The esports Integrity Coalition (ESIC) was officially launched today in London, where media and attendees were introduced to the first esports Integrity Commissioner Ian Smith. ESIC is a not for profit members’ association created to provide an overarching integrity function for professional esports. In particular, in response to the rapidly increasing threat of betting fraud arising from a burgeoning esports betting market, the aim of ESIC is to be the recognised guardian of the integrity of esports and to take responsibility for disruption, prevention, investigation and prosecution of all forms of cheating, including, but not limited to, match manipulation and doping.

ESIC is open to all professional esports stakeholders and will operate with as much openness and transparency as possible. Policy and projects will be determined by the members for the members in the interests of esports.

ESIC has created a Programme for acceptance and implementation by professional esports stakeholders – primarily tournament organisers and platforms, games publishers and licenced and regulated bookmakers offering esports betting markets – that consists of a Participant Code of Conduct, an Anti-Corruption Code, an Anti-Doping Policy and an independent Disciplinary Procedure based on principles of natural justice. The Programme can be found published in full on the ESIC website – www.esportsintegrity.com

The ESIC Programme was designed to provide solutions for the threats to esports integrity identified by the Threat Assessment carried out in 2015 and also available on the ESIC website. The Programme owes a debt to cricket’s anti-corruption programme, widely acknowledged as one of the best systems in traditional sports having evolved over a decade and a half of dealing with real and challenging corruption and match-fixing cases in multiple jurisdictions.