Early this year, Australia’s first big corruption investigation revealed evidence of CS:GO and potentially Overwatch players fixing esports betting matches like Dota 2 International and Worlds 2019.
August saw the detention of six Counter-Strike teams and the fees for match-settlement. Now an Overwatch Contenders squad is also investigating offences related to organized crime. Watch Contenders are investigating offences.
Such attempts were not enough to dampen the enthusiasm for esports betting. In addition to esports networks like Unikrn, a Las Vegas-based start-up with its founders Elisabeth Murdoch and Ashton Kutcher, Betway esports, William Hill, Bet365 esports and other mainstream bookmakers now offer a variety of tournaments and matches.
NEW CHARGES FOR ESPORTS PROS
The first major corruption investigation in Australian gaming exposed claims earlier this year that the counter-strike has been professional: the bribery of the regional offensive players.
Kotaku Australia reported last month that six Australians were arrested for the investigation, but were released “pending further inquiries”
Now a story from ABC News has confirmed that a squad of Australian overwatch candidates has also been burnt.
Following reports of “betting anomalies” on team matches, the Police Department of Victoria is examining the claims of the Contenders team owner that were involved in organized crime.
“There is no test of a fit and proper person to be engaged as an owner of an esports team,” Victoria Police assistant commissioner Neil Paterson said.
“We are seeing people encroach on that area that has reputations that [mean they] probably… shouldn’t be involved in this part of esports. I could absolutely guarantee that this wouldn’t be the only [alleged] incidence of match-fixing or betting anomalies on esports environments in the Australian market.”
Given the size of the prize pools for gaming competitions like Fortnite and DOTA, the fact that corruption investigations like these tend to surface may not be surprising
ABC also heard from the Commissioner for Esport Integrity Ian Smith says:”[Esports] has had a significant impact worldwide. The fact people can be prosecuted for this stuff has increased the… urgency with which anyone is regarding this issue.”
