans, ensuring robust governance; it is further strengthened by its 29 associate state bodies, reflecting nationwide support for such initiatives. It is dedicated to ensuring fair competition, fostering transparency, and nurturing talent to represent India globally thereby emphasising fairness, collaboration, and sustainable long-term growth for India’s online gaming industry. 

To champion online games including esports and to revolutionise the way gaming and esports are perceived in India, the SOG Federation has also joined hands with the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), an umbrella organisation for global governing bodies of mind and skill-based sports, and the Global Esports Federation (GEF).

Boban Totovski, General Secretary, IESF said, “Supporting the growth and development of Esports communities around the world has always been one of the  IESF’s key missions. We’re glad to see that SOGF shares the same values and is dedicated to working toward the same vision in India. We are very excited that our new pro-series, which we are organising, will kick off here, and we believe SOGF is a great partner for the project while unlocking opportunities for athletes, development and esports enthusiasts.”

Furthermore, the partnership between SOGF and IESF, supported by the Government of India, marks a positive step toward becoming a global leader in the space, especially with the much-anticipated Olympic Esports Games now in the mix. This collaboration aligns with India’s growing focus on international esports and the opportunities ahead for its athletes.

SAW, a prominent name in the esports industry, has officially joined forces with Esports Charts, a leading analytical service, to gain in-depth insights into the performance of its social media platforms & livestreaming endeavors.

Both companies are excited about the collaboration, with Esports Charts delivering top-tier analytics tools to help SAW optimize their social media strategies and better engage with the audience.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with SAW and provide them with the analytical tools they need to gather, analyze, and optimize their social media performance. Our services will empower SAW to achieve their goals by providing actionable insights into the success and reach of their content and activations. Ultimately, this will help them enhance overall social media strategy and increase engagement.” said Denis Matusovskiy, Sales and Partnerships Manager at Esports Charts

As part of the partnership, Esports Charts will provide SAW with comprehensive reports on social media performance, including detailed analytics on post engagement, reach, and overall growth metrics. The data will enable SAW to track its performance over time and make strategic decisions to improve fan engagement and expand its digital presence.

“One of our main goals is to fully explore all markets in order to not only empower our teams, both nationally and internationally, but also strengthen the relationship with our partners and sponsors. We want to understand the real impact that SAW has on the ecosystem and identify our strengths, as well as the areas that need more attention. We know that the partnership with Esports Charts will be a valuable asset in tracking the growth of our channels.” said Patrícia Oliveira, Marketing Director at SAW

In addition, SAW will be leveraging Streams Charts tech including Sponsor Banner Tool to conveniently track the media value of personal streams from its content creators, as well as media value during the co-streaming of esports events. Moreover, Esports Charts and Streams Charts will support SAW with extended sponsor exposure reports during events in which the team participates, further increasing brand visibility across platforms.

BETER, the in-demand provider of betting content and data, has published a report showing a major change in player preferences towards round-the-clock, fast betting content.

The report, Betting on eFootball during Euro and Copa America 2024, shows a surge in demand for, and engagement with, the provider’s ESportsBattle eFootball product during both tournaments.

During Euro 2024 and Copa America, bettors displayed a heightened interest in its eFootball offering with the number of unique bettors up 11.4%, the number of bets up 12.8% and turnover up 13.4% across all operator partners` platforms, which offer ESportsBattle content.

Demand for eFootball peaked at the conclusion of Euro 2024 and Copa America which took place on 14 July in a “Super Sunday” of football.

In the days following (15 July and 16 July) when no matches were played, BETER recorded the highest levels of engagement with, and turnover from, eFootball.

This followed a similar trend throughout Euro 2024 where engagement with eFootball would spike on the days when no matches took place.

On days when matches did take place, the number of bets and the average turnover on eFootball increased across all timeslots, with the greatest growth seen during the evening right after matches concluded.

For example, from 10pm to 11pm, average turnover increased by a massive 23% and remained at an elevated level for several hours after.

In terms of the bet types placed, the most popular bet types were Totals (55% of betting volume), Result Three Way (23%) and Next Goal (9%) which was up by more than 20%.

BETER’s eFootball product includes three formats, the fast-paced and spectacular Volta (which lasts six minutes in total) plus the more traditional 2×4 and 2×6 minute formats.

During the period analysed in the report, the 2×4 format remained the most in-demand format with an average turnover up 14.7%, followed by 2×6 which enjoyed 15.2% growth – Volta also enjoyed a 9.4% increase in the number of bets and turnover.

The report supports the shift towards fast betting content that operators are seeing. In addition, players also want to access sports and betting opportunities round the clock, especially when there’s no on-the-pitch action taking place, which products such as BETER’s eFootball provide.

ESportsBattle tournaments set the benchmark for esports betting, offering more than 35,000 events per month across popular disciplines such as eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey, and CS2, with up to 50 markets per event. Live streaming is available 24/7/365 so that bettors can enjoy non-stop action with a 7.5%+ average margin for operators.

George Arabatlian, Head of Account Management at BETER, said:

“This report underscores a significant shift in player behavior: bettors are eager to engage with football-related content, even in the absence of live matches. This is where our 24/7 eFootball product truly shines, providing continuous entertainment and wagering opportunities.

“The data also highlights a growing trend toward fast, dynamic betting experiences, which resolve quickly and keep players engaged.

BETER has become a leader in delivering this type of content, and we are excited to partner with more operators to provide their players with round-the-clock access to our cutting-edge ESportsBattle tournaments.”