eSports

ESIC Publicly Addresses False Narrative That the Commission Works for the Esports Betting Industry

Published

5 years ago

April 13, 2021

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The Esports Integrity Commission has, over the past few years, mistakenly been accused of working for the esports betting industry or being an organisation formed by the betting industry for the betting industry’s purposes. Whilst we have historically tried to address this misconception privately, it has now surfaced again in a way that damages the integrity of esports and the Commission in a way that needs to be publicly addressed.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT OF STATEMENT

First: In Nevada a Bill being sponsored through the State Senate by Senator Ben Kieckhefer, SB 165, seeks to establish an Esports Commission for the regulation of esports related activities in the State. In the sponsoring process, the Judiciary Committee considering SB 165 were told that ESIC, (who has worked with the Nevada Gaming Control Board since 2016 and was a founding member of the Nevada Esports Alliance) was in favour of the Bill. This is false. ESIC opposes SB 165 and has now taken steps to provide explanations to the Committee relating to its position. However, quite apart from certain parties purporting to speak on our behalf without authority, an underlying narrative emerged that: ‘ESIC’s views should be dismissed because the Commission is a servant of the betting industry’.

Second: The same false narrative was put forward to the Entertainment Software Association (“ESA”), the body representing most video game publishers and developers and all of those who publish titles prominently used in esports, by some of its members urging the ESA not to engage with ESIC because ESIC was alleged to “work for the betting industry”.

Third: Disaffected players banned by ESIC for betting related offences and some of their supporters have been reported to be coordinating a broad effort to spread this same false narrative that ESIC works for and serves the betting industry in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of competitive integrity in esports. This coordinated effort has been reported to ESIC to include rhetoric such as ‘ESIC falsely asserting certain matches are fixed so that the betting operators don’t have to pay out the winning bets on those matches’. This is both an ignorant and damaging narrative not only to ESIC but to the integrity of esports broadly. Such assertions would be entirely antithetical to the purpose and demonstrated work ESIC has undertaken for the sake of competitive integrity in the esports industry for more than five years.

STATEMENT

Despite the differing points of origin and the various malicious motives of those propagating them, all of these narratives need to be addressed and resolved and so ESIC Commissioner, Ian Smith, has considered it prudent to make the following statements:

“ESIC is neither for or against betting on esports. We are not advocates for betting nor crusaders against it.

It is noted, however, that betting on esports is a form of entertainment for most bettors and drives sponsorship revenue and fan engagement for the esports ecosystem. Conversely, the existence of betting opportunities does also raise challenges including, of particular concern to ESIC and central to our mission, the incentive for punters to commit betting fraud by match-fixing. In this respect, our role is to protect the esports industry from that danger.

ESIC exists for the esports industry; primarily for the protection of the players who would be the first and main casualty of any match-fixing scandal (please refer to the detrimental effects that match-fixing has historically had on the competitive Starcraft2 esports scene following the 2015/16 match-fixing scandals in Korea).

When betting fraud is perpetrated, competitive integrity is tarnished (among other negative outcomes). Coincidentally, the legitimate esports betting industry also suffers loss when betting fraud is committed. Therefore, it is of common and synergistic interest to both the esports industry and the betting on esports industry to address the issue of match-fixing through ESIC.

In fact, it is impossible to combat match-fixing without working with the legitimate esports betting industry. Betting data is at the heart of determining whether or not a match might be fixed and betting data is the key evidence in any prosecution of a match fixer. Furthermore, every traditional sport works with the betting industry to combat match-fixing and relies upon such data in a similar manner. This approach is not unique to ESIC.

ESIC is a not for profit members association – we are owned by our members. We have two categories of membership: Our esports members (primarily Tournament Organisers) and our Anti-Corruption Supporters (primarily betting operators, but also government and state gambling regulators, law enforcement, monitoring companies, data providers and industry bodies). From a constitutional point of view, the two do not overlap. Only the Esports Members determine the strategic aims and priorities of ESIC. The Anti-Corruption Supporters participate in our Suspicious and Unusual Betting Alert Network in service of ESIC and our Esports Members. In other words, ESIC works with the betting industry on behalf of the esports industry; we do not work for the betting industry. Accordingly, this dynamic serves only to promote competitive integrity and legitimacy of esports competitions.

