Team Vitality
Esports organisation Team Vitality has inked a multi-year partnership with Stake, which marks the gambling company’s entry into competitive gaming.
Contract:
- Seven-figure agreement designates Stake as official international betting partner of Team Vitality’s Counter-Strike 2 roster
- Stake logo to appear on the front and left collarbone of the team’s official jersey
- Company to also get exclusive access to players, as well as collaborate with Team Vitality on social media brand campaigns and exclusive content
Context:
This is Stake’s first sponsorship deal in esports, following its activity in traditional sports where it partners with organisations such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Sauber Formula One team, and tennis’ Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup.
Stake is also the main sponsor of Premier League club Everton, though the company gave up its licence to operate in Great Britain earlier this year following the launch of a Gambling Commission investigation.
The Team Vitality deal highlights the growing influence of betting brands in esports. Gambling sponsors now reportedly account for around 25 per cent of esports sponsorship revenue. Esports betting itself is also gaining popularity, with revenues surpassing US$2.8 billion in 2025, according to iGaming Business.
Gambling companies already involved in esports include 1xBet, BetKing and DraftKings.
While Counter-Strike developer Valve has long been associated with esports betting, other publishers are now following suit. Notably, Riot Games opened up gambling sponsorship opportunities this year across the top tiers of League of Legends and Valorant in North America and the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
However, popular titles such as Call of Duty and Overwatch 2 continue to prohibit betting sponsorships.
Comment:
“This partnership with Stake is historic: not only for its scale but also for its symbolic value,” said Vas Roberts, co-chief executive of Team Vitality.
“It reflects the success of our ambition to establish Team Vitality as a leading global esports brand, alongside the biggest names in their respective industries. At a defining point in our Counter-Strike journey, this collaboration will allow us to create innovative experiences, offer exclusive content around our team, and support our CS2 roster as it reaches new competitive heights.”
Akhil Sarin, chief marketing officer at Stake, added: “This partnership brings together two industry powerhouses: Stake, a global leader in betting and entertainment, and Team Vitality, the reigning CS2 world champions.
“This collaboration adds esports to our globally renowned portfolio of sports and entertainment partnerships, with Team Vitality representing exactly the calibre of world-class partner we seek as we enter the esports arena.”
Coming next:
Esports viewership is projected to hit a record 640 million by the end of 2025, according to Statista.
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