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In a recent announcement, Team Secret unveiled its partnership with Stake, an online betting platform, and online streaming service Kick. The collaboration aims to provide fans with unique experiences, blending gaming and interactive engagement. This announcement was made through a video uploaded on X, starring Team Secret’s Dota 2 Captain, Clement "Puppey" Ivanov. However, the news has sparked discussions and concerns within the Dota 2 community.
Team Secret’s New Partnership Faces Backlash
In a blog post, Team Secret’s CEO, John Yao expressed "I'm thrilled to announce our groundbreaking partnership with Kick and Stake. This collaboration not only elevates our brand but opens doors for exploring exciting opportunities in esports. It signifies our commitment to innovation and community, setting a new standard for gaming partnerships."
As part of this announcement, Team Secret revealed that its Dota 2 team would be participating in ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 by donning its “cutting-edge 2024 pro jerseys.”
However, the news was met with skepticism as community raised questions. In online discussions, some users have expressed concerns about the prevalence of betting sponsors in the esports community, particularly in the CIS region.
One user on Reddit commented, "This community is so obsessed with gambling sponsors, I swear. Sunsfan and Synd even talked about it on their podcast and how this is the only community that is instantly outraged every time anything even remotely mentions gambling. I wonder what all of you would do to keep your org alive when those are literally the only sponsors willing to touch Dota."
Others pointed out that similar partnerships are not uncommon, citing examples like almost every Eastern European Team and Tundra's association with 1XBET. The prevalence of such sponsorships has become a notable trend in the esports landscape.
"And Parimatch has been in almost every EEU team, and Tundra has a big-a** 1XBET sponsorship for years. We also have a team called BETboom. Can you not act like this is supposed to be surprising? Or are you just drama-mongering," pointed out another user.
Recently, popular Dota 2 player Artour "Arteezy" Babaev ignited similar discussions by shifting his streaming services from Twitch to Kick at the start of November. The streamer, predominantly known for his Dota 2 content, has also started streaming casino and slot games on Kick. Some fans expressed disappointment at Arteezy's inclusion of gambling content on Kick.
