Russian players caught in Dota 2 betting scam face ban
Once more, the downside of the professionalization in eSports is highlighted. Dota 2 player Leonid "Sonic" Kuzmenkov and Dmitri "Ax.Mo" Morozov from "Team Dx" have been banned from eSports events due to match-fixing. The Russian players are believed to have tampered with a match during the Uprise Champions Cup (UCC).
Rumors of a suspicious game flow against Team Yellow Submarine circulated from a teammate, Roman "Scandal" Sadotenkov. He accused his two teammates of intentionally losing the game in September. These suspicions were later confirmed by meticulous investigations. Both the UCC organizer and the eSports Integrity Coalition (ESIC) dug deeper into the matter, aided by betting data analysts from Sportradar. Distinctive betting patterns around the game caught their attention. However, it is yet unknown if the two players themselves or third parties placed bets on Team Dx's loss. Both athletes have been disqualified from UCC events for two whole years. Possible bans from other organizers might follow.
It's emotionally draining to witness young eSports athletes fall prey to the temptation of match manipulation. However, I still hold out hope that this decision will serve as a warning.
Ian Smith, Head of the ESIC
This is not the first incident of its kind in eSports. Over twenty players in Dota 2 alone have been barred from competing in tournaments due to similar offenses. The allure of cheating is high, especially for athletes who don't earn enough from prize money to sustain their livelihoods in the middle leagues. These athletes are easily tempted into dishonesty.
Sportradar's data experts are vital in uncovering such schemes. They don't just monitor eSports but also various other sports betting markets. Through analyzing billions of data points, they identify suspicious patterns. This system continuously scans about 550 market participants, such as bookmakers and lotteries, to ensure fair play in many sports events. The company claims to be able to generate a comprehensive betting report for any sports event in less than 72 hours. The exact role of the system in this Team Dx vs. Yellow Submarine dispute is unclear. Ian Smith, the Head of the ESIC, is convinced of the system's usefulness:
"Sportradar's sophisticated fraud detection system has helped us detect global betting irregularities and strengthen our commitment to honest and fair eSports."
The integrity of sporting events is crucial, especially in a burgeoning market like eSports. While somewhat overshadowed, match manipulations should not be ignored. In the gaming scene, cheating - through aimbots or transparent walls (wallhacks) - causes more commotion. It's a serious issue in the amateur sector and is infuriating to other players. But match manipulations can't be overlooked either. With the eSports market booming, other criminals also see this as an opportunity. While top stars have decent earnings, lower-league players might be more susceptible to the financial bait of match fixing.
It's debatable if a two-year ban is enough of a deterrent. Back in 2014, the entire iBuypower team in Counter-Strike was banned for life after deliberately losing a match. However, some tournament organizers have forgiven these players. For now, the Russian Dota 2 players are only forbidden from participating in the UCC tournament series. Valve, the publisher of Counter-Strike, could negatively impact this type of offence more by enforcing bans themselves. If not, eSports match manipulations may remain a persistent issue.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
