Esports media holding company WePlay Esports has officially joined the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), in order to aid efforts in detecting malpractice and manipulation of competitive matches during its esports events.
Since 2012, the company has organised and broadcast online esports tournaments and LAN finals, and also works providing competitive gaming services, brand integration into esports, and media rights sales.
Amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, esports betting has seen a rise in popularity, WePlay said.
This has also led to increases in attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in esports titles for profit by manipulating match results.
The business has previously shared information to support ESIC’s recent investigations into the Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) “spectator bug”, after which ESIC issued more than 34 bans to professional CS:GO coaches.
Joining ESIC was a natural next step, WePlay said, ahead of plans to expand into new esports titles and create new tournament circuits in 2021 and beyond.
“We are happy to have such a formidable ally in the enforcement of fair play in WePlay Esports events,” WePlay Esports general manager Oleh Humeniuk said.
“Participation in ESIC shows to both players and partners that we are taking competitive integrity very seriously and apply a zero-tolerance policy to match manipulations of any kind.”
ESIC commissioner Ian Smith added: “As a tournament operator that has been engaging with ESIC for some time, we are happy to have WePlay transition into full membership with ESIC.”
“WePlay joins a prestigious list of tournament operators who have pledged a commitment to standardising an approach to competitive integrity in esports. WePlay’s commitment to ESIC is a reflection of the fact that WePlay values a safe, and healthy esports industry.”
