The FBI are Investigating Counter Strike Match Fixing in the U.S.

Where theres money to be made, there are people looking to fix it in their favor. Unfortunately for the Counter Strike community, this exact problem has gotten so bad that the FBI are getting involved.

According to a recent online interview with Commissioner of the Esports Integrity Commission Ian Smith, the organization is working alongside the Victoria Police to manage an ongoing match fixing problem within the professional Australian Counter Strike world. They then reveal that an investigation is also happening in North America for a smaller, but still relevant, problem.

[This is what] I would describe as classic match fixing players being bribed by outside betting syndicates in order to fix matches, rather than players just doing it off their own bat opportunistically, and its being going on for longer, its much more organized. So again, to some extent were working with law enforcement and the FBI, who only recently have had a sports betting investigative unit within the FBI.

Smith appears confidant in the progress the ESIC has made towards preventing match fixing and seeking charges for those at fault.

Im optimistic that well be able to go public with this soon, within the next 10 days to 2 weeks.
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Fortunately in Australia, these are criminal offenses. So getting it all coordinated with the police takes a lot longer. Weve got great solid cases there, and if it was just us acting alone, wed announce those prosecutions now.

With betting laws a much younger idea in the United States, there arent as firm or clear of regulations in place. This makes the investigation and prosecution of illegal game betting slower to take place, causing the NA division to be delayed.

Just dont gamble on games. Legal or not, youll save yourself a lot of trouble that way.