Cheating
Cheating in video games is nothing new. Indeed, the act may be as old as the medium itself. Who hasn’t even given in to this temptation? This type of cheating can be relatively harmless.
However, it becomes problematic when it comes to competitive situations, such as B. in online multiplayer. If you then add money, the whole issue is seen in a completely different light. That’s when the FBI could get involved, as it did recently with the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive scene.
FBI
In an interview on the slash32 YouTube channel, the head of the eSports Integrity Commission, Ian Smith, spoke about the ongoing investigations in the world of professional CS: GO.
According to Smith, his group is now working with the FBI to investigate alleged match-fixing taking place in the North American Mountain Dew League, also known as the MDL.
What makes this revelation even more intriguing is the fact that Smith claims that the players don’t hatch these machinations themselves. They don’t work together to take a few losses and share the profits. Instead, Smith says some players are being bribed by outside betting syndicates to manipulate games.
In that regard, what happens in the MDL is not unlike a rigged boxing match in which a fighter is paid to go down. Since there is an active betting scene around professional Counter-Strike matches and the competition now seems to be influenced in some way by outside money, the FBI is on the case.
Consequences
That probably means that anyone involved in the match-fixing can expect incredibly harsh penalties. Some of these professional players and those who claim to sponsor them could even face jail time.
Smith says he has evidence ready that he may post in the future. However, now that the FBI is involved, it could be many weeks before they are allowed to make this information public.
Here you can see the interview with Ian Smith: