• abhishek deshpande
• December 3, 2024

Competition Manipulation in Esports and Video Gaming: Key Issues and Considerations

Introduction

Esports and gaming have made it to the mainstream. Globally, it has seen continuous growth for the last few years. According to estimates esports combined with video gaming has reached US $ 228 billion in terms of revenues. Having become a new vertical segment for entertainment and media companies, it is expected to achieve further growth and reach US $ 300 billion in terms of revenues in coming years.

Following the spotlight, many interested parties have followed the suit and are looking to further contribute to the development of esports including private companies, leagues, sponsors, and sport’s governing bodies etc. Esports have further reached the milestone after the recent decision to create Olympic Esport Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Governments around the world are also supporting the development of esports industry. For example, the governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are committing to support the development of esports and gaming industry including in terms of funding, talent, infrastructure and regulation.

For achieving further legitimacy, it becomes a responsibility of all stakeholders involved in the development of esports to prevent any threats which may result into corrupt behavior or manipulation of competitions. Competition manipulation or as it is widely known as match-fixing has been a subject of discussion in traditional sport for decades and esports, especially after the tremendous growth and investment has not been an exception.

Although significant efforts have been made by stakeholders in and outside of the esports industry to deal with this multifaceted threat which hampers the very unpredictability and challenges the mere integrity and credibility, more efforts need to be taken in order to tackle the problem effectively.

This article will present some of the key issues in esports related to competition manipulation and considerations for stakeholders.

Key Issues and Considerations To Tackle Competition Manipulation in Esports:

1. Lack of Structure and Uniformity in Governance:

Esports does not have a specific governing body, which makes it challenging to fight against competition manipulation. It elevates the challenge of regulation and governance standards as an industry as well as significantly affects coordination amongst stakeholders, especially related to governance and data exchange.

Establishing Partnerships and Development of Codes:

In absence of a specific governing body, it is important for all the stakeholders involved to develop partnerships for effectively setting industry standards, establishing relevant codes as well as monitoring compliance.

In this context, the role of the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has become important in the fight against wrongdoings and specifically in terms of competition manipulation internationally. ESIC is partnering with governments, betting agencies, leagues, competition organizers and developers with a view to uphold the integrity in esports .

In relation to esports, publishers or game developers hold a key position in the esports ecosystem . Publishers or games developers can consider developing codes for protecting its competitions and setting up their own integrity units. For example, Riot Games, a publisher which runs its own competitions has its own Esports Global Code of Conduct to protect the competitions and where appropriate monitor, investigate and sanction players involved in the breach of the code.

2. Evolving Role of Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Protecting the Ecosystem:

Continuous evolvement and development in technologies as well as in the emerging area of artificial intelligence (AI) supports different stakeholders in different capacities, for example, for betting operators to develop new products as well as to attract new customers. On the other hand, it presents ethical concerns such as anonymity behind the virtual screen for those who are involved in manipulation.

Strengthening Coordination with Governments, Law Enforcement Agencies, Sport Organizations and Data Providers:

To tackle the emerging issues of technology and AI the competition organizers can work hand in hand with governments, intergovernmental and international organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL including with its Match-Fixing Task Force, sport organizations and specific units such as the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions and other stakeholders with a view to maintain the credibility of competitions as well as to sanction those involved wherever necessary with the due process of law or the applicable regulations.

The coordination can also be established at the national level with a view to effectively tackle the problem. For example, in the Republic of Korea, Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA) works closely with the government agencies.

Data providers, especially those who monitor and provide data to esports competition organizers can support with monitoring, analyzing, identifying and reporting irregular betting patterns. Data providers can also establish effective compliance programs for their members and partner organizations.

3. The Problem of Switching Over:

The problem of switching over is a unique and significant challenge in esports. Switching over relates to changing or switching over games by players who have already been sanctioned for offences related to competition manipulation by organizers of the competition. Allowing players to continue playing with a different team under competitions by different organizers after they have been banned may allow players to escape sanctions.

Developing Rules and Regulations Related to Switching Over:

Stakeholders can develop strict rules related to player switching games under competitions by different organizers after they have been banned for competition manipulation. Stakeholders can collectively develop a list of players banned for competition manipulation violations, which will allow different competition organizers to extend the ban in their competitions.

4. Average Age and Vulnerability:

According to research available, it is important to take a note that the average age of retirement for an esports professional player is comparatively low to a traditional sports player . Therefore, it is highly likely that at young age players are vulnerable for corrupt approaches for manipulators.

Implementing Educational Initiatives:

The investigation in the first Australian Law Enforcement Investigation into match-fixing in esports in 2019 underlined that esports players are often young adults and could be more susceptible to corrupt approaches by criminal entities due to lack of focus on integrity and education by game developers.

Integrity education related to competition manipulation bears a huge value in the fight against it. Stakeholders including competition organizers, publishers, governments, sport organizations can invest in educating esports players worldwide.

Conclusion

Esports are not immune from the menace of competition manipulation. If goes unchecked, it bears a huge risk of infiltration by manipulators and organized criminal groups.

As esports ecosystem develops further, stakeholders must take the lead in safeguarding it from such problems including by establishing partnerships, strengthening coordination networks, developing relevant rules and regulations as well as implementing educational initiatives. Only by safeguarding the integrity, sustainable growth of esports can be ensured.

References

• Perspectives: Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024–2028
• IOC enters a new era with the creation of Olympic Esports Games
• KSA emerges as a significant player in the global Esports market
• https://esic.gg/about/
• Mastering the esports and gaming ecosystem
• Esports Global Code of Conduct
• Zohn, A., Bleakley, P. (2023). Match-Fixing in Esports: A Scoping Review of Skin-Betting. Journal of Gambling Issues.
• Korean League of Legends scandal exposed after attempted suicide
• Quick Take: Match-fixing in Esports
• Victoria Police and Esports integrity commission collaborate in fight against match-fixing