Matchfixing and corruption is terrible in esports right now. The FBI is going to set up a unit to help set things right in the world of esports. Back in April, we talked about how the ESIC was going to work together with the FBI on charges of matchfixing. While the exact purpose and scope of this forthcoming unit is unknown, it could very well also lead to stopping matchfixing and corruption in the world of esports. The primary aim for this is “sports” in general, but it will reportedly include esports.

The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act was a response by the US to allegations of the Russian government using state-sponsored doping in sports. There are now penalties for individuals who commit “international doping fraud conspiracies.” We’re not certain if that would affect esports though. This new FBI Esports Unit isn’t quite so limited.

The head of this new FBI Sports and Esports Unit is Joseph Gillespie and is a part of the new Sport and Gaming Initiative. This group sounds like they are focused on transnational sports competitions. They also have power here domestically to deal with corruption in the world of sports. We’re glad it’s not just about doping, though Adderal abuse in esports is a serious issue. The FBI Esports unit also has an interest in “Potential match-fixing and gambling-related crimes.”

There is plenty of criminal elements involved in international esports. It can also affect American esports events, thus the creation of this event. This unit has in the past worked with a sports bribery unit, and would likely still be involved in that realm. Then there’s the matter of organized crime and sports corruption. This typically goes down in the form of match-fixing. We’ve discussed this in the past, such as the Dota 2 Newbee ban. There was talk of criminal elements at the matches, with little fear of reciprocity.

Having a unit of the FBI focused on esports corruption and traditional sports corruption is genuinely fascinating. With how much money there is in the world of sports, it’s not a surprise that it would lead to criminal endeavors. Just because people can legally bet on esports now, that doesn’t mean people will stop illegal betting houses. There’s a lot of problems in the world of esports right now, and if this can stop some of the major corruption problems, that could only be good news.