Australian Overwatch Contenders Could Be Linked To Organized Crime
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Australian Overwatch Contenders Under Investigation For Links To Organized Crime
An Australian Overwatch team is under investigation for possible involvement in betting crimes. via: Activision-Blizzard Earlier this year multiple Australian players were arrested as part of an ongoing match-fixing investigation. Now, Australian police are investigating an unnamed Overwatch Contenders team as well. Victoria Police's Sporting Integrity Intelligence unit is looking into "betting anomalies" claims, according to . The eight Australian teams participating in the event are Athletico, Ground Zero Gaming, Legacy Esports, Melbourne Mavericks, Warriors, Order, Mindfreak G, and Sydney Drop Bears, but police haven't disclosed which team is under investigation. The Overwatch Contenders league, for those who haven't heard, is a tournament series for pro players who have aspirations to play in the Overwatch League. Essentially, it's the minor leagues for . Most teams in the Overwatch League also have established Academy teams for developing talent. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY During the Counter-Strike investigation in August, police say they were tipped off by a company that participated in the betting, but it's unknown at this time what caused the Overwatch investigation. According to a police statement, as much as $30,000 may have been made through rigged Counter-Strike matches. Many of the teams involved in the Contenders Leagues have teams participating in other esports, so the investigation could lead to something bigger. via: Activision-Blizzard Gambling on sports is popular in Australia, according to an . According to the report, Australians spent $209 billion on sports betting in 2016-2017, which averages out to $11,000 per adult. Sports betting is legal in Australia, but heavily regulated. While police investigations into illegal sports betting isn't uncommon, police commissioner Neil Paterson told ABC that the Counter-Strike investigation was the "first of its kind." Betting on esports is a fast-growing category in online gambling, on pace to reach according to a report from . Several years ago Counter-Strike go players used to gamble using in-game skins, although a cease and desist letter by Valve in 2016 cut down on "skin gambling" by a meaningful margin. The fact that people are being arrested anywhere for esports gambling could have wider ramifications. Esports hasn't quite broken into mainstream culture yet, despite being largely profitable, but now that they're under more scrutiny it's possible that there are more arrests to come. Sources: , NEXT: