Cloud9's main sponsor, BC.Game online casino, is at the center of a financial scandal. On October 4, 2024, the Curacao court declared bankruptcy of Blockdance B.V. and Small House B.V., which operated this online casino. The main reason is the failure to fulfill financial obligations to customers and violation of licensing requirements.

Update 21.11.2024, 21:00 EET:

BC.GAME representatives have contacted our editorial team to clarify that the bankruptcy of the operating companies Blockdance B.V. and Small House B.V, which are associated with the BC.GAME brand, has no impact on BC.GAME and it remains fully operational. They also emphasised that the company continues to maintain a stable financial position with no liquidity issues.

BC.GAME representatives also noted that they are actively working to resolve these legal issues. The company continues to maintain all of its current collaborations, including its partnership with Cloud9.

Original news story:

During the hearings, it was established that the casino players were owed more than €2 million. In addition, Small House B.V. was fined €5 million by the Spanish authorities. The court also found that both companies failed to fulfill obligations to their customers after Small House officially took control of BC.Game operations in April 2024.

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Impact on Cloud9 and esports

BC.Game is not only the title sponsor of Cloud9, but also supports several well-known sports projects, including Leicester City Football Club, the Argentine national team, and CS2 teams led by Ladislav “GuardiaN” Kovacs and Yegor “markeloff” Markelov. Their financial crisis could seriously affect the future of these partnerships.

For Cloud9, this is especially critical, as it was thanks to BC.Game's sponsorship that the team was able to implement large projects. Now, their financial stability is in jeopardy, and analysts are already suggesting that the team may face budget cuts and difficulties in fulfilling international obligations.

Community reaction

Cloud9 players and fans are expressing concern. Memes have begun to appear on social media mocking the situation. One popular comment reads: “Cloud9 will now play for food.”

However, there are more serious statements. Critics emphasize the need to revise the rules on sponsorship in esports. Experts believe that this situation could affect the overall trust in esports organizations and their partners.

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What's next for Cloud9?

Although BC.Game's license is still active, the prospect of resuming their financial activities remains unlikely. For Cloud9, this means the need to look for new partners to avoid a financial crisis. In the meantime, the team is preparing for upcoming tournaments, trying to maintain its status as one of the leaders in CS2.

This story demonstrates the vulnerability of the esports ecosystem to financial crises of sponsors, which once again raises the issue of stability and transparency in the industry.