Match-Fixing in Esports: A Scoping Review of Skin-Betting

Abstract

Match-fixing threatens the integrity of sport, violating the unpredictability of outcome from which sport derives its special value. This threat harms the economic product of sport as well, posing a threat to the sustainability of the sport leagues around the world. Discovering match-fixing in esports involves different challenges compared to traditional sports, such as the anonymity inherent to "skin-betting”. This scoping review identifies a gap in the literature related to match-fixing in esports through skin-betting, and it moves the conversation towards a recognition of potential criminal exploitation of esports. The presented evaluation of esports match-fixing occurs under the lens of routine activities theory and drift theory. These theories suggest that the risk of criminal exploitation in esports is embedded in the anonymity skin-betting provides in virtual spaces for potential offenders. Esports thus faces a different risk of match-fixing compared to traditional sports that the esports industry is unprepared to address. Potential solutions are presented to complete the discussion and establish a foundation for future academic discourse of the topic at hand.