Renowned esports organization Team Liquid has unveiled a new sponsorship deal with online betting platform Duelbits, marking the team’s first major deal within the betting landscape.
As part of the agreement, Duelbits becomes the title sponsor of Team Liquid Counter-Strike 2 roster, supporting competitive efforts, content production, and various fan-focused initiatives. The brand also appears on Liquid’s at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
Chess is also a key component of the partnership’s activations, emphasizing the partnership’s alignment with titles that attract an older, more mature audience.
Nazgul underscores responsible betting and transparency in Team Liquid-Duelbits deal
In an open letter to the community, Team Liquid founder and co-CEO Victor “Nazgul” Goossens outlined why the organization chose to enter the betting category, and why Duelbits, one of the best esports betting sites and crypto casinos, was the right fit.
Nazgul emphasized the significance of responsible betting practices and the need for transparency within an industry that remains contentious.
“Sports betting is an important part of modern sports and, as long as that remains true, it will continue to be one of the most influential and well-funded sponsorship categories in the industry,” he wrote. “As a competitive sports team, we cannot ignore the role sponsorships play in keeping us competitive.”
Nazgul also noted that his extensive experience as a former professional poker player shaped his understanding of betting’s upsides and risks. That background, he said, influences Liquid’s approach to partnerships in an industry where responsible wagering and player safety are increasingly important.
“Like us, they (Duelbits) want to see betting done responsibly and marketed safely.”
A partnership tailored to CS2 and chess’ mature audience
Nazgul highlighted that Team Liquid deliberately focused the Duelbits partnership on CS2 and chess—games with older demographics that are more appropriate for betting-related activations.
The organization stated that it intends to provide genuine value to fans through community tournaments, thoughtful content, and continued investment in the competitive scenes surrounding these titles.
Maintaining alignment with community interests remains a priority for the org. “It has always been important to us that whatever we do at Team Liquid, we do it with our community in mind,” Nazgul said.
With esports teams increasingly exploring betting sponsorships—such as the recent partnership between MIBR VALORANT and 1xBet—Team Liquid aims to establish a model for responsible, transparent collaboration in this still-evolving category. By centering the partnership on education, mature-audience titles, and clear communication, the organization hopes to strike a balance between competitive sustainability and community safety.
The Team Liquid-Duelbits partnership strengthens the org’s commercial portfolio while signaling a more structured approach to how betting brands can responsibly integrate into the esports ecosystem.
Published: Dec 1, 2025 07:58 am