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As eSports become more popular, time for the industry to get real about security

Published

5 years ago

July 26, 2021

Police in Ukraine recently seized 3,800 PlayStation 4 consoles, which currently retail for around 290 each, and found to their surprise that the operation wasn’t mining cryptocurrency as they assumed but was in fact being used to generate content packs for FIFA Ultimate Team, a popular game mode in the FIFA football series.

The raid and its results underline a fact that may escape more traditionally minded members of the gaming community: eSports is a major industry, and like any industry it is susceptible to fraud. The fact that the games themselves take place virtually is irrelevant to fraudsters who can use the familiar toolkit of multi-accounting, bonus abuse and affiliate fraud to earn thousands.

With many sports teams unable to play throughout much of 2020 and 2021, eSports grew massively. League Championship Series (LCS), one of the largest eSports leagues, became the third most viewed professional sports league amongst 18-34 year olds in the U.S and has retained its corporate sponsors at a time when other leagues were shut down. Success stories like these are blunted by how pervasive eSports fraud is,

So, what kinds of fraud are taking place in eSports, what is it costing eSports organizations and what can be done to stop it?

What kinds of fraud are possible in eSports?

eSports attracts very similar types of fraud to regular sports betting, including:

Bonus Abuse: Like other sports betting companies, eSports companies often give sign-up bonuses such as free bets to new players. By coding automated systems, a fraudster can sign up to hundreds of accounts and use the free bets to win real money. This can cost gaming companies up to 15% of their revenue.
Multi-accounting: Similarly, a fraudster can use multiple accounts to perform other types of fraud, such as matched betting, ‘smurfing’ or arbitrage of affiliate fraud.
Affiliate Fraud: Those eSports betting organizations that draw in some of their new players from affiliates are vulnerable to affiliate fraud in which an affiliate creates fake accounts to gain the pay-out.
Account takeover: Using lists of passwords from data breaches, keyloggers or phishing a fraudster can gain access to a player’s account and drain their funds.
Chargeback fraud: A player, who may be a legitimate gamer and not a professional fraudster, initiates a chargeback on a transaction. This is common in gaming when gamblers regret a bad bet and claim that their account was hacked.

The costs of eSports fraud

Fraud costs have a way of snowballing, with each $1 lost through fraud actually costing companies $3. The above techniques are hardly equivalent to the major data breaches of major banking and tech companies that cost on average $3.86 million, but the constant barrage of low-level frauds can soon drain your company’s security budget. Aside from the cost of the fraud itself, there are a number of hidden costs such as:

Chargeback losses: Investigating and disputing chargebacks will take up your risk team’s time, leaving them little time for more valuable activities. More worryingly, a company with a large number of chargebacks is likely to find it difficult securing credit or loans. Visa and Mastercard’s resolution processes are making things even more difficult for merchants, so you are likely to lose even more.
Affiliate budget waste: You could be paying for useless clicks from bot networks rather than legitimate customers, wasting your marketing budget and reducing overall ROI.
Reputational damage: Once word of mouth spreads about customers losing the entire bank accounts to account takeovers it will not be long until players start deserting your site.
Regulatory fines: The regulations around eSports are not as stringent as with other sports betting, but it will not be long before they catch up. With the industry growing it will not be long before countries put regulations in place to protect players, and without stringent security your company could be fined.

The solutions

You will notice that the majority of the types of fraud common in eSports have to do with fake accounts. These are easy for fraudsters to create using the wealth of publicly available data and leaked information, but fortunately artificial intelligence-based tools have been developed that allow companies to spot synthetic identities.

Through device fingerprinting, email profiling and IP analysis a complete picture of a new signup to your site can be created, allowing software to spot the tell-tale signs of a hastily created account. For example, it could find that an email address does not match any social accounts, or that they use VPNs and data centers to conceal their IP address.

Of course, a sophisticated fraudster could create a convincing fake identity, especially with the wealth of information available from data dumps, so modern technology can also spot the use of pre-paid credit cards or even the speed with which information is entered, which could indicate it is being filled in automatically by a script.

