SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
It has been announced today that the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has entered into a collaborative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Esports Integrity Coalition (ESIC).
This move which is ‘in the interests of protecting and maintaining the integrity of esports and esports betting’ is another step in the right direction by ESIC. ESIC has been amassing regulated and official partners throughout esports in a bid to strengthen its integrity and avoid any major incidents moving forward. Current partners include tournament hosts such as ESL and DreamHack, data companies such as Sportradar, regulators like the MGA, bookmakers such as Betway and Pinnacle, and more.
The aim of this MoU is to foster cooperation between the two entities to avoid the manipulation of esports events and competitions. The MGA, in collaboration with its licensed operators, will provide information on suspicious betting patterns to assist ESIC with its investigations or insider betting connected with esports events and competitions.
ESIC Integrity Commissioner Ian Smith said: “We are delighted that the Malta Gaming Authority has agreed to work with us in making esports a safer wagering environment.
“The MGA is a very highly respected regulator of sports betting and it has been a pleasure developing this information sharing mechanism with them. Adding the experience and vital information of our other partners in the information exchange to the Authority’s intelligence database and vice versa will undoubtedly strengthen all our efforts considerably.”
Joseph Cuschieri, Chairman of the MGA stated: “I am very pleased that we signed this MoU with ESIC. Keeping abuse and crime out of sports betting is high on our agenda and the MGA will always be at the forefront to collaborate in such matters both locally and internationally”.
If you’re interested in learning more about integrity and esports betting, ESIC’s Chairman Kevin Carpenter will be speaking on a panel alongside ESL UK MD James Dean and Eric Konings of Kindred at Betting on Esports in London in September (13-15). Dom Sacco of the British Esports Association will moderate.
