Lately, some concerns regarding the prevalence of corruption in the esports community in Australia have emerged.
After a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive match which took place on February 27th, 2019 and was aired online, rumours that Australian esports sector is subject to corruption have spread.
Some allegations which are centred around an Australian-based team of young players of the popular first-person shooter game emerged in an online esports forum, have prompted the competent authorities to interfere and check on the case. An investigation of the Victoria Police into no less than six matches, which the team played earlier in 2019 and were allegedly fixed, is still taking place.
Since the beginning of the investigation, two semi-professional players who have been involved in the suspicious matches were seized by the police and taken into custody but did not face criminal charges. The other four players in the team are not suspects in the investigation. However, this is the first major investigation into corruption in esports in Australia.
For the time being, esports has been the fastest growing sport worldwide.
According to reports, the results from the investigation could have serious negative consequences, not to mention the fact that it could raise some questions regarding both businesses and governments, which have been interesting in getting a slice of the revenue generated by the esports industry. In any case, the fact that people involved in esports could get arrested for being related to this type of activity has highlighted the seriousness with which both players, operators and regulators would regard the issue.
Campaigners Insist for Stricter Regulatory Measures on Australian Esports Sector Following Corruption Reports
Some campaigners have already shared concerns that corruption in esports is not being taken seriously enough by the competent authorities, saying that it is the lack of understanding about the nature of esports which has contributed to the spread of corruption.
According to Neil Paterson, an Assistant Commissioner at the Victoria Police has explained that in his opinion, more cases of corruption in Australian esports industry would be uncovered. So far, the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit of the force has already been addressed with reports of match-fixing in other games of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Also, there have been some allegations of links between the ownership of an Australian team which plays the above-mentioned game in Australia’s Contenders league and organised crime organisations.
As campaigners have explained, the investigation in esports could see many more people get arrested. So far, there have been some house raids in the states of Western Australia and Victoria, as well as six arrests.
On the other hand, a player who has taken part in the suspicious esport matches but has not been involved in the investigation has said to a local media that he knew nothing about corruption and intentional losses. The player, whose name was not unveiled, had shared that he had previously placed bets on Counter-Strike games but those were only matches he was not competing at.
The rising popularity of esports has also raised another concern. Recent reports have shown that many professional gamers and esports fans are under the age of 18. A few years ago, similar concerns have prompted South Australian authorities’ decision to suspend betting on esports back in 2016.
According to police reports, the main players of esports were typically young men. Such individuals are also more likely to get involved in online betting and are more predisposed to getting addicted to gambling on esports.
- Author
Olivia Cole