Contrary to some assertions, the betting industry does not use us to avoid making legitimate payouts. The primary benefit for betting stakeholders which engage with us is access to what our Suspicious and Unusual Betting Alert Network sees (a network which they also contribute data to).

Importantly, some players are asserting that their betting activity on the game that they play professionally was “innocent”. With respect, that is either naive or disingenuous. No traditional sport allows its professional participants to bet on the sport they play for a living. In the cases ESIC has dealt with, the players against whom we have taken action have bet on the game, league, tournament or match in which they have participated. There is no scenario in which this is acceptable and we will continue to prosecute players who do so where we have jurisdiction. At the highest level of any esports game, the players all know each other, have played with and against each other and have both inside information and the potential to influence each other in a way that gives them an unfair advantage in betting markets and undermines the perception of competitive integrity. In many countries it is also illegal or criminal. Consequently, we are unapologetic about our rule prohibiting betting on the game they play professionally or semi-professionally. This is for the protection of the esports ecosystem and the players in particular. It is not a service to the betting industry but a service to the esports industry broadly in the interest of youth protection, competitive integrity and commercial longevity.”

Conclusion

Individuals attempting to propagate the narrative that ESIC works for the betting industry either have their own adverse agenda or are naïve about the realities of betting and the relationship between esports and betting on esports.

ESIC accepts that the existence of betting in esports is a contentious matter for some people and that they would rather it didn’t exist, but that is not an excuse to ignore the challenges posed by its existence. Any extension of opposition to betting in esports which operates to prohibit or hamper ESIC from effectively engaging with and mitigating the issue of match-fixing through sourcing data from Anti-Corruption Supporters, however, should be entirely discouraged and expelled from the industry. The stark reality is that match-fixing poses a real and demonstrable threat to the youth, competitive integrity, and commercial viability of the esports industry globally. Accordingly, ESIC implores all stakeholders Interested in the common good of esports to work together to combat such threats. Indeed, that includes, of necessity, close cooperation, via ESIC, between the esports ecosystem and the esports betting industry.

NOTE: THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE INTENDED RELEASE RELATING TO THE AU CS:GO INVESTIGATION. A SEPARATE RELEASE WILL BE MADE RELATING TO THAT INVESTIGATION IN DUE COURSE.

Adam Conway General Manager of the Esports Business Unit at BETER

BETER strengthens eFootball roster with rollout of 4,200 monthly events ahead of 2026 World Cup

Published

2 days ago

April 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

beter-strengthens-efootball-roster-with-rollout-of-4,200-monthly-events-ahead-of-2026-world-cup

With the excitement of FIFA World Cup 2026 approaching, BETER is assisting operators in providing continuous bettor interaction by adding over 4,200 new eFootball matches monthly.

BETER, the recognized supplier of quick-betting content, live streams, real-time data, and odds for esports and sports, has broadened its eFootball portfolio with new specialized tournaments designed for World Cup 2026, providing over 4,200 events each month to assist operators in maintaining bettor engagement throughout the day, even during lulls and match intervals.

The launch features matches inspired by the World Cup, plus extra events scheduled around peak betting times to maintain bettor interest before, during, and after the World Cup 2026 games, providing operators with expanded eFootball coverage leading up to one of the largest events in the international sports schedule.

The updated material improves BETER’s extensive, dynamic eFootball framework, providing operators with more options to maintain bettor engagement around the clock.

Tournaments tailored to U.S. betting hours, delivering over 4,200 monthly matches

BETER added 140+ daily matches designed to suit U.S. bettors and maintain engagement throughout the day.

