eSports
Indian Esports Athletes and Industry bats for Esports Recognition as a Sport ahead of next year’s Asian Games

Esports has exploded in popularity over the last few years in India. Esports (Electronic sports) is a competitive sport where esports athletes use their physical and mental abilities to compete in certain genres of video games in a virtual, electronic environment. Recently, the Indian DOTA 2 team produced a power-packed performance to clinch the bronze medal at the first-ever Commonwealth Esports Championship. The Indian Dota 2 team, comprising Moin Ejaz (captain), Ketan Goyal, Abhishek Yadav, Shubham Goli, and Vishal Vernekar, defeated New Zealand by 2-0 in a best-of-three format in Birmingham (6-7 Aug 22).
As esports is going to make its debut at the Asian Games 2022, earlier in 2018 it was there as a demonstration title when our esports athlete Tirth Mehta won a bronze medal (Hearthstone). The Asian Games 2022, originally scheduled for September this year, will now be held from September 23 to October 8, 2023. With the conclusion of the ESFIâs National Esports Championships in April 2022, Indiaâs 18-member esports contingent for the Asian Games 2022 was finalised.
- FIFA22 – Charanjot Singh and Karman Singh Tikka
- Street Fighter V – Mayank Prajapati and Ayan Biswas
- Hearthstone – Shikhar Choudhary and Karthik Varma
- League of Legends – Captain Akshaj Shenoy, Samarth Arvind Trivedi, Mihir Ranjan, Aditya Selvaraj, Aakash Shandilya and Sanindhya Malik
- DOTA 2 â Captain Moin Ejaz, Krish, Abhishek Yadav, Ketan Goyal, Darshan and Shubham Goli
Before this big tournament, for India to become an Esports nation, the game needs to be recognised as a Sport and build a solid grassroots structure in the country which can result in bringing more laurels to the country in competitive gaming. The same is advocated by esports athletes and industry players:
âAfter winning the medal at the Commonwealth Esports championship in Birmingham, itâs high time that esports should be recognised as a sport. Esports athletes need their due recognition and support from our government and help us in providing better facilities, coaches, health physios and all other things which other sports athletes get as getting a medal for the country need proper support.â said Indian DOTA 2 team captain Moin Ejaz
âWith the medal wins at Asian Games 2018 & now at Commonwealth Esports Championship, the time has come to recognize esports as a sport. The potential of Indian esports and our athletes cannot be ignored and its recognition becomes more critical before the Asian Games 2022 (scheduled next year), this will open up doors for investments & opportunities which will lead to training & skill development of our athletes. It is encouraging to see our Honâble Sports Minister Shri Anurag Thakur ji launching a mobile video game âAzadi Quest: Heroes of Bharat & Match3â in line with Indiaâs celebration of Azadi Ka Amritmahotsav, following should be recognition of esports as a sportâ said Mr Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF)
Charanjot Singh, FIFA 22 athlete who will represent India in the next year’s Asian Games said âRecognising esports as a sport will help a lot. This can lead to esports having a proper framework, facilities and opportunities for everyone. This will automatically lead to the growth of the Esports industry as well. More athletes would want to join in and want to represent the country at global stages.â
âIt was a big achievement for India on winning the bronze medal in Commonwealth Esports. To make the industry more aligned, there should be information shared and communication between the government and stakeholders who have been investing in the Esports Ecosystem in India and including athletes and organizations. In order to have a healthy ecosystem, young athletes should also be given education in order to learn about the legal and financial nitty-gritty of Esports apart from the basic necessities of training, financial support and mental & physical well-being.â said Rohit Jagasia, Founder & CEO of Revenant Esports
âIt will definitely help the players get more exposure and all the support players need from the government and from their family itself. Getting the right infrastructure and hardware is one of the most important aspects of preparing for the Asian Games. Players will show more dedication towards the games which will definitely give us top results in upcoming games too. We are already doing so much better and this would definitely be a big step for esports athletes.â said Mayank Prajapati, Street Fighter V athlete who will represent India at Asian Games 2022 on how recognising Esports as a sport will help the esports athletes before the next year’s Asian Games.
eSports
Fighting Game GOAT Justin Wong Joins BASILISK, Scienceâs Esports Team

