eSports
The Red Bull Solo Q World Finals are here! The official 1v1 League of Legends tournament culminates in New York this October
![](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/48710140-66d2-ab0f-f593-a2fcff02619b.png)
Red Bull Solo Q, the official 1v1 League of Legends tournament, has revealed details of its epic world final, which will land in New York, Wyndham Garden Chinatown, during League of Legends Worlds! The tournament, which began in March, will wrap up with a closed LAN event for the series’ top players taking place not too far from the most prestigious League of Legends event of the year.
The circuit kicked off earlier this year, with national tournaments spanning through the year and across 25 countries, alongside various international qualifiers, giving players a second chance to progress.
Aside from the bragging rights that come with winning Red Bull Solo Q, the participants will split the 10,000 EUR prize pool. Each of the Red Bull Solo Q World Finalists will also receive access to the Group Stage (14-16 Oct) of the League of Legends World Championships, to watch live the nail-biting action taking place at the Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Red Bull Solo Q is well known for adding a new challenge to the League of Legends format; 1v1 duels where the player must take down the opponent’s tower, or take their opponent down twice before seven minutes to claim victory. Just like all national finals, the Red Bull Solo Q World Finals will be played on Howling Abyss All Star. The offline final will take place in New York, close to the League of Legends World Championship show, which is the most prestigious tournament a League player can dream to take part in.
With only one champion being crowned and becoming part of League of Legends history, this is one of the best chances to showcase their skills to scouts for aspiring League of Legends players aiming to go pro. Local heroes and legends will emerge in New York, implementing strategies and using champions that League fans haven’t seen before in traditional competitive League of Legends. Each participant will have the chance to leave their mark while also experiencing a unique and unforgettable event–for many the biggest stage they will have competed on.
In last year’s iteration of Red Bull Solo Q, Danish player Mads “Viggomopsen” Mikkelsen took the crown and this year’s Danish qualifier, Carl ‘Curl’ Gyldenkærne, who has been an avid League of Legends player since he was 11, hopes to emulate the success of his compatriot: “My goal is to defend the title for Denmark in hopes to make my good friend Viggomopsen and my country proud.”
Curl will be joined in the World Finals by national qualifier winners from around the world, including Dutch duellist Menno ‘Genno’ Geelhoed, a 24-year-old elementary school teacher who ‘accidentally’ managed to qualify for the Red Bull Solo Q world finals: ‘During my two weeks off in the Spring, a friend pushed me to also join the Red Bull Solo Q online 1v1 tournament. That’s how I ran into the online qualifier by chance… and here I am!’
Red Bull Solo Q has teamed up with industry leaders to produce an unforgettable experience for players & fans alike. AGON by AOC, a global leader in gaming monitors, is the Official Monitor Partner for the event, bringing exceptional visual clarity and ultra-high refresh rates to competitors. AMD joins as Technology Provider, ensuring the high-performance computing that will push the boundaries of the tournament.
The Red Bull Solo Q World Finals will take place October 14th-16th.
Follow the Red Bull Gaming socials to stay up-to-date around the World Finals.
Compliance Updates
Esports suppliers must lead from the front – PandaScore’s Colorado licence
![Esports suppliers must lead from the front – PandaScore’s Colorado licence](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/niner.png)
Esports betting in the United States is a yet to be fully tapped, and with more regulatory progress the total market and opportunity in esports continues to grow.
It’s why at PandaScore, we recently acquired our first license in the lucrative American market, in the esports-friendly state of Colorado. The move is a strong signal of our ambition in the US, but it also sets out our methodology for solving the uncertainty problem that US esports betting currently suffers from.
Supplier licensing should lead the way
The unknowns about what markets and lines can be offered are a key piece of the puzzle in many jurisdictions. Uncertainty around the legislation means operators are tentative to jump in with both feet. At PandaScore, we’re helping operators navigate US esports betting regulation on a state-by-state basis, so they can make business led decisions in markets with right balance of stability and opportunity.
Except for a few states, esports betting regulation is relatively new: there’s not a great deal of precedent to work from, and its quickly evolving nature means there’s likely more work to be done in the future. We plan to be at the forefront of making sure that esports betting works for the whole ecosystem: operators, suppliers, regulators and the betting public.
The regulatory framework across the country may be shifting at different paces, but almost all states are going in one direction: expansion.
Esports suppliers have a duty to show operators the way and give them the tools, knowledge and expertise to make the right decision. We don’t believe in going all guns blazing, but entering markets with some certainty around esports in a considered fashion.
We can be more confident that those specific markets are built for esports, with Colorado being PandaScore’s first step for several reasons.
Why Colorado
When deciding which market to enter, we consulted heavily with our customers and whittled it down to states that had the right mix of commercial opportunity, solid regulatory environment and straightforwardness in licensing.
Since regulating esports, Colorado has had a friendly framework for esports. The catalogue for regular betting includes a wide range of esports titles based on approved games and tournaments by the publisher or regulator – which follows some similarities to how traditional sports betting is structured.
The process itself was simple and clear, with clear terms and commercials that promote investment, entrepreneurship and innovation – all key ingredients for growing new markets and ambitious organisations to build new audiences.
Colorado is the natural next step in PandaScore’s service-minded, client-first approach. There’s already a generation of bettors who are seeking out esports betting products, esports suppliers need to be the source of knowledge and expertise that helps guide and amplify the esports ambitions of their clients.
Service-minded approach, client-led growth
We bring operators into the licensing conversation from the outset, exploring the licenses most valuable to them and then leveraging our lean, efficient operating model to get it done.
