Entain’s Unikrn pens major BLAST sponsorship deal

Entain’s dedicated esports betting venture, Unikrn, has signed a multi-year global partnership with esports entertainment company BLAST.

As part of the deal, Unikrn will be afforded physical and digital branding during the BLAST Premier tournament and the upcoming BLAST.tv Paris Major.

The two Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments are set to attract millions of viewers as top esports teams battle it out for multi-million-dollar prize pools.

Additionally, Unikrn and BLAST will also work together on fan-led activations, social giveaway and broadcast integration as part of the partnership.

Justin Dellario, Unikrn CEO, said: “BLAST is an epicentre of action for esports fans around the world and has produced some of the most memorable moments in the history of competitive Counter-Strike play.

“Unikrn is built for these moments, when fans are looking for the deepest and best possible experience as they root on their favourite players and teams. We are thrilled to be BLAST’s partner, and to bring our world-class insights and betting opportunities to its millions of fans,” he added.

Oliver Clarke, BLAST commercial director, commented: “We are delighted to welcome on board Unikrn as our latest global partner. 2023 is an exciting year for BLAST with more events happening than ever before and we are thrilled to have Unikrn join us on this momentous journey.”

Unikrn soft-launched in Brazil and Canada (excluding Ontario) in Q4 as Entain, which acquired the Seattle-based startup in 2021, looks to tap into the growing esports betting market.

Earlier this month, the FTSE 100 firm parted with $13.25m to acquire esports betting supplier Sportsflare to bolster its offering.