Image credit: ESIC, GG.Bet
Esports betting platform GG.Bet has signed a three-year deal with the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) in an attempt to battle corruption in esports through player and coach education.
The agreement will see GG.BET support ESIC’s anti-corruption video tutorial series which aims to support players and other stakeholders about the pitfalls of betting as a participant in a game.
GG.bet will also become a ‘Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Supporter’, which ESIC claims would reinforce the bookmaker’s commitment to creating a fair and secure environment for players and stakeholders.
The deal is by no means ESIC’s first in the space. Multiple esports companies including Esports Charts, PandaScore and Promod Esports, among others, have partnered with the non-profit regulator to support its anti-corruption investigation and education efforts.
According to Absolute Reports, the esports betting market was worth roughly $10.03bn (~£8.8bn) in 2021, with predicted growth of ~13% per year. Esports remains an attractive business proposition for endemic bookmakers like GG.BET and non-endemic companies like Bet365.
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One famous example occurred during a match in 2014 which saw American team iBUYPOWER throw a game to NetCodeGuides—an offence which led to long competitive play suspensions for four of the five players involved.
ESIC’s Director of Global Strategy and Partnerships, Stephen Hanna, commented, “Partnerships like this one with GG.BET are critical to our mission of promoting integrity and preventing corruption in esports. We’re grateful for their support and look forward to working together over the next three years to create a stronger, safer esports industry for all.”
Patrick is a freelance writer for ESI based in London, reporting on esports marketing and partnerships trends. He’s currently playing VALORANT and Overwatch but always looking for the next big thing in competitive gaming.
