challenge

What is meant by 'challenge' in this paragraph:
As the new policy fully takes effect though, the Baltic Business News just announced that [an online gambling corporation] is launching into the region out of Estonia. This first major online gambling site for the country is going about things the right way by teaming up with [a gambling software company] to license and operate [their] gaming software, which means the internet poker side of the business will be linked to the prestigious [an online gambling network] and those new Estonian gamblers using the site will have access to an international base of gamblers and a highly competitive network to both challenge and to better up the chances that Estonian poker players can win some very real money on the site through game play.

Thank you!

I read it as saying the Estonian gamblers will encounter more really good players than with a local network, so winning against them will be a challenge. But the connotation is a positive one. It is more satisfying to win against good players, and good players will force you to improve your own skills.