By combining data points from a large and ever-growing set a system can determine whether it is likely that any given new account is fraudulent. For the many cases in which it will not be fully clear whether an account is authentic or not adaptive Know Your Customer checks can be used – customers with several red flags will be given full tests to determine their identity whereas other customers will have less obtrusive tests for a smoother site experience.

eSports has gone from a niche concern to an Olympic sport in a few short years, and that success is going to attract fraud, so it is vital for the industry to pre-emptively defend against fraud by adopting the very highest levels of security.

To learn more, visit: https://seon.io/

Related Topics:eSports latest-news PlayStation 4

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HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 Agenda Unites Digital Governance, AI, Fintech & Regulated Growth

Published

50 minutes ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

hipther-baltics-&-nordics:-tallinn-2026-agenda-unites-digital-governance,-ai,-fintech-&-regulated-growth

HIPTHER has officially revealed the Agenda for HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026, taking place on 2 June at Hilton Tallinn Park, bringing together regulators, operators, fintech builders, founders, compliance leaders, legal experts, AI practitioners, and startup innovators for the grand finale of the HIPTHER Baltics 2026 series.

Tallinn is not just another conference destination for HIPTHER — it is home base. The city where the #hipthers story evolves, and the natural setting for a conference built around digital governance, startup ecosystems, operational resilience, and the future of regulated innovation.

The newly released program features:

16 sessions across one focused day
2 parallel stages
3 practical HIPTHER Academy workshops
40+ speakers & experts from across the Baltics, Nordics, and wider European ecosystem

One Agenda. Multiple Industries. Real Operational Conversations.

Tallinn 2026 brings together discussions that typically happen in separate rooms: AML supervision, fintech scaling, AI implementation, digital identity infrastructure, crypto payments, operational risk, behavioural science, startup growth, and commercial strategy.

Across the Compliance & Operations Lab and the TechXperience Stage, attendees will explore topics including:

AML supervision, financial intelligence & market trust
Operator-supplier partnerships under mature regulation
Digital identity infrastructure & eIDAS 2.0
AI-powered operations & compliance automation
Player acquisition after the easy-growth era
Stablecoins, Travel Rule & trusted payment infrastructure
Governance, board accountability & operational risk
VC, alternative finance & cross-border startup scaling
Agentic AI and production-ready AI workflows for regulated sectors

The agenda also includes a focused Finland regulatory update alongside keynote sessions examining CRM strategy under tightening Nordic regulation, behavioural science in regulated environments, and the realities of operational AI adoption beyond the hype cycle.

HIPTHER Academy Expands the Practical Layer

Tallinn 2026 continues the expansion of HIPTHER Academy with practical workshops designed for professionals operating inside fast-changing regulated industries.

This year’s Tallinn workshops focus on:

Digital body language & executive communication
Production-ready AI agents for regulated industries
Agentic AI workflows and orchestration systems

More Than a Conference Floor

HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 also brings back the curated social experiences that have become part of the HIPTHER DNA.

Welcome Drinks – Olympic Park Casino
1 June · 18:00–22:30

Meet & greet in the relaxed and luxurious atmosphere of the new flagship Olympic Park Casino – located at Hilton Tallinn Park hotel.

Nordic Flow: Morning Reset & Networking
2 June · 07:15–08:45

A gentle yoga and breathwork session inspired by the calm, grounded energy of the Baltics and Nordics. Designed for the conference guests and busy professionals, this session will help participants release tension, reconnect with the body, and start the day with balance, energy, and presence. No previous yoga experience is needed.

HIPTHER Baltic & Nordics Gaming Awards + Karaoke @ Fort Bar
Sponsored by Amusnet
2 June · 20:00 – Late Night

Recognising Excellence Across the Baltics & Nordics and connecting in a celebratory atmosphere. Because some of the best conversations happen long after the panels end.

A Baltic-Nordic Industry Room Built for Decision-Makers

HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 closes the 2026 Baltic series by bringing together the people shaping regulated growth across gaming, fintech, AI, compliance, payments, cybersecurity, and startup innovation — all inside one highly focused, boutique environment built for real conversations instead of expo chaos.

Zoltán Tűndik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER, commented: “Tallinn has always represented something unique for us. Not only because HIPTHER OÜ proudly calls Estonia home, but because the Baltic-Nordic region continues to prove that practical innovation, digital governance, and entrepreneurial resilience can coexist without unnecessary complexity.

