Singapore gambling laws force four esports teams to rebrand
BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION will compete under temporary identities at the PGL Major Singapore 2026.
Key takeaways:
- Four Counter-Strike 2 teams must adopt temporary identities for the PGL Major Singapore 2026, scheduled for November 24 to December 13.
- BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION are directly owned or operated by online gambling businesses.
- Singapore’s Gambling Control Act 2022 prohibits the promotion and advertising of unlicensed gambling operators.
- BC.Game will compete as GOSH, while 1win Esports will use the name THE ONE. Both teams will also adopt new logos.
- BETBOOM will compete as BB Team and PARIVISION as PVISION, retaining their existing logos.
Singapore.- Four professional Counter-Strike 2 teams have been forced to compete under temporary names and logos at the upcoming PGL Major Singapore 2026 due to local advertising laws. While teams with standard gambling sponsorship deals will only need to cover up logos on their jerseys, those whose core identities are directly tied to gambling companies have had to make more extensive changes for the event, which will run from November 24 to December 13.
Singapore’s Gambling Control Act of 2022 prohibits the promotion and advertising of unlicensed gambling entities, including sportsbooks and offshore gaming operators. Online gambling is only allowed in Singapore via Singapore Pools, which provides sports betting and lottery games.
The rules will affect the teams BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION, which are directly owned or operated by online gambling businesses. Because their primary names, logos, and in-game cosmetics display gambling brands, tournament organiser PGL and game developer Valve requires them to completely alter their identities for the event.
Tournament organisers have confirmed an updated roster lineup with temporary identities. BC.Game will compete under the name GOSH, adopting the identity of a live-streaming platform partner, while 1win has rebranded as THE ONE. Both will use new logos. BETBOOM and PARIVISION will keep their existing logos but will compete under shortened titles, appearing on the tournament schedule as BB Team and PVISION, respectively.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Why are esports teams changing their names for the PGL Major Singapore 2026? Singapore’s Gambling Control Act 2022 prohibits the promotion and advertising of unlicensed gambling operators. The restrictions require teams directly associated with gambling brands to adopt alternative identities for the tournament.
- Which esports teams are affected by Singapore’s gambling laws? The four affected organisations are BC.GAME, 1win Esports, BETBOOM and PARIVISION, all of which are directly owned or operated by online gambling businesses.
- What names will the four teams use in Singapore? BC.Game will compete as GOSH, 1win as THE ONE, BETBOOM as BB Team and PARIVISION as PVISION.
- When will the PGL Major Singapore 2026 take place? The Counter-Strike 2 tournament is scheduled to run from November 24 to December 13, 2026.
