ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has secured a global betting partnership with the platform CHEXX for its 2026 competitive season. The deal, announced on 22nd January 2026, names CHEXX as the Official Betting Partner for EFG’s premier Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) and Dota 2 tournaments. The agreement provides CHEXX with significant marketing integration across EFG’s broadcasts and events, marking the betting platform’s major entry into the esports sector.
The partnership is structured to integrate CHEXX’s offerings directly into the fan viewing experience for EFG’s 2026 circuits. The collaboration will see CHEXX implement a series of activations throughout the 2026 season. Planned integrations include exclusive promotional moments during broadcasts, real-time digital activations, giveaways, and community events. The platform’s features, including its crypto transaction capabilities, will be part of its promoted offering.
In a statement, the company positioned the alliance as a key strategic move. “Partnering with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is a major statement for CHEXX,” they said. “We’re not just placing a logo; we’re injecting emotion into the arena. Our goal is to enhance how fans live esports… With our ‘GO NEXXT’ mentality, we want to supercharge that passion.”
Daniel Mauritz, SVP Brand Partnerships at EFG, cited a shared focus on audience engagement. “We are looking for partners who prioritise the fan experience above all else,” Mauritz stated. “CHEXX’s ‘GO NEXXT’ philosophy aligns with our mission to push the boundaries of esports entertainment. By integrating their innovative platform into our Counter-Strike and Dota 2 circuits, we’re offering our global community a more immersive and rewarding way to engage.”
For EFG, the deal establishes a dedicated betting partner for its core competitive titles, expanding its portfolio of commercial affiliations such as DHL and Intel. The partnership will see betting-related content formally embedded within the tournament ecosystem for the coming competitive year.
This reflects a now-emerging trend of esports organisations exploring commercial partnerships with betting operators, a development that has been shaped by recent policy shifts within major publishers. In 2025, Riot Games officially opened the door for its partnered League of Legends and VALORANT teams to secure sponsorships from licensed sports-betting companies — a notable reversal of its previous ban on such deals.
For organisations like EFG, these changes create a clear commercial opportunity, but one shaped by regulatory and geopolitical constraints. EFG’s parent company, Savvy Games Group, is Saudi Arabian, where gambling and betting advertising are prohibited. Similar challenges exist elsewhere: international tournaments like IEM are held in markets like China, which imposes strict limitations or outright bans on betting promotion. As a result, the EFG partnership with CHEXX will require careful geographic and broadcast-specific navigation.
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