The following seven esports players have been banned from participating in competitive CS:GO events organized or promoted by members of ESIC, including leading competition organizers ESL, DreamHack, WePlay, and Blast:
- Stephen “sjanastasi” Anastasi of Team Lakers
- Daryl “Mayker” May of Ground Zero Gaming
- Akram “akram” Smida and Corey “netik” Browne of Rooster
- Damian “JD/The Real Goat” Simonovic, Carlos “Rackem” Jefferys, and Joshua “jhd” Hough-Devine, all of Team Rooster 2
It is important to note that ESIC did not disclose which players bet on their own matches and which players bet on matches they were not involved in. However, betting on any matches within their own sport is a violation of article 2.2.1 of the ESIC Anti-Corruption Code. Additionally, ESIC discovered that some “associates of the offending parties” were also involved in betting on the players’ matches, which violates article 2.2.2 of the code.
ESIC emphasized the significant fraud and integrity risks esports faces when players engage in inappropriate betting behavior. They urged professional players to understand the seriousness of breaching the Anti-Corruption Code and to refrain from placing bets on the game they earn an income from to uphold the integrity of the international esports landscape and prevent exploitation by bad actors.
ESIC mentioned that these suspensions are part of an ongoing investigation, and further punishment may be imposed on the seven players upon the investigation’s completion. The integrity body also reported the matter to Australian law enforcement for potential legal action.
ESIC is currently conducting a wider investigation into potential anti-corruption breaches in the MDL in both Australia and North America, including instances of match-fixing. The nature of match-fixing investigations makes the process significantly complex, and ESIC will provide updates as the investigations progress. Your patience is appreciated in the meantime.
In September, ESIC announced that they were nearing the end of this investigation.
