James Watson, the head of eSports at Sportradar, resigns due to a betting scandal.
After completing their internal inquiry, Sportradar has severed ties with James Watson, the company's former eSports head. Reports suggest that Watson had placed personal wagers—violating Sportradar's regulations. The exact details regarding the use of insider information still remain unclear.
The investigation was kickstarted by Rahul Sood, CEO of Unikrn, a gambling platform for eSports. On March 14, 2018, Sood took to Twitter to accuse Watson of manipulating others and aggressively betting on multiple accounts. Simultaneously, Sood criticized Watson's derogatory comments about Unikrn and shunned further dialogue after Sood confronted him in Unikrn's communication platform. Sood later implied that anybody engaging in such misconduct in his own company would be forced to seek employment in another industry.
With these accusations, Sportradar found itself in a tricky situation. As a data company that prides itself on the integrity of the betting industry, the organization was compelled to initiate an investigation. The investigation's results demonstrated that Watson did not use insider information or attempt to manipulate prices, but rather disregarded Sportradar's internal rules, simply by engaging in wagering. Sportradar rejects claims of manipulation and instead emphasizes smaller bets placed by the eSports expert. This assessment is also held by the "eSports Integrity Coalition".
Sportradar's swift action - for a valid reason
However, Sportradar's prompt response may have been influenced more by the potential negative publicity than an infringement of internal policies. Watson's actions, shared with thousands of readers on Sportradar's Twitter page, presented the risk of significant harm to the company's image. Therefore, a public announcement on Watson's departure was prudent to dissociate Sportradar from the allegations.
Given the prevalent concerns regarding manipulation in the young eSports betting market, reputable organizations like Sportradar serve vital roles. Established control frameworks to regulate betting in this sector are relatively limited, with professional players being considered vulnerable to influence due to their relatively lower salaries. With Sportradar providing crucial data to bookmakers, facilitating the creation of odds, the company must maintain an impeccable public reputation. The eSports and related wagers are perceived as a lucrative niche, with Sportradar at the vanguard since 2014, investing in high-quality data for bookmakers. The company frequently emphasizes the paramount importance of the integrity of these bets, placing quality above quantity.
Watson offers no public response
James Watson, now a former Sportradar employee, has yet to speak out about these occurrences publicly. On his LinkedIn profile, he acknowledges his gratitude towards Sportradar for the past six years, noting that it was time for a change. However, Watson remains silent about the events leading to his departure from the company.
Watson has already started hunting for a new job—within the betting and eSports space.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