We’ve proven we’re serious about the US market, and that we can get a license efficiently, so if an operator desires a specific jurisdiction, we base our decisions on the revenue potential, give them a clear, no-spin picture of the market, and put in the hard work of licensing to provide our services in the US.
Player age verification as a mandatory service
A huge part of that no-spin picture is addressing the concern and risk around player age verification in esports. Compliance is paramount for suppliers and operators alike, so knowing the requirements from state to state is essential.
PandaScore has been offering player age verification for years and is well established on this front thanks to years of servicing jurisdictions like Australia and Sweden. We already have an API that clients use for peace of mind, and are beefing it up as a standalone service intended to support regulators and governing bodies to ensure compliance, confidence and growth.
Suppliers need to lead from the front for US esports betting to succeed. It’s not just about having the best product – they need to be an expert on relevant regulation, genuinely serve the expansion interests of clients and be a truly safe pair of hands that actively supports and serves operators, bettors and regulators alike.
Author: Oliver Niner, Head of Sales at PandaScore.
eSports
Max Level bags PR Mandate of US-based CyberPowerPC; to strengthen their India positioning
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Max Level, a holistic marketing and PR agency built by gamers, has been awarded the public relations mandate for CyberPowerPC India, a premier US-based gaming PC brand, who debuted in the Indian market earlier this year. CyberPowerPC, known for its high-quality custom and pre-built gaming PCs, has chosen India as its first Asian market through a collaboration with Creative Newtech Ltd.
CyberPowerPC has been a trailblazer in the gaming industry, becoming the #1 OEM in the US during 2014-2015 with over 100,000 Microsoft Windows sales, and achieving the distinction of Amazon’s Choice for Gaming Desktop PCs in 2018. In 2022, the brand further solidified its reputation by being the only non-MNC to rank in the top 10 for desktop units sold, with five of the top 10 best-selling gaming desktops.
Widely available across major retailers like Best Buy, Costco, and Walmart in the US and Canada, CyberPowerPC has consistently led the gaming PC segment. Its presence at major events like Anime Expo and its expansion into licensing has further established its brand credibility.
Commenting on the new partnership, Vishal Parekh, Chief Operating Officer, CyberPowerPC India, said, “The India launch marks the first Asian market for CyberPowerPC. With the rise of the gaming sector in India, our objective with the launch was to contribute to this growth and bring top-notch experiences for Indian gamers. Max Level’s deep-rooted understanding and extensive experience in the Indian gaming and esports ecosystem make them an ideal partner to elevate our brand presence in the country. Their holistic approach to PR, founded on the principles of passion and expertise in gaming, aligns perfectly with our mission to provide gamers with the best possible immersive experiences. Together, we aim to make CyberPowerPC a household name among Indian gamers.”
The addition of CyberPowerPC to its diverse portfolio of brands underscores Max Level’s growing influence in the Indian gaming, esports and tech market. With clients like NODWIN Gaming, SuperGaming, KRAFTON, Saudi Esports Federation, ESL Faceit Group, The Esports World Cup, ASUS ROG, Jio Games, TVS, and HyperX, Max Level continues to diversify its client base while maintaining a focus on delivering tailored B2B services that resonate with gaming and esports audiences.
Siddharth Nayyar, Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Max Level stated, “Being entrusted with the India PR mandate of the number one Gaming PC manufacturing brand in North America is a testament to our expertise and understanding of the Indian as well as global gaming market and media landscape. Our success with national and international gaming brands reflects the collective passion of our team to craft the right stories that matter for brands looking to reach out to the gaming and esports audience. We are excited to contribute to CyberPowerPC’s growth journey as it aims to elevate the Indian PC gaming landscape.”
As CyberPowerPC embarks on this exciting new chapter in India, Max Level will be instrumental in driving its communication strategies, ensuring that the brand resonates with India’s burgeoning gaming community.
Compliance Updates
Oddin.gg obtains its 4th North American license, further strengthening company’s impact on the US esports betting market
![Oddin.gg obtains its 4th North American license, further strengthening company's impact on the US esports betting market](https://gamingamericas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/oddin-x-west-virginia.jpg)
Oddin.gg is proud to announce that it has received a temporary license from the West Virginia Lottery Commission. After obtaining licenses in New Jersey, Colorado, and the Canadian province of Ontario, the esports betting industry leader has now secured its fourth North American betting license. As a B2B esports specialist, Oddin.gg has taken another major step in its North American expansion. The West Virginia license demonstrates that Oddin.gg offers services that fully comply with the state’s regulatory system, which is known for its rigorous standards and comprehensive framework for sports betting.
The West Virginia sports betting license allows operators to offer both online and retail betting, ensuring broad reach and accessibility for users across the state. The licensing process includes stringent checks on financial stability, operational integrity, and compliance with state laws, underscoring the reliability and trustworthiness of Oddin.gg’s services.
Vlastimil Venclik, co-founder and CEO of Oddin.gg, said, “We are thrilled to achieve yet another important milestone for Oddin.gg. Acquiring the West Virginia license strengthens our position in the US market. Combined with new US-based operators becoming our clients, this license marks another significant step in our North American expansion strategy. The work doesn’t stop here; we are actively working on acquiring further US licenses to support both existing clients and future prospects.”
He added, “The esports betting volume is approximately 80 billion USD with 5.5 billion USD revenue at app. 7 % margin. We offer US betting companies a partnership that will allow them to surge opportunities in the booming segment. The new generation of bettors, the fans of competitive gaming, are constantly on a lookout for a solution that will bring them more markets, more live opportunities, higher engagement, simply said, more fun. In reward, they offer loyalty and high ARPU to operators that demonstrate understanding and passion for esports. Oddin.gg has both.”.
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