As Esports Grows, Authorities Look to Stamp Out Match-Fixing

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, Esports play and betting is on the rise.

However, Esports, like many sports, isn’t without its own dark history. For Esports, in particular, there’s been a worrying history of match-fixing.

In Australia, where Esports is available within a fully legal and regulated legal sports betting community, law enforcement has had to intervene with match-fixing in the past.

As Esports grows exponentially in player base and revenue during the pandemic, match-fixing can not be allowed to thrive.

2019 Australia Match-Fixing Case

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is one of the most popular video games and Esports titles in the current Esports climate. In 2019, six professional players were arrested for match-fixing in a CS:GO tournament.

A multi-million dollar global industry, the players who threw matches and made bets on themselves, were heavily punished.

The gamers face up to 10 years in prison, under the offences of engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome, and use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes.

The Guardian

Six men, the youngest 19 years old, were flagged as suspicious due to their betting activity investigated by the police. The group faces up to ten years on the grounds of match-fixing.

Esports Integrity Commission at Work

In sports or Esports, match-fixing is, unfortunately, occasionally recognized. For such lucrative prize pools, there have been a number of cases looking to adjust the odds in their favor. Due to struggles with match-fixing, it has been difficult to convince voting parties on the merits of Esports betting.

Stephen Hanna, from the Esports Integrity Commission, spoke on match-fixing in Esports and said:

It’s about limiting its position in the market to the greatest extent possible.

Despite some unfortunate situations in Esports, it is currently at its highest in popularity. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, even more viewers, players, and bettors are gravitating toward it. Esports betting is even expecting its profits to skyrocket in 2020.

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