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Austin to Host Inaugural Global Esports Industry Week in June 2025

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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), in partnership with The Esports Radar and strategic event partner BLAST, announced Global Esports Industry Week 2025 (GEIW), a week-long series of executive-level forums, summits and experiential gatherings and socials taking place 18–22 June 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Staged alongside the sold-out BLAST.tv Austin Major Finals (21–22 June), GEIW will convene hundreds of publisher representatives, executives, tournament organisers, team owners, brands, investors, legal specialists, and technology innovators for five days of focused dialogue, deal-making, and industry celebration.

Designed in response to mounting calls for global strategic alignment as the esports sector matures, GEIW offers a purposely neutral environment for stakeholders to tackle shared challenges, set collective priorities, and chart sustainable growth. Anchored at the Downright Austin Hotel, the program blends high-impact content with curated networking and “only-in-Austin” social experiences, ensuring every conversation can translate into actionable collaboration.

Agenda highlights include:

• Esports Leaders & Evening Garden Party (19 June) – a more intimate decision makers only gathering for 120 C-suite leaders in and around the sector, hosted in an off-stage setting with excellent hospitality focused on real conversations and great meetings.

• International Games & Esports Tribunal (IGET) Arbitrators Workshop (19 June) – first-of-its-kind masterclass exploring the revolutionary IGET dispute-resolution framework for video games and esports.

• ESIC Global Esports Summit (20 June) – thought-leadership keynotes and think-tank panels tackling integrity, commercialization and player welfare.

• Premium Networking Experiences (20-21 June) – uniquely local experiences designed to deepen relationships beyond the conference room, including a GEIW Padel Tournament, Texan BBQ Dinners, and more.

Additional activations, partner MOU-signing sessions, and BLAST.tv behind-the-scenes arena tours will run throughout the week.

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Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of Esports Integrity Commission, said: “The global esports ecosystem has reached a tipping point where sustainable growth depends on collective action. Global Esports Industry Week 2025 is our answer to that need—a neutral space where publishers, tournament operators, teams, investors, regulators and technology partners can leave day-to-day business at the door and focus on the bigger picture.

“Over the course of five days, we’ll tackle integrity risks head-on, debate commercial models that reward everyone in the value chain, and map out practical frameworks for player welfare and dispute resolution. By convening the industry’s most influential decision-makers in Austin—alongside the energy of the BLAST.tv Major—we’re setting the stage for agreements and initiatives that will shape esports for the next decade.

“ESIC was founded to safeguard fair play; GEIW extends that mission by championing transparency, accountability and long-term business viability. I look forward to welcoming our global peers to what I believe will become the cornerstone event on the esports business calendar.”

Sam Cooke, CEO & Co-Founder of the Insights Group (owners of The Esports Radar), said: “As co-organiser, The Esports Radar team is thrilled to launch its first event alongside our good friends over at ESIC and BLAST. We couldn’t have hoped for a better city than Austin to host the first GEIW; an accessible, brilliant, proudly weird city for all to enjoy in and around the programmed events, and one with so many major corporations there or close by, alongside a sold-out CS Major no less.

“This’ll be a great few days, with a lot of hands shook and deals done, and if you’re a stakeholder or just interested in the business of esports, and its broader development as an industry, we sincerely hope to see you there!”

James Woollard, Director of Market Development at BLAST, said: “Bringing the BLAST.tv Major together with Global Esports Industry Week will further help position Austin at the global centre of esports and gaming next month. This partnership underscores our commitment to building meaningful, sustainable connections across the global esports ecosystem. We’re proud to play a role in creating an unforgettable week that combines world-class competition with forward-looking industry dialogue, helping shape growth for our industry.”

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VIP Play CEO to Deliver Keynote at AI4 2025 Conference

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VIP Play has announced that its CEO, Les Ottolenghi, will deliver a featured keynote at the AI4 2025 Conference in Las Vegas on August 13. The presentation, titled “Real-Time AI at the Edge: How Data Velocity Is Redefining Consumer Engagement,” will focus on how next-gen & AI technologies are transforming real-time player interaction and reshaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

Ottolenghi, a pioneer of innovative & disruptive technologies across various industries, recently transitioned from his role as Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Lee Enterprises to lead VIP Play, a tech-forward company applying real-time data modeling and predictive analytics to personalize engagement in high-velocity digital environments such as online gambling.

At AI4, Ottolenghi will unveil the Information Refinery Model—a strategic enterprise framework designed to deliver scalable, intelligent experiences in milliseconds. This model draws on Ottolenghi’s leadership in gaming technology, as CIO of Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands, and Codere Inc, and his role in co-founding the Blackfire Innovation Center, a hub for gaming and hospitality technology innovation.