With Tallinn 2026, we wanted to build more than another conference agenda. We wanted to create a room where operators, regulators, founders, compliance leaders, fintech innovators, and AI practitioners can have honest operational conversations about what comes next.

The future of regulated industries will not be shaped in isolated verticals. It will be shaped through collaboration between technology, compliance, governance, finance, and human decision-making. That is exactly why Tallinn felt like the natural grand finale for our Baltic series.

And frankly, there is no better city in Europe to host these conversations than Tallinn.”

As HIPTHER returns home to Tallinn, the final stop of the series promises a high-level gathering designed around substance, operational insight, and the future of the Baltic-Nordic innovation economy.

HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026
2 June 2026
Hilton Tallinn Park

More information & registration:

https://hipther.com/events/tallinn/

The post HIPTHER Baltics & Nordics: Tallinn 2026 Agenda Unites Digital Governance, AI, Fintech & Regulated Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Belatra

Belatra Games Teams Up with SlotCatalog to Expand Reach

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

belatra-games-teams-up-with-slotcatalog-to-expand-reach

Belatra, a prominent innovator in online slot development, has unveiled a strategic collaboration with SlotCatalog, a leading independent slot database and content discovery platform trusted across the industry.

This partnership emphasizes transparent communication with players by presenting Belatra’s entire game portfolio, including its strengths and areas where improvements can be made. The initiative aims to foster trust in the Belatra brand, showcase its diverse collection of titles, and keep players updated on new releases. SlotCatalog serves as a key platform for players to build confidence in game studios and their offerings, making it an ideal ally for Belatra in reaching and engaging its audience effectively.

Founded in 2016, SlotCatalog has rapidly established itself as a reliable resource for players, operators, and development studios. The platform provides comprehensive game data, impartial reviews, and timely industry updates, making it a central hub for slot-related insights.

Kateryna Goi, Chief Marketing Officer at Belatra, emphasized the alignment between the two organizations: SlotCatalog’s data highlights the trust players place in its platform. In turn, the platform delivers transparency and honest content for its audience—precisely what we, as a studio, are seeking. We’re confident in the quality of our games and excited about directly engaging with players. With exciting new launches planned for the summer and autumn seasons, we are eager to share them through this partnership.

Daria Kushnir, Chief Marketing Officer at SlotCatalog, highlighted the value of collaboration: “Success in this industry is fueled by goal-driven partnerships rather than mere transactions. Together with Belatra, we aim to connect the right players with the right games more quickly. This synergy between their rich game portfolio and our audience intelligence offers an excellent foundation for consistent growth and results over time.”

The post Belatra Games Teams Up with SlotCatalog to Expand Reach appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Aviator Studio

Aviator Studio Achieves Major Legal Victory in São Paulo

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

aviator-studio-achieves-major-legal-victory-in-sao-paulo

Brazilian courts persist in denying SPRIBE’s injunction efforts as Aviator Studio achieves another two-instance triumph in São Paulo.

Aviator Studio achieved another legal triumph in Brazil as São Paulo courts denied further injunction requests submitted by SPRIBE in cases directly involving Aviator Studio.

Significantly, the recent decisions relate to the direct legal contention between Aviator Studio and SPRIBE, distinct from the previously mentioned cases involving Foggo Entertainment and Betnacional.

After securing consecutive wins in Brazil related to Foggo Entertainment, Aviator Studio has now announced that courts in São Paulo have also ruled in its favor at both judicial levels of the case.

In every instance, the courts denied the immediate actions requested by SPRIBE. Consequently, Aviator Studio and its associates can maintain their operations while the wider AVIATOR trademark conflict advances through the evidential stage.

The rulings contribute to an escalating number of courtroom defeats for SPRIBE in Brazil and further bolster Aviator Studio’s legal stance in the related proceedings linked to the AVIATOR dispute, as associated cases progress in various jurisdictions.

Commenting on the development, representatives from Aviator Studio said: “These outcomes continue to confirm a clear judicial pattern. Attempts to obtain urgent injunctions against Aviator Studio and its partners in Brazil are consistently being rejected by the courts.”

The post Aviator Studio Achieves Major Legal Victory in São Paulo appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.