BASILISK, the global esports organization built to champion science, announced the signing of legendary fighting game competitor Justin âJwongâ Wong as captain of its newly formed Fighting Game Community (FGC) Division. Wong will lead BASILISKâs entry into the FGC by recruiting players, developing community events, and creating FGC – science crossover content.
âJustin isnât just a competitive genius â he is a cultural icon and humble leader within the FGC. We are incredibly proud to have him leading our FGC division and support the amazing work he already does for the community,â said BASILISK co-founder Christopher Bothur.
A nine-time Evolution Championship Series (Evo) Champion and Guinness World Record holder, Wong brings unparalleled FGC credibility and expertise to BASILISK. His reach extends across the entire FGC fandom of millions, and he was immortalized in Evo Moment #37 which has over 100 million views.
As Captain of BASILISK FGC, Wong will leverage BASILISKâs data analytics to scout and train the next generation of FGC pros.
âMath is super important to fighting games. Iâm excited to join scienceâs esports team. Iâm passionate about finding promising players with a positive mentality and shaping them into the next big thing. I want to see somebody else in the spotlight after me and help them reach their potential. If we can discover the next world champion, that would be fantastic,â said Wong upon joining BASILISK.
The signing comes on the heels of BASILISKâs new partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltechâs Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), announced in July. These collaborations create a powerful bridge between renowned scientific institutions and gamers, which Wong will amplify to his millions of followers and fans.
âJustin is a dream addition to our organization. He exemplifies the dedication and analytical capacity required to be an esports champion or great scientist,â added BASILISK co-founder Hans Kassier.
Wong becomes the second âGOATâ (Greatest of All Time) to join BASILISK, alongside Finnish StarCraft 2 legend Joona âSerralâ Sotala, who just captured the SC2 Esports World Cup Championship in July 2025. The signing also creates opportunities for cross-over content with BASILISKâs diverse roster, including chess Grandmaster Vincent Keymer and award-winning science communicator Kyle Hill, who brings over 2.5 million followers and a vast network of science enthusiasts to the organization.
eSports
Fighting Game GOAT Justin Wong Joins BASILISK, Scienceâs Esports Team

Nine-time Evo Champion and Guinness World Record Holder Brings Legendary Status to Captain New Team, Recruit Talent, and Advance Scienceâs Role in Competitive Gaming
BASILISK, the global esports organization built to champion science, today announced the signing of legendary fighting game competitor Justin âJWongâ Wong as captain of its newly formed Fighting Game Community (FGC) Division. Wong will lead BASILISKâs entry into the FGC by recruiting players, developing community events, and creating FGC – science crossover content.
âJustin isnât just a competitive genius â he is a cultural icon and humble leader within the FGC,â said BASILISK co-founder Christopher Bothur. âWe are incredibly proud to have him leading our FGC division and support the amazing work he already does for the community.â
A nine-time Evolution Championship Series (Evo) Champion and Guinness World Record holder, Wong brings unparalleled FGC credibility and expertise to BASILISK. His reach extends across the entire FGC fandom of millions, and he was immortalized in Evo Moment #37 which has over 100 million views.
As Captain of BASILISK FGC, Wong will leverage BASILISKâs data analytics to scout and train the next generation of FGC pros.
âMath is super important to fighting games. Iâm excited to join scienceâs esports team,â said Wong upon joining BASILISK. âI’m passionate about finding promising players with a positive mentality and shaping them into the next big thing. I want to see somebody else in the spotlight after me and help them reach their potential. If we can discover the next world champion, that would be fantastic.â
The signing comes on the heels of BASILISKâs new partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltechâs Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), announced in July. These collaborations create a powerful bridge between renowned scientific institutions and gamers, which Wong will amplify to his millions of followers and fans.
âJustin is a dream addition to our organization,â added BASILISK co-founder Hans Kassier. âHe exemplifies the dedication and analytical capacity required to be an esports champion or great scientist.â
Wong becomes the second âGOATâ (Greatest of All Time) to join BASILISK, alongside Finnish StarCraft 2 legend Joona âSerralâ Sotala, who just captured the SC2 Esports World Cup Championship in July 2025. The signing also creates opportunities for cross-over content with BASILISK’s diverse roster, including chess Grandmaster Vincent Keymer and award-winning science communicator Kyle Hill, who brings over 2.5 million followers and a vast network of science enthusiasts to the organization.
Compliance Updates
Oddin.gg Officially Registered with LOTBA as a Supplier in the City of Buenos Aires

Oddin.gg has been officially registered as a supplier by the Lottery of the City of Buenos Aires (LOTBA). This authorization clears the way for Oddin.gg to provide its end-to-end esports betting ecosystemâincluding its Odds Feed, Risk Management, BetBuilder, Widgets, and moreâto licensed operators in the City of Buenos Aires. The milestone reinforces Oddin.ggâs strategic focus on supporting partners across Latin America.
LOTBA, the regulatory authority for online gaming within the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is well known for its rigorous compliance and technical standards. While the body manages licensing and enforcement, suppliers must undergo a formal registration process before providing services to local operators. Oddin.ggâs successful registration confirms that it has met all relevant technical, financial, and compliance requirements.
Juana Bischoff, Senior Business Development Manager LATAM at Oddin.gg, said: âBeing officially registered with LOTBA marks an important step in Oddin.ggâs long-term commitment to the Latin American market. Esports is gaining real traction across the region, and we want operators in Buenos Airesâand beyondâto have the tools and insight to deliver a top-tier esports betting experience. Weâre not just bringing leading technologyâweâre bringing the local expertise and regulatory awareness needed to help our partners like Betsson and Jugadon grow.â
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