“Gaming and tech executives understand that speed is the new currency of engagement. This keynote at AI4 is about how real-time systems, intelligent automation, and predictive modeling can unlock new revenue and retention models—across gaming, media, and beyond,” said Ottolenghi.

AI4 is one of the most respected global forums for applied AI, drawing enterprise leaders, technologists, and venture-backed innovators. Ottolenghi’s talk is expected to provide immediate, actionable insights for CTOs, product leaders, and strategists seeking to deploy real-time AI at scale, particularly in high-frequency industries such as gaming, streaming, fintech, and mobile.

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Sports Betting’s First Contest Docuseries Returns for a Second Season with More Contestants, More Drama, and $14.2 Million on the Line

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VSiN, The Sports Betting Network, announced it will air the second season of the betting industry’s first docuseries to bring viewers behind the scenes of the world’s biggest legal betting contest. “Circa Survivor: The Quest for $14.2 Million” debuts its first episode Tuesday, August 5 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on VSiN.com and YouTubeTV.

Produced by Longball Productions, the sports betting docuseries follows contestants as they navigate the 2024 Circa Sports Circa Survivor Pro Football Contest – the largest sports contest of its kind in the world – with a prize of $14.2 million. The show captures the excitement and drama of this high-stakes contest, as well as the characters involved, to see who will win a winner-take-all prize. This year features familiar faces and new contestants alike, including celebrity sightings such as Dana White and Greg Maddux.

Hosted by sports betting venture Circa Sports, Circa Survivor requires contestants to walk through the door to sign up, giving the docuseries filmmakers access to sports betting enthusiasts nationwide. Contestants then make their weekly picks through a local proxy service or in person, where producers follow the thrills and agony of this wild ride through the pro football season. The series features a vast array of characters and incredible stories, including fan favorites and players that viewers will love to hate.

There will be a total of ten episodes in this season.

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US Online Betting Brands Topple Vegas as World’s Leading Gambling Brand

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The combined value of the world’s top 25 gambling brands ranked has surged by 21% year-on-year to USD60.8 billion this year, according to the Gambling 25 2025 rankings by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy.

The latest data from Brand Finance highlights the sector’s remarkable resilience and transformation, fuelled by a post-pandemic tourism rebound, rapid legalisation of online betting in the US, and rising sports sponsorships that have lifted brand awareness among millions of new fans.

Following the 2018 repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the US has become the world’s largest regulated online gambling market, with more than 35 states now permitting sports betting. Major operators have responded with record marketing expenditure and high-profile sponsorship deals, driving strong brand growth nationwide.

Online gambling in the US is quickly catching up to Las Vegas in both brand value and public interest. Brand awareness is rising fast, with FanDuel up 26% and DraftKings up 18% since 2022. In contrast, traditional Vegas-based brands like Caesars and MGM have seen more modest gains; just 1% and 14%, respectively. With FanDuel now at 74% awareness and DraftKings at 82%, they’re closing in on Caesars (82%) and MGM (87%), signalling strong future growth for online operators.

In 2024, Americans wagered an estimated USD172 billion online, helping to drive record brand value growth among major players. Online gambling brand, FanDuel (brand value up 25% to USD7.0 billion) has risen to become the world’s most valuable gambling brand ranked this year. DraftKings (brand value up 59% to USD5.1 billion) has entered the global top three for the first time while MGM (brand value up 102% to USD3.8 billion) and Wynn Resorts (brand value up 25% to USD3.7 billion) have also posted significant gains, reflecting strong demand across both online and destination gaming.

Other prominent US names ranked include Harrah (brand value up 4% to USD2.4 billion) which has strengthened customer loyalty through revamped rewards programmes and integrated resort experiences, and Penn Entertainment (brand value down 15% to USD2.2 billion).

China’s Studio City (brand value up 118% to USD801 million) is the world’s fastest-growing gambling brand in this year’s rankings, following its Phase 2 expansion in Macau which boosted operating revenue by 40% year-on-year. Macau’s gaming industry continues to recover strongly, with visitor arrivals up 43% in the first half of 2024 and gross gaming revenue in July rising 12% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, Marina Bay Sands remains the strongest brand ranked in the casino and gambling sector, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 93.9/100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating, ahead of the US’ Caesars (BSI score 92.4/100) and Malaysia’s Genting (BSI score 87.7/100). These brands continue to stand out for their premium entertainment experiences and strong reputation for customer loyalty and trust.

Henry Farr, Director at Brand Finance, said: “Reaching a record USD60.8 billion in brand value, the gambling sector continues to demonstrate its strength and agility in meeting changing consumer demands. The US online betting boom, with FanDuel now surpassing traditional Vegas giants, alongside major sports sponsorships, has driven impressive brand growth.”

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