Four gambling-backed esports organisations have been given 24 hours to drop their sponsors before PGL Major Singapore. BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION are reportedly affected. Neither PGL nor Valve has confirmed the deadline. Singapore esports organisers should have warned teams about this long ago.
Singapore esports teams backed by gambling companies may be forced to rebrand. BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION have reportedly been told to change names, logos and in-game stickers within 24 hours before PGL Major Singapore. Section 85 of the Gambling Control Act 2022 bars sponsorship of unlicensed gambling promotion. PGL and Valve have not confirmed the deadline.
- The Last-Minute Rebranding Demand
- What Section 85 Bans
- BC.GAME’s Response to PGL
- Precedent in Esports and Football
- Compliance Risks for Gambling Brands
Singapore esports organisers appear to have misjudged the risk. Four organisations with gambling-linked names have been asked to strip their sponsors 24 hours before they compete in PGL Major Singapore, which runs from 24 November to 13 December at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang. Counter-Strike 2 viewership is expected to run into the millions, making the rebranding visible worldwide.
The four affected organisations — BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION — are among the group of teams directly owned or operated by offshore iGaming businesses that has become common across tournament circuits. Unlike a sponsor badge that can be removed from a jersey, these organisations own the player org, so the fix requires a full rebrand: a new name, logo and in-game stickers.
The Last-Minute Rebranding Demand
Teams were reportedly told to remove gambling references within 24 hours, enough time to swap names and logos but not enough to settle sponsorship deals with players or announce a new identity to fans. Esports Base, a Russian Counter-Strike 2 Telegram channel, first reported the move. Neither PGL nor game developer Valve has confirmed it, and iGB has asked PGL for comment.
The surprise is the timing. Ollie Ring, a journalist covering the overlap between esports and gambling, said PGL should have made the obligations clear long before the tournament. “Singapore is famously stringent on gambling advertising,” he said. The last-minute demand is the part that caught everyone out.
What Section 85 Bans
Online gambling in Singapore is limited to Singapore Pools, which runs fixed-odds sports betting and lottery products. Section 85 of the Gambling Control Act 2022 prohibits promoting unlicensed gambling, and that covers more than ads. It explicitly includes sponsorship and brand-sharing agreements, including the display of gambling brands at events and on products.
AGBrief has tracked Singapore’s licensing regime since the Act came into force.
That wording is why four organisations are affected rather than a handful of teams with a single sponsor logo. The rule touches the identity of the team itself, not just how it advertises.
BC.GAME’s Response to PGL
BC.GAME has submitted an alternative team name and is waiting on a reply from PGL and Valve. Ali Muhanned, the chief executive, told iGB the organisation knew about the restrictions already. “We were already aware of the restrictions around gambling-related branding in countries where we are not licensed,” he said. “There is no reason for us to challenge this.”
iGaming Business has covered gambling sponsorships in esports for years.
Precedent in Esports and Football
Gambling-backed teams have already rebranded in jurisdictions where sponsorship is not permitted. At IEM Beijing, an ongoing Counter-Strike 2 tournament that closes on 8 November, BetBoom is competing as BB Team. At this year’s The International Dota 2 championship, 1win played as Team Iron Wing.
Football has seen the same pattern. Inter Milan appeared in shirts without Betsson.Sport branding in matches at Spain’s San Siro under local sponsorship rules, and Feyenoord did the same this season. Unibet’s sponsorship of FC Copenhagen was donated to the Danish Red Cross for away games against Villarreal and Barcelona in last year’s Champions League, again over Spain’s advertising regulations.
Compliance Risks for Gambling Brands
The rebranding demand exposes the compliance risk at the centre of cross-border esports. Valve-owned Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 have allowed gambling sponsors for years. Riot Games reversed a long-standing ban on esports gambling sponsorships last year, but its president of publishing and esports, John Needham, said the company applies “razor sharp scrutiny” to betting brands before approving partnerships.
AGBrief has reported on the fallout for sponsors as regulators tighten their grip on esports advertising.
For operators expanding into Asia, the lesson is clear. A tournament in one jurisdiction is not a licence for the brand anywhere else. With Valve’s scrutiny and regulators such as Singapore’s tightening, the cost of a missed compliance window now runs into a full rebrand of an entire organisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which esports teams are rebranding?
BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION are reportedly affected. These are gambling-linked organisations, so they must change their names, logos and in-game stickers rather than remove a sponsor from a kit. PGL and Valve have not confirmed the deadline.
Why must gambling-backed teams rebrand?
Section 85 of Singapore’s Gambling Control Act 2022 bars promoting unlicensed gambling, including sponsorship and brand-sharing deals. The display of a gambling brand at an event counts as promotion, so affected teams must replace the branding entirely.
Has PGL or Valve confirmed the deadline?
No. Esports Base, a Russian Counter-Strike 2 Telegram channel, first reported the 24-hour demand. Neither PGL nor Valve has confirmed it, and iGB has asked PGL for comment. BC.GAME says it has submitted an alternative name and is awaiting a reply.
Have other teams rebranded before?
Yes. At IEM Beijing, BetBoom competes as BB Team. At this year’s The International, 1win used the name Team Iron Wing. In football, Betsson.Sport and Unibet sponsorships have been removed from Inter Milan’s and Feyenoord’s shirts under local rules.
Will the rebrand apply to all events?
The change is tied to PGL Major Singapore specifically. Other events in other jurisdictions may still permit gambling sponsors. Riot Games now vets and approves betting partnerships, while Valve has allowed them historically. The scope depends on each tournament’s local rules.
Who is responsible for compliance?
The event organiser and the brand owner share the responsibility. BC.GAME’s chief executive says the company submits alternative names and follows Singapore’s rules where it is not licensed. PGL must decide whether a brand’s compliance in other markets extends to its Singapore event.
This article has been thoroughly researched and reviewed by the CasinoBait editorial team to ensure accuracy and relevance for Asian casino players.
