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Esports team Ecstatic takes a stand against gambling sponsorship

by admin September 13, 2025

Against a backdrop of increasing sponsorship by gambling firms in esports, the Danish Counter-Strike team Ecstatic has announced a partnership with Gamban, a software company that helps those struggling with gambling.

This marks the first time a professional esports team has seen its primary sponsorship come from a company tackling gambling harm.

Announced in a press release on September 12, 2025, Ecstatic called the sponsorship a “groundbreaking partnership focused on protecting people, not promoting betting.”

Gamban provides gambling-blocking software that helps those struggling with gambling to block access to betting sites and apps, such as online casinos.

“For ten years, Gamban has helped people block access to gambling on their devices and begin their recovery,” said Matt Zarb-Cousin, co-founder of Gamban.

“Partnering with a team that rejects gambling sponsorship entirely is a powerful first step. We hope this inspires others to invest in esports without exploiting addiction.”

As part of the partnership, Ecstatic and Gamban will launch a community Discord hub, offering anonymous peer groups, expert talks, and practical tools for individuals seeking support to stop or pause their gambling.

In addition, the partnership hopes to “make help easy and stigma-free,” particularly for young fans, and to prove that “non-gambling sponsors can thrive in esports.”

“This is personal for me,” said Ecstatic co-owner Oliver ‘zipeL’ Behrensdorff.

“I’ve had periods of problem gambling myself, and installing Gamban was my first step toward change. We’re not here to high-road anyone. We’re here to offer a lifeline to those who need one.”

According to a report by Esports Insider, gambling sponsorships now represent 25% of total esports sponsorship revenue, with numerous professional esports teams and organisations, including FazeClan, Fnatic, and Heroic, signing deals with betting companies.

In June, Riot Games opened betting sponsorship opportunities for Tier 1 League of Legends and Valorant teams in the Americas and EMEA for the first time.

The company has put in “guardrails” to “safeguard the ecosystem” it has built, including establishing “a well-researched sports betting partnership program” that vets its betting partners.

“We know sports betting isn’t for everyone, and that some fans have strong feelings about it, and we respect that,” John Needham, president of publishing and esports at Riot Games, said in a blog post announcing the news.

“However, the reality is that betting activity already exists around our sports and will continue whether we engage with it or not.”

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September 13, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Creative Stage Pro review: an affordable soundbar that’s equally at home on a TV stand or desktop

by admin September 10, 2025

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Creative Stage Pro 2.1: Two-minute review

If you’re looking for a very affordable soundbar with a subwoofer, the Creative Stage Pro 2.1 should be on your radar. There are cheaper options available, but most are just a standalone soundbar. And the ones that do come with a sub are most likely from a brand that even a product reviewer like me wouldn’t recognize when browsing the endless options on Amazon.

If most of the best soundbars prioritize performance, features, or price point, then the price point is most important here. The performance of the Creative Stage Pro 2.1 soundbar is fine for a budget-friendly model and a definite improvement on the built-in audio of most flat-screen TVs. The feature set is also somewhat limited, though it does have a trick or two up its sleeve.

Overall, this soundbar is for someone who wants to upgrade their TV (or computer) audio without spending much money, since most soundbars with a subwoofer are going to cost more.

The Stage Pro’s alphanumeric LED display is a rare feature in a budget soundbar (Image credit: Future)

The Creative Stage Pro is not quite petite, but it’s relatively compact at just under 22 inches wide. Its front is rounded and slightly pointed up due to the way it sits on its two attached feet. There’s an LED display that reads out information like volume/settings and source – a feature I appreciate that is strangely missing from many soundbars, including pricey ones.

Creative Stage Pro 2.1 soundbar (Black) at Amazon for $169.99

The button layout on the soundbar’s top is pretty straightforward, with a power, volume level, input, Bluetooth, and SuperWide (more on that feature in a bit) buttons. All the basics are there, though you have to use the remote to get more granular in the controls, mainly by adding independent adjustments for the bass and treble, along with the sound mode selector.

