Abios: Combatting match-fixing and cheating in esports is crucial

With staggering prize pools and record-breaking viewership numbers, the esports scene is thriving. However, amidst the scene’s growth, one can easily overlook the fact that the young industry is experiencing growing pains. Among these are attempts of match-fixing and cheating, occasionally putting the credibility of the entire industry at risk.

The definition of match-fixing is to dishonestly determine the outcome of a match before it is played. As in all sports, match-fixing, unfortunately, occurs in esports on some level. While it isn’t too common in higher tiers of play, there are instances in lower tiers. 

This can either be a consequence of players betting on themselves or players being pressured by syndicates to lose on purpose. If players intentionally and clearly throw matches, it is quickly marked as a match-fixing attempt.  The difficulty lies when delving into more granular betting markets, which are starting to grow in prominence. Specific bets, such as the number of kills or deaths for players, are more prone to being fixed while simultaneously being harder to detect. 

Oskar Fröberg, the Founder and CEO of esports data provider Abios, shared his thoughts on esports’ integrity concerns, the betting sector and what to keep an eye on in 2022. 

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