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SPORTS Thursday 22 November 2018
Esports integrity chief concerned about Fortnite gambling

By JAKE SEINER
AP Sports Writer
The commissioner of the Es-
ports Integrity Coalition says
skill-based betting on battle
royale games like Fortnite
and PlayerUnknown’s Bat-
tleground could be vulner-
able to cheating.
Esports gambling website
Unikrn announced plans
last month to bring legal
skill-based betting to the
U.S., allowing players to
wager on themselves. Users
would link their game to the
Unikrn platform, and Unikrn
will generate odds for the
player based on his or her
profile within the game.
ESIC Commissioner Ian
Smith says such wagering
is likely to be popular, but
he’s concerned the indus-
try is not yet prepared to
govern it. In particular, he’s
skeptical operators like Uni-
krn have the ability to en-
sure the skill ratings of the
bettor match the abilities
of the person manning the
controls.
For instance, what would
stop a player from placing
a Fortnite bet using his or In this March 31, 2017, file photo, video game players compete against one another in an esports tournament at Caesars casino in
her account, then hand- Atlantic City, N.J.
ing the controller over to a Associated Press
more talented friend? Or, The risk that cheating may Data from games like Fort- Battle royales are an ex- ing to stop doing it, aren’t
what would prevent tal- go unnoticed is higher in nite or PUBG may be less ception, because gam- they?” Smith said. “There is
ented players from hustling battle royales than in other reliable, though, because blers can essentially only a risk to the operator in that
the system by nuking their competitive video games. battle royales have less bet on the final outcome. sense. What he really needs
game profile before plac- Battle royales are last-man- predictable outcomes. It’s “The betting on tourna- to do is provide a credible
ing a series of big bets? standing clashes between not unusual for a talented ment play is evolving slow- platform so that when you
“I’m not certain that the many competitors — Fort- player to be eliminated ly and nobody’s making go on and play, you feel
tools exist yet that would nite and PUBG host up to in the early moments of a much money out of it,” like you’re playing against
properly identify the per- 100 players per game — Fortnite match, or for less Smith said. “Everybody’s somebody of roughly your
son playing the game is the and have more volatile experienced players to interested, obviously ... but level and therefore there’s
same person who normally outcomes than multiplayer luck into a high finish. offering interesting and a decent contest of skill in-
ran that account,” Smith games like League of Leg- “The battle royale games good markets is very, very volved.”
told The Associated Press. ends or Overwatch. pose particular problems difficult at this stage.” If Unikrn or another opera-
Unikrn, a betting partner of Publishers and operators because they don’t ac- Smith believes illegal es- tor can successfully create
the ESIC, believes its Con- can use algorithms to flag tually lend themselves to ports betting in the U.S. is that platform, the payoff
nekt platform can prevent unusual performances in traditional esports formats, at least a $1 billion industry, could be huge. Smith ex-
such fraudulent betting. games like League of Leg- and therefore to tradition- much of it going to offshore pects legitimate skill-based
“We have thousands of ends because those games al betting formats,” Smith books or the dark web. betting would be wildly
players playing thousands are complex and luck is not said. Unikrn is working to bring popular.
of matches which we use a factor. The volatility is also an issue legal esports odds betting “I think if they do that right,
to understand the compet- “Just like we’re able to flag for odds-based betting on to most of the U.S., but skills- it’ll be enormously profit-
itive ecosystem of a game suspicious activity from an Fortnite or PUBG. Tradition- based betting is already le- able,” Smith said. “Because
and the players them- esportsbook customer, we al sports books have suc- gal in 41 states. there’s so many people
selves,” Unikrn CEO Rahul get a deep understanding cessfully featured odds for Peer to peer betting is still playing this game, and
Sood said in a statement of our players by the data major events in games like in its infancy, and Smith be- having something at stake
to the AP. “We pride our- in their games,” Unikrn chief League of Legends, DOTA lieves the next step is con- beyond your pride is always
selves on giving users the product officer Karl Flores and Counter-Strike for vincing potential bettors attractive, whatever game
best experience, which we said in a statement to the years in Asia and Europe. they’ll get a fair shake on you look at. From guys play-
can only do with a person- AP. “Basic elements, such Unikrn hopes to widen the such wagers. ing snooker or golf or any
al knowledge of how they as checking for suspicious breadth of wagers avail- “If people feel they’re get- game, putting a bit of mon-
enjoy gaming. That same IP address changes, and able, capitalizing on the ting ripped off by boosters ey on a handshake gener-
personal knowledge is key more complex game infor- fact that most esports lend and smurfers and guys who ally adds something to that
to ensuring integrity in all mation are together used themselves well to prop play well above their rating situation, and I see no rea-
wagering elements of our to build player models and bets and in-game wager- in terms of a match-making son why that wouldn’t be
platform.” create gamer fingerprints.” ing. system, they’re simply go- true of Fortnite.”q