The port selection might not wow, but it’s actually fairly robust for such a compact soundbar, with an HDMI ARC input with CEC Control (which lets you use one remote to control both the TV and soundbar), as well as optical digital, AUX, and USB-C inputs. It’s also worth noting that there’s Bluetooth 5.3 wireless support for streaming music.

At just under five inches deep, the subwoofer is also fairly compact, even if it stands a bit tall at 16.5 inches. The sub’s power cord is permanently attached, so if something happens to it, you’ll have to replace the whole subwoofer.

All sound adjustments to the Stage Pro can be made from the included remote (Image credit: Future)

Before I discuss performance, it’s worth noting that there’s a lot of power on tap with the Creative Stage Pro 2.1, which has two 20W channels for the soundbar and 40 watts for the sub, with a peak of 160 watts. This guy will give you more than enough volume, and I actually listened to it at a fairly low volume level setting most of the time.

There’s plenty of low end, though the bass doesn’t quite get that deep. After spending time watching blockbusters like The Batman where everything is always blowing up, it was clear that this system doesn’t deliver a lot of sub-bass – not too surprising when the subwoofer driver is a relatively small 5.25 inches.

As far as the mids go, they’re a bit boosted, and I wish I could back off a bit with EQ settings (something one would find on more expensive soundbars) for a flatter response. Ultimately, I ended up preferring to turn up the treble and bass a little bit and turn down the volume. The high frequencies on cheaper speakers and soundbars typically sound either tinny or muted, but luckily, the Creative Stage Pro has a decent amount of treble detail.

Considering the Creative Stage Pro is relatively compact, the soundstage is pretty narrow. I didn’t hear much in the way of sound effects positioning, whether in the aforementioned The Batman or other media, including some audio test tracks on YouTube.

As is expected at its price point, the Creative Stage Pro’s feature set is pretty minimal. There’s no Wi-Fi streaming or voice assistant support, though there is Bluetooth for wireless streaming.

What the soundbar does have for features is its various sound presets and Creative’s SuperWide Technology. The five presets are the usual variety: Movies, Music, Vocals, and Gaming. I found them to be a bit too subtle to be all that noticeable, though when I selected the Off option, there was a bit of a volume drop.

Of the presets, I wish Vocal – a mode that usually helps with boosting dialogue – was more distinguished, but it’s too small a boost to really help. I also wish there were a Night preset similar to that found on other soundbars that would limit volume peaks and boost quiet parts so you can hear what’s going on while keeping the volume low.

Creative’s SuperWide feature is more interesting. It has three settings, Near, Far, and Off, with Near or Far engaging processing that expands the audio horizontally for a bit of a wraparound effect to create a greater sense of space.

SuperWide is also great for adjusting the sound for use with a computer or a TV, with the Near setting optimized for a desktop installation. When toggling through the two modes, I did get a sense of audio being closer or farther away, depending on the setting. It’s a bit of a gimmick, but a pretty cool one, and a good substitute for surround sound or spatial audio.

Creative Stage Pro 2.1 review: Price & release date

The Stage Pro’s top surface control buttons (Image credit: Future)

Price: $139.99 / £139.99 (around AU$220)
Date first available: July 2025

Creative has been on the budget audio train for a long time, so a price tag of £139.99 / $139.99 (AU$220) for a 2.1 soundbar system is about what one would expect from the company.

This system might have some limitations, as discussed in this review, but it is among the best cheap soundbars with a subwoofer. After all, when you get down to this price point, you’re either dealing with a very limited package, such as the even more affordable Majority Naga 60, a standalone soundbar that comes with its own performance issues. Alternatively, you’ll have to pay more for the just barely sub-$500 Sony HT-S2000. Of course, that 3.1-channel soundbar comes with Dolby Atmos and has better sound quality, but it’s almost four times the price despite being our top budget soundbar pick.

Should I buy the Creative Stage Pro 2.1?

