Gambling-backed esports teams forced to rebrand for Singapore tournament

Several esports teams sporting gambling companies in their name or branding have reportedly been asked to rebrand at the last minute ahead of a major tournament in Singapore. 

The PGL Major Singapore 2026, which runs from 24 November to 13 December, is a key tournament in the calendar for leading esports game Counter-Strike 2, with concurrent viewership figures expected in the millions. 

All teams in the tournament with a gambling sponsor will reportedly not be allowed to display those sponsors. But four teams – BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION  – are thought to be particularly affected as they would need to change their entire organisation’s name for the tournament, not just hide sponsors.

They are among a number of teams directly owned and operated by offshore iGaming businesses that have emerged across esports tournament circuits in recent years.  

Teams were reportedly told they had 24 hours to change their names, logos and stickers (in-game cosmetic items) to remove reference to gambling companies in order to avoid falling foul of Singapore’s gambling advertising laws.

Online gambling in the country is only permitted through the Singapore Pools, which offers fixed odds sports betting and lottery games. Under Section 85 of the country’s Gambling Control Act 2022, a prohibition on the promotion of unlicensed gambling explicitly covers sponsorship and brand-sharing agreements, including the display of gambling brands in connection with events and products.  

BC.GAME will change name for the tournament

The news was first reported by Russian Counter-Strike 2 insider Telegram channel Esports Base (База Киберспорта). It has not been independently verified by tournament organiser PGL or Counter-Strike game developer VALVE. iGB has approached PGL for comment.

However, BC.GAME has told iGB it has submitted a new name and is waiting for a response from PGL and Valve. 

BC.GAME chief executive Ali Muhanned told iGB in a statement that the organisation was aware of the restrictions on gambling in Singapore and emphasised its commitment to staying compliant. 

“As CEO, it’s my responsibility to make sure we follow the rules, and that’s exactly what we’ll continue to do. We’ve submitted an alternative team name and are now waiting to hear back from Valve and PGL. 

“We were already aware of the restrictions around gambling-related branding in countries where we are not licensed. We understand the regulations and respect them, so there is no reason for us to challenge this.” 

Advertising rules force temporary brand changes in sport

There is plenty of precedent for gambling brand-owned esports teams to have to change their names for tournaments taking place in jurisdictions where gambling is illegal or heavily regulated. 

IEM Beijing, an ongoing Counter-Strike 2 tournament in China that concludes 8 November, has several such teams competing under aliases. BetBoom for example is competing in that as ‘BB Team’. The latest edition of Dota 2 tournament The International, which took place in August this year, saw similar practices, such as 1win competing as Team Iron Wing. 

There have been similar instances in football of sponsorship falling foul of local advertising laws. Inter Milan, for example, played in shirts without their Betsson.Sport sponsor branding in Champions League matches against Real Madrid in Spain and Dutch team Feyenoord this season, due to local restrictions on gambling sponsorship.  

Similarly, FDJ United brand Unibet donated its FC Copenhagen shirt sponsorship to the Danish Red Cross for away games against Spanish sides Villareal and Barcelona in last season’s Champions League, again as a result of Spain’s advertising regulations. 

Ollie Ring, a journalist with extensive experience covering the overlap between esports and gambling, told iGB the situation facing gambling brands for PGL Major Singapore is nothing particularly new. 

“I would assume they’ve all competed in jurisdictions where they’re not allowed their gambling sponsorship, so the rebrand shouldn’t come as a shock or be much of a faff,” Ring said. 

In the case of the esports teams, however, the last-minute demand to change, and the fact it had been left until weeks before the tournament kicks off, came as something of a surprise given Singapore’s clear laws around gambling.  

“Singapore is famously stringent on gambling advertising and so PGL definitely should have been aware, and made teams aware of their obligations far in advance,” Ring noted. 

Risk and reward in esports

The situation highlights the compliance risks posed to gambling operators looking to expand their footprint in the growing but highly international and cross-border esports sector. 

Esports teams and tournaments in Valve-owned games Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 have long been allowed to field gambling sponsors. Its competitor Riot Games, which publishes titles including League of Legends and VALORANT, reversed a longstanding ban on its esports gambling sponsorships last year in a boost for operators looking to tap into the youth-oriented vertical — though it must vet and approve any gambling partnerships.

Riot’s president of publishing & esports, John Needham, said in a post announcing the policy reversal at the time: “It’s important to us to bring the same razor of scrutiny to all betting brands interested in our teams.”