The FBI is apparently investigating fraud in professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive matches in North America.
As noted by Kotaku, the commissioner of the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) Ian Smith said the organization was working with the FBI on an ongoing investigation into “a relatively small but significant group of players over a long period of time and to organize match-fixing in the North American MDL”.
“[It’s] what I would describe as classic match-fixing – players are bribed by outside-betting syndicates to correct matches, rather than players doing it opportunistically from their own bat. It’s been going on for a long time, [and] it’s much more organized, ‘Smith told YouTuber.
“So we are working again to some extent with law enforcement and the FBI, which recently had a sports betting investigation unit within the FBI. They are good, but they are inexperienced because sports betting has never been a big deal in America until recently. then, so everyone finds their feet on one. ‘
As for the ongoing Australian investigation? Back in January, the ESIC announced sanctions against 35 Australian CS: GO players who violated the Anti-Corruption Code, and the seven who received sanctions in October 2020 are very good. Two players who were approved last year also had their bans. expanded.
The sanctions were issued to players who bet on matches in ESIC member events, including on their own matches or their team matches. The ban ranges from a 12-month ban for players betting on matches, to a level five of 60 months for a serious bet against their own team.
Smith says we will hear more about these charges soon.
“I am optimistic that within the next ten days to two weeks we can be in public with this soon,” the commissioner added. ‘The betting scandal in Australia, even though it was a large group of players – and there’s definitely a match-fixing there, and we’re working with law enforcement there, it’s taking a lot longer there once you start working with the police.
“Luckily in Australia these are criminal offenses. So it’s going to take a lot longer to coordinate it all with the police. We have a lot of good cases there, and if we were to just act alone, we would be announcing the prosecutions now. But it is not all 42 guys who bet; it’s a much smaller group that not only bet but also manipulated the outcomes. ‘