Bookmakers back new eSports integrity unit
ESIC set up to combat "rapidly increasing threat of betting fraud" in the space
Betway, Pinnacle and Unikrn are among a number of bookmakers backing a new industry body designed to tackle match fixing in eSports.
The new eSports Integrity Coalition (ESIC), which was officially launched in London yesterday, was set up as a response to the “rapidly increasing threat of betting fraud arising from a burgeoning eSports betting market,” according to a statement from the body.
ESIC’s new integrity commissioner Ian Smith said the eSports betting industry could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars by 2020 if it continues to grow at its current rate, with much of it in grey and black markets.
“At that point, it’s going to start attracting the interest of people we don’t want to be interested in eSports, and it’s a big enough market to be worthwhile fixing,” Smith said.
“ESIC is designed to be a preventative measure to make sure that doesn’t happen”.
Betway, Pinnacle, Unikrn and Sportradar are among the egaming firms backing ESIC, alongside eSports stakeholders like Intel, Ubisoft and Twitch.
Betway’s Anthony Werkman said “We are fiercely passionate about eSports and are delighted to be one of the founding members of ESIC that will serve and protect the sport we care deeply for.
“We’ve made significant investments in our eSports team over the past few years and are delighted to see the sport getting the recognition it deserves from the wider public. The integrity of eSports is paramount to its continued success, and we’re certain that the creation of the ESIC will ensure the sport enjoys further success in the years to come.”
Rahul Sood, CEO of the UK licenced eSports betting site Unikrn, told EGR: “We believe that publishers will benefit greatly by working with good operators such as ourselves, which is why Unikrn started the worlds’ first competitive integrity program in Esports.
“We then started discussions with the ESL about the program, and they too had a similar vision, and ultimately it made sense for us to get together with multiple organizations to further Esports.”