The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has expanded its global integrity network with the addition of Stake as what it calls an “Official Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner.” This collaboration is reportedly aimed at reinforcing fair play and transparency across competitive gaming.
The partnership brings together ESIC’s regulatory efforts and Stake, a major bookmaker in the esports gambling space.
As outlined in ESIC’s announcement, made by release on Nov. 25, the Anti-Corruption Supporter program relies heavily on the involvement of betting operators and related industry entities capable of identifying, analyzing, and escalating suspicious betting patterns.
ESIC states that these insights are critical for detecting match-fixing, illicit gambling behaviors by participants, and broader integrity risks that threaten competitive fairness. Through this partnership, Stake will reportedly contribute data and monitoring support to ESIC’s integrity systems, enhancing the commission’s ability to investigate issues in real time.
ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna explained the importance of shared responsibility in protecting the future of esports.
“The addition of Stake to ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter network reinforces the sentiment that integrity is a shared responsibility. ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program relies on the active collaboration of partners like Stake, whose operational insights contribute directly to our ability to identify and mitigate integrity threats. Together, we are building a stronger foundation of trust and accountability that supports the sustainable growth of esports worldwide.”
– ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna
Jarrod Febbraio, director of Stake, also commented:
“This partnership formalizes Stake’s commitment to protecting integrity and transparency across the global esports ecosystem. As the world’s leading online-first betting operator, supporting the industry is central to our strategy and our scale makes this collaboration with ESIC essential to safeguarding its integrity. Together, we’re ensuring the ecosystem remains fair, transparent, and trusted by fans and participants worldwide.”
– Jarrod Febbraio, director of Stake
Stake is a well-known crypto-based gambling platform based in Curaçao. It has deep ties to the streaming platform Kick, which was co-founded by Stake’s founders Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani.
ESIC, the Esports Integrity Commission is an organization that investigates and prosecutes cheating and malpractice in esports. They aim to stamp out match-fixing, doping, and other issues within the space, working with teams, leagues, players, and stakeholders to create a unified standard for competition and integrity.
By joining ESIC’s top tier of anti-corruption partners, Stake aligns itself with broader industry efforts to mitigate integrity threats that could compromise the credibility of esports. However, this announcement has drawn a mixed reaction from observers, who point to the danger of ESIC partnering with the very companies it seeks to monitor and hold accountable.
Featured image credit: ESIC
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