Ports include HDMI ARC, optical digital and 3.5 analog audio inputs and a subwoofer output (Image credit: Future)Swipe to scroll horizontallyCreative Stage Pro 2.1

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Somewhat limited audio quality and features, but you’re still getting a lot for the price

4 / 5

Performance

The bass doesn’t get super deep, and the soundstage could be wider, but this soundbar will be an upgrade for most TVs

3.5 / 5

Design

A bit utilitarian looking, especially the sub, but it has an LED display and side-firing speakers

4 / 5

Value

Priced just right, especially when you consider it comes with a subwoofer

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Creative Stage Pro 2.1: Also consider

How I tested the Creative Stage Pro 2.1

The Stage Pro with its included accessories (Image credit: Future)

Used regularly for several weeks
Tested with all sorts of media
Tested the different modes

I used the Creative Stage Pro 2.1 soundbar regularly for a few weeks, streaming all sorts of media from old and new movies to TV shows and music. I pressed every button on the remote to check out the different sound presets as well as the Superwide Technology modes.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

First reviewed September 2025

Shiba Inu (SHIB): Ready to Fade Into Oblivion? XRP: Final Stand, Cardano (ADA) Bulls: Price Collapse Is One Move Away

by admin September 4, 2025

The market is on the verge of exiting the consolidation stage, with Shiba Inu, XRP and Cardano being on verge of their local formations that should boost volatility and push either asset into their next stage.

Shiba Inu at crossroads

With price action indicating the possibility of a significant breakdown, Shiba Inu is at a crucial crossroads. The token is stuck inside a narrowing triangle and is currently trading at about $0.0000123, but the overall structure is bearish.

Due to buyers’ inability to maintain momentum above resistance levels, each bounce has been weaker than the last. The consistent drop in trading volume is the most concerning indication. Volume has been declining since early August, which suggests that traders’ interest and involvement are waning.

SHIB/USDT Chart by TradingView

Declining volume during consolidation frequently precedes strong breakouts in cryptocurrency markets, however, since SHIB is already under pressure, the likelihood of a breakdown rather than a recovery is higher.

Technically speaking, SHIB will encounter resistance right away in the range of $0.0000130-$0.0000132, and then the 200-day moving average close to $0.0000139. Every upward attempt has been capped for weeks at these levels. Support for the downside is located just above $0.0000120. The next target might be $0.0000110 or even $0.0000100, a level that runs the risk of adding another zero to SHIB’s valuation if it significantly breaks below this.

Additionally, a classic indicator of deteriorating market structure, the descending trendline from the recent highs, is still forcing lower peaks. Bearish momentum will probably prevail unless SHIB can break out above that line with significant volume. That is, there is a genuine chance of oblivion.

In addition to possibly correcting further, SHIB runs the risk of becoming irrelevant for traders seeking stronger momentum plays if support gives way while volume keeps declining.

XRP’s last test

It appears that XRP is nearing a final stand at its current price. The token is currently trading at about $2.83, just above the 100-day EMA at $2.77, which serves as the crucial line of defense. If XRP is unable to maintain this zone, it may fall toward $2.50 and ultimately the psychological $2.00 level.

The symmetrical triangle pattern that had been supporting the price since mid-August is clearly broken in the chart. XRP was forced below the lower trendline by sellers, and although it has stabilized for the time being, momentum is still brittle. A clear close below $2.77 would validate the bearish trend.

Cardano’s patience

Cardano is putting its holders’ patience to the test once more. After weeks of losing momentum, the token is currently trading at a pivotal level, with bulls finding it difficult to maintain control. According to the short-term technical picture, the 100-day EMA and the crucial $0.80 support zone are both in the vicinity of ADA.

There is still hope for a recovery in ADA despite the negative undertones. The $0.80 area has previously shown itself to be resilient, serving as a base for several recoveries. Buyers can continue on their current trajectory toward $0.90 and $1.00 if they can defend this level once more.