World Chess launches "Brains Are Duty-Free" discount campaign in response to US tariffs
() , a London-based chess gaming and entertainment company, announced the launch of its international discount campaign "Brains Are Duty-Free" in response to the latest round of US tariffs targeting major economies.
World Chess is the official partner of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the world's governing chess body and member of the International Olympic Committee. World Chess is the exclusive operator of chessarena.com, FIDE's official gaming platform where paid members from 160 countries can earn an online rating recognised by FIDE.
World Chess' new "Brains Are Duty-Free" campaign offers discounts matching the latest US tariff rates to players in affected countries - including 34% off in China, 46% in Vietnam, 20% in the European Union, and 26% in India. The campaign is now live at chessarena.com and will run throughout April 2025.
Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess, commenting: "We launched this campaign as a signal. The world is raising barriers. We're lowering them. And we're especially excited to connect with new users in India - one of the most passionate, fastest-growing chess communities anywhere."
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World Chess responds to US tariff policy with its new "Brains Are Duty-Free" global campaign, offering discounts to players in affected countries, equal to the new US tariff rate. The discounts range from 20-46% and will run throughout April 2025 to start. This should be an effective sales and marketing campaign to incentivise players to sign on to 's chessarena.com, the official chess gaming platform of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
The campaign should be particularly effective in developing regions, especially India which has one of the fastest-growing online chess communities in the world, and is a key growth market for . Coupled with the recently launched Stripe-based FIDE ID Verification system that offers much faster registration onto the platform, the campaign should result in a material boost to sales.
's flagship gaming platform chessarena.com has been highly successful in acquiring new users in fast-growing chess economies, particularly in south and southeast Asia. has an exclusive license for the platform from FIDE, giving it a competitive advantage and supporting rapid footprint expansion, with millions of users worldwide already playing. The global chess market was valued at US$2.5bn in 2023 and is projected to grow to $3.8bn by 2032, with rising interest fueled by pop culture and shows like The Queen's Gambit.
India, where chess is undergoing a cultural and competitive renaissance, is already one of chessarena's most active markets. With young stars like Gukesh D capturing international attention and a strong tradition of online play, India is a high-potential market for digital subscriptions, Pro memberships, and tournament participation. ' new campaign offers a 26% discount to Indian players, which should further boost brand loyalty and subscriptions.
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