ESIC and FairPlay Academy to focus on esports integrity

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has embarked on a new initiative designed to strengthen the fairness of video gaming competitions with the help of FairPlay Academy. As esports betting becomes increasingly popular, ESIC has responded to the need to educate and help players steer clear of pitfalls such as match-fixing or betting abuse, issues that are affecting even professional athletes.

ESIC seeks to create educational resources for players, coaches, tournament, and event hosts, and even esports fans. The new tie-up strengthens some of the existing resources, including the ESIC Anti-Corruption Tutorial, and seeks to further help prevent fraud and match-fixing.

Match-fixing has been taken very seriously in the esports world, although since there is not a centralized authority regulating these sorts of competitions, it’s usually down to the publishers or tournament hosts to act. ESIC is an independent third-party organization that has been trying to offer universal solutions for the issue, however.

FairPlay Academy now wants to create a "dynamic hub" for content that helps stakeholders learn more about responsible gambling, anti-doping, and conflict of interest within the esports ecosystem.

ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna has welcomed the opportunity to see his organization work with FairPlay Academy. The partnership, Hanna noted, marks an important step forward for the ongoing efforts to tackle and address some of the more serious issues in the esports ecosystem.

"With the Anti-Corruption Tutorial leading the way, we are laying the foundation for a comprehensive educational framework that will empower stakeholders across the global esports industry," Hanna noted. Esports match-fixing is a serious problem that has had real-world consequences.

From players that have been suspended from Counter-Strike and Dota 2 competitions, to Australian police acting against match-fixers. There have been several high-profile cases involving players who have manipulated esports betting results and who have been sent to prison over this.

Electronic sports have quickly become one of the quickest-growing verticals, creating plenty of opportunities for bookmaker businesses, which are confident that they want to continue exploring them.

Multi-million prize pools have emerged as well for events such as the Call of Duty League and the Dota 2 The International, and players compete today much in the same way as professional football players, enjoying salaries, health plans, and more. Yet, as the ecosystem matures, so does the need to address the common threat of match-fixing which ESIC and FairPlay Academy are doing right now.

Image credit: ESIC