Esports Integrity Coalition sign information sharing Memorandum of Understanding with NGCB

The Esports Integrity Coalition (“ESIC”) has signed an information sharing Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the Nevada Gaming Control Board (“NGCB”) as it continues to fight against betting fraud in esports worldwide.

Credit: Bastion Media
NGCB Chairman AG Burnett and ESIC Commissioner Ian Smith

The MOU allows the two organisations to share information regarding suspicious bets as well as other information related to betting fraud and potential match fixing in esports without further formality. 

The memorandum thus facilitates the real time exchange of vital data that can help prevent corruption in esports and thus enhances the activities of ESIC and its other betting and regulatory partners as they aim to combat betting fraud in the burgeoning esports industry.

The NGCB will work with ESIC’s ever-expanding panel of betting partners and regulators to exchange information that, in the case of match manipulation and betting fraud allows each party to make quick, pro-active decisions. This can include real-time decisions about betting events; including whether to close markets, void bets, initiate investigations and/or work with a tournament organisers, team or players to determine what, if anything, happened and deal with the consequences accordingly. 

Esports Integrity Commissioner Ian Smith said, “We are delighted that the Nevada Board have agreed to work with us as they start their journey in the regulation of esports wagering. The GCB is the gold standard in the regulation of sports betting in the US and it has already been a pleasure working with them. Adding the experience and vital information of our other partners in the information exchange to the Board’s intelligence database and vice versa will undoubtedly strengthen all our efforts considerably.”

Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman, AG Burnett, commented, “As wagering on esports grows in Nevada, it is important for the GCB to work with integrity-focused groups such as ESIC. This MOU will allow for the exchange of information and sharing of data that goes toward our mutual goals of ensuring wagering on esports is done safely, with integrity and a focus on removing the chances of issues arising with esports betting.”

Esports Insider says: ESIC continue their great work in tackling the very real threat of match manipulation in esports. Nevada is held in extremely high esteem around the world when it comes to regulation and this MOU just goes to show how far esports and ESIC have come in such a short space of time.