All of these matches are delivered in the 2×4 format and are scheduled daily (UTC+2) as follows:

01:00–03:00 — Premier League
03:10–05:10 — World Cup B
05:30–07:30 — Conference League
16:10–18:10 — Serie A
18:20–20:20 — World Cup B
20:40–22:40 — Europa League
22:50–00:50 — LaLiga

This new content addition is focused on supporting operator performance ahead of and during World Cup 2026 by maintaining betting activity across relevant time slots for U.S. audiences and helping fill downtime between major football fixtures.

World Cup–inspired tournaments, delivering over 3,600 monthly matches (within the 4,200+ expansion)

As part of this content boost, BETER is rolling out three dedicated World Cup–themed eFootball leagues. These form a major part of the expansion and mirror the excitement, structure, and national-team focus of the tournament, delivering 120+ matches per day and featuring teams such as the United States, the Netherlands, Norway, Mexico, Morocco, France, England, Portugal, Argentina, Spain, and more canonical world best teams.
The schedule includes the following (UTC+2):

World Cup A: 12:00–14:00 and 01:20–02:20 (2×4 format)
World Cup B: 18:20–20:20 and 03:10–05:10 (2×4 format)
Volta World Cup: 00:10–01:40 and 07:00–08:30 (2×3 format)

These World Cup–inspired eFootball matches reflect the build-up to the tournament and help operators drive bettor engagement ahead of kick-off.

With this rollout, which is already available with the majority of BETER’s partners, the supplier now delivers over 40,000 esports matches each month, further strengthening its position as one of the industry’s most in-demand providers of fast-paced content.

BETER exclusively delivers nearly 500,000 esports events annually through its exclusive ESportsBattle tournaments, which include eFootball, eBasketball, eHockey, and eTennis, offering up to 50 markets per match and an average operator margin of 7.5%+, exceeding the market standard.

Adam Conway, General Manager of the Esports Business Unit at BETER, said: “World Cup 2026 is the pinnacle of football excitement, and it presents an incredible opportunity for operators to keep fans and bettors engaged around the clock. Our expanded eFootball offering is designed to capture that energy, with content built to mirror the drama, intensity, and rivalries of the tournament.

“By combining dedicated World Cup–inspired competitions with strategically timed matches during key betting hours, we’re helping operators fill downtime, bridge match gaps, and keep bettors active before, during, and after every fixture.

“With over 40,000 fast-paced esports matches delivered every month, BETER now offers one of the largest and most dynamic content portfolios in the industry, bringing the thrill of the World Cup straight to every screen.”

The post BETER strengthens eFootball roster with rollout of 4,200 monthly events ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

Esports Nations Cup 2026 Awards Official Partner Status Across 100+ Nations to Build the Future of Nation-Based Esports

Published

1 week ago

March 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-nations-cup-2026-awards-official-partner-status-across-100+-nations-to-build-the-future-of-nation-based-esports

The Esports Foundation (EF) awarded National Team Partner status to organisations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esports Nations Cup 2026 (ENC), the global nation-based esports competition set to debut in Riyadh from November 2-29, 2026.

This marks the first time esports introduces a structured global system for national teams at scale, adding a new layer to the industry’s ecosystem alongside club-based competition. Designed to complement existing frameworks rather than replace them, the ENC will work with local stakeholders closest to the sport to strengthen connections and support long-term national development.

National Team Partners will lead team formation, mobilize local communities and establish the structures needed to enable participation and the growth of esports. To ensure worldwide participation, countries and territories without a partner will be supported through regional structures provided by the EF.

The EF received more than 630 applications from 150 countries and territories, reflecting the global interest in and opportunity for nation-based esports. The partners represent legacy esports organisations that have shaped their national scenes for decades alongside emerging forces driving the next wave of competitive gaming. The list of organisations and individuals who have been awarded this status is available on the ENC website and will be updated as additional appointments are confirmed.

‘The Esports Nations Cup introduces something esports has never had before: a global system for national teams at an unprecedented scale. The response we received from across the world shows that communities are ready for this next step. Together with our partners, we are building the structures that will allow players to represent their nations and compete on the biggest stage in esports. With more than 100 nations now part of the system, the Esports Nations Cup moves from concept to reality, establishing national esports as a lasting part of the global competitive landscape,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation.

