Australian police arrested six CS:GO pro players for allegedly being involved in match fixing
The City of Victoria Police, Australia, announced that it had arrested six professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) players on Friday (23/8/2021) on suspicion of being involved in match fixing.
Detectives from the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit and the Organized Crime Intelligence Unit have collaborated on this investigation which began in March 2021 after discovering money had been given by betting agents.
The information indicates that the CS:GO players in question are planning to drop matches and this scandal is believed to have affected at least five matches with more than 20 bets in total.
The two departments have yet to identify who the players are, from which team they play, until it happened in which CS:GO tournament.
This arrest was made by the police in the areas of Mill Park, South Morang, and Mount Eliza which resulted in a total of six arrests.
These players have been questioned and released as this investigation is still ongoing until evidence is found.
The offenses charged against these six players will threaten them with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
“Esports is a growing sports industry and this will create a demand for betting on tournament and match results,” Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson said, as quoted by the Esports Observer.
“It is imperative that the police and other agencies in the law enforcement, gaming and betting industries continue to work together to focus on any suspicious activity. The police will take seriously any reports of suspicious or criminal activity in esports. We also encourage anyone with information to come forward,” he said.
Match fixing and illegal betting are big concerns in the esports industry. A number of scandals have surfaced in various esports tournaments in recent years, including the one that befell LGD Gaming in League of Legends recently.
In July 2021, Riot Games recruited Sportradar to monitor international betting concerning each League of Legends tournament as well as integrity issues that arise.
In order to deal with this problem, the Esports Integrity Coalition (ESIC) which was formed in 2021 will be the spearhead in eliminating fraud and illegal gambling in the esports industry.
ESIC has worked with many tournament and league organizers. In 2021, ESIC’s integrity commissioner, Ian Smith, told The Esports Observer that a potential consequence of match fixing in all sporting events is “loss of audience, credibility, and major sponsorship deals.”
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