BLAST looks to Mongolia, Riot flirts with prediction markets and 1xBet sticks with PGL

The week brings three business moves that, according to the roundup published by Esports Insider, set the pulse of the industry: BLAST is expanding its presence into Mongolia, Riot Games is exploring deals with prediction market platforms and 1xBet is extending its partnership with PGL. These aren't the kind of stories that grab headlines like a star signing or a Major final, but they directly affect the economic structure that keeps competition running.

Why does this matter to us at Underworld Lordz? Because each of these deals determines who pays for the party, which regions will host tournaments and under what rules players, creators and brands coexist. When an organiser enters a new market or a developer like Riot considers opening the door to a business model tied to predictions, the effect sooner or later reaches the circuit you play in or the content you produce.

What you need to know

• BLAST is expanding into Mongolia, a territory largely unexplored by the major Western tournament organisers.
• Riot Games is considering deals with prediction markets, a model that sits somewhere between forecasting and betting.
• 1xBet is extending its collaboration with PGL, reinforcing the influence of bookmakers at major events.
• Esports Insider points out that these moves usually go unnoticed next to tournaments and roster changes, even though their long-term impact can be greater.

Three fronts, one trend

The first is geography. BLAST's entry into Mongolia fits a pattern we've been seeing for a while: organisers are looking for regional scenes with strong fanbases and less saturation from competitors. Mongolia has been on the radar in Counter-Strike for years thanks to teams that have made it to international tournaments, and a player the size of BLAST setting up shop there could mean more local events, more visibility for Asian talent and, in the best case, a pathway into the circuit for players who currently have to move abroad to compete.

The second is prediction and betting money. Riot considering deals with prediction markets is, of the three stories, the most sensitive. Riot has historically been cautious about anything related to betting in its official leagues, so any opening, even an exploratory one, is a significant shift in tone. Prediction markets present themselves as something different from a traditional bookmaker, but in the end the user is putting money on an outcome. The technical distinction doesn't erase the debate about competitive integrity.

The bookmakers aren't going anywhere

And the third confirms that reality: 1xBet renews with PGL. Betting sponsorships have been one of the pillars of funding for top-tier tournaments for years, especially in Counter-Strike and Dota 2, and the extension of this deal shows that, controversies or not, they remain a revenue stream organisers aren't willing to let go of. For PGL, which competes directly with BLAST and ESL for dates, teams and audience, locking in a headline sponsor means making sure the event machine keeps turning.

Our take

Here at the Underworld Lordz newsroom, we welcome BLAST's expansion. Any move that spreads tournaments beyond the same three or four countries as always is positive for a team like ours, with a community spread across the Americas and Europe. The more global the circuits, the more regional qualification opportunities and the more windows for a competitive player to leave their server and test themselves against people from other parts of the world. That said, we hope the expansion comes with real structure and not just a one-off event to grab headlines.

With Riot we're considerably more critical. We understand that developers are looking for new revenue sources to sustain leagues that, in many cases, aren't profitable on their own. But opening the door to prediction markets, even under a different name, means bringing third-party money closer to results that depend on young players, with sometimes fragile contracts and pressures we already know well. If this goes ahead, it must come with clear rules, education for the pros and serious monitoring mechanisms. Without that, the reputation of the entire ecosystem is left exposed.

And on 1xBet and PGL, it's time to be realistic: betting sponsorships will keep funding the big tournaments as long as no other industry shows up willing to put similar figures on the table. To the content creators in our community, we say what we always say: a brand paying for an event doesn't oblige anyone to promote it on their channel, and it's worth thinking twice about the message being sent to an audience that in many cases is underage.

What do you think?

The esports business moves between expansion, betting and prediction, and all of it ends up affecting what we play and what we watch. Are you fine with Riot exploring prediction markets, or do you think it's a line that shouldn't be crossed? Tell us in the team chat or on our Discord.