Recognising that esports has developed differently in many nations, the ENC adopts a partnership-led approach rather than relying on a single model, marking a first in global sport and esports alike. By working with recognised local stakeholders, whether institutions, Clubs or community-led organisations, this model is designed to unlock the full creative and competitive potential of each nation.

National Team Partners will operate through a range of structures, from established national bodies such as the Korea Esports Association and the Saudi Esports Federation, to club-led coalitions in Brazil and the US, and hybrid public-private alliances in countries like Germany, Canada and the UAE.

In markets such as Malaysia, Turkey and Thailand, partners include federations working closely with grassroots communities, while in emerging regions like Indonesia and Mongolia, partners are being supported through structured development to represent their nations on a global stage.

For the first time in the history of esports, national teams will be formed from these local structures, bringing players together to compete for their nation and unlocking a new dimension of fandom built on identity and pride. From South Korea’s legendary League of Legends dominance and India’s Chess affinity, to Brazil’s Counter-Strike tradition, Japan’s fighting games heritage and Southeast Asia’s mobile games’ powerhouses, the ENC creates a new global stage for competition.

The post Esports Nations Cup 2026 Awards Official Partner Status Across 100+ Nations to Build the Future of Nation-Based Esports appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

Team India and Türkiye Win Gold at the Global Esports Games Mumbai

Published

1 week ago

March 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-india-and-turkiye-win-gold-at-the-global-esports-games-mumbai

Team India and Türkiye won Gold at the Global Esports Games Mumbai, delivering electrifying performances in front of a packed arena and thousands more tuning in online worldwide. India’s Anuhith Gosala edged Kazakhstan 3–2 in a thrilling Clash Royale Grand Final, while Türkiye secured a commanding 3–1 victory over Mongolia in the Dota 2 Grand Final. With a Gold in Clash Royale and a Bronze in Dota 2, Team India was crowned Overall Champion.

India stormed into the Clash Royale Grand Final with a 2–1 win over the USA in a tense lower bracket decider, setting up a rematch with Kazakhstan. Having fallen 0–2 in the upper bracket, India turned the tables when it mattered most, as Anuhith Gosala delivered a clutch performance to seal a dramatic 3–2 victory and the Gold medal.

In Dota 2, Team India secured Bronze after falling to Mongolia in the lower bracket. Mongolia advanced to the Grand Final, where Türkiye asserted its dominance with a composed 3–1 victory to take the title.

Sharing his thoughts on the victory, Team India’s Clash Royale gold medallist, Anuhith Gosala, said: “This moment is surreal. To win the Grand Finals here in India, in front of a home crowd, makes it even more emotional. The preparation was relentless, the pressure was intense, and every match tested my limits—but that’s what makes this victory so special. Hearing the cheers, feeling that energy, and lifting this title for the country is an indescribable pride. This is for India, and for everyone who believes in us. I hope this win inspires many others to follow in our path.”

Sir Paul J. Foster, President & CEO, Global Esports Federation, said: “As the Global Esports Games Mumbai comes to a close, we celebrate not only the incredible performances of our athletes, but the spirit of unity and connection that defines our global community. Mumbai has delivered exceptional energy, passion, and hospitality, reinforcing our belief that esports transcends borders and brings the world together. We are deeply grateful to our partners in India for setting a new benchmark for excellence—and we now look ahead with excitement to Los Angeles, where this journey continues on an even greater stage.”

Shripad Ashtekar, Founder of Eflag Corp, said: “Over the past few days, we have witnessed not just world-class competition, but the coming together of talent, innovation, and community on a truly global stage. We hope to keep delivering such platforms and strong foundations for future growth by unlocking new opportunities for Indian players, creators, and the broader AVGC ecosystem. We are proud to have played a key role and look forward to building on this momentum in the years ahead.”

Organized by the Global Esports Federation in partnership with Eflag Corp, with the support of Maharashtra Tourism, the Global Esports Games Mumbai was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis. Over four days, Mumbai welcomed 48 elite athletes from 19 countries, emerging from a global field of 78 nations in the Regional Qualifiers.

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