Tencent in preparation for the upcoming launch of Fortnite in China, detailed plans to "invest significantly into the game’s esports scene," along with other infrastructure and marketing. In total, the company committed to spend over $15.8M on the game’s future in China. Fortnite's success (with reportedly 45 million players and $1.2B in annual revenue) has been "one of the biggest stories in esports this year, even without any serious leagues." Tencent is also the Chinese partner for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Fortnite's main rival, which means the company "can regulate to make both titles successful" (THE ESPORTS OBSERVER, 4/24).
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Bookmakers "took a tumble" on the back of reports on Tuesday that the U.K. government was ready to cap stakes on fixed-odds betting terminals at £2 ($1.42). William Hill lost more than 14% of its value, sliding 47p to 289p, after Chancellor Philip Hammond was "close" to agreeing to the limit with Culture Secretary Matt Hancock. GVC Holdings lost 65.5p to 905.5p, while Paddy Power Betfair fell 445p to £68.75 ($48.94) (LONDON TIMES, 4/24).