BETER joins ESIC to bolster esports integrity

• ESIC has welcomed BETER as its latest Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Supporter
• BETER is known for its numerous monthly events, and in-house integrity program
• The partnership between the two organizations will help bolster esports integrity globally

BETER, a company that specializes in the provision of betting content, data, and live streaming, has become a Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Supporter for the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), a global watchdog that aims to root out fraud and crime in competitive video gaming.

Esports’ popularity has made them a prime target for criminal syndicates, who target players and convince them to engage in match-fixing.

Corruption in esports is a real threat, but ESIC has an action plan in place

By joining ESIC, BETER is going to bolster the independent watchdog’s efforts to stamp out such practices and ensure data and best practices sharing across border to target fraud in esports and esports betting in a way similar to how the International Betting Integrity Association pools the efforts of its own members to flag suspicious betting activity.

Fraud in esports betting is more common than onlookers may think, with some jurisdictions, such as Australia, even going after match-fixers in electronic sports as criminals – competitors have been arrested and tried in Down Under, for example.

As an ESIC member, BETER will seek to help bolster the watchdog’s monitoring and intelligence functions. BETER is itself running 36,000 monthly esports events, which will contribute to the sprawling database of events that are tracked for foul play. BETER has also worked hard on ensuring that any event it lists is adequately monitored for possible collusion and match-fixing.

Through its Integrity BOOTCAMP program, the company has kept a close eye on its esports events and developed a comprehensive reporting system that allows it to flag irregularities with its in-house team and has flagged less than 0.01% of its events as problematic.

BETER focused on esports integrity and keeping close tabs on its events

BETER Chief Integrity Officer Andrii Nekrutov has welcomed the opportunity to work closely with the ESIC and ensure that the company’s signature ESportsBattle tournaments fit the regulator’s high standards for integrity while contributing to the regulator’s own monitoring capacity.

"The team looks forward to working with the Commission to improve the esports ecosystem by eradicating match-fixing and bolstering principles of fair play. We have done a great job of this with our esports tournaments and believe we can help do the same for the wider industry," Nekrutov said.

ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna was similarly pleased to see the company join the watchdog’s partner program, demonstrating its commitment to "integrity, transparency, and fair play within the global esports ecosystem."

Image credit: BETER