FIFA eSports betting scandal: Investigators search homes in two countries

In the “ESports Battle Football” series, several individuals are alleged to have deliberately manipulated matches. One player has already been convicted, and now two further suspects are under investigation.

The case actually appeared to have been closed, but it is now being reopened: between November 2022 and November 2024, matches in the “ESports Battle Football” series on FIFA were rigged. Until now, the fraud committed by participant Sergii Kryvenko was the main focus. As reported by Censor.net, citing the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, the 28-year-old Ukrainian was part of a six-person group that was active from November 2022 to October 2024. It consisted of an organiser, a co-organiser and four players. The members placed bets with both legal and illegal bookmakers – most of which were registered in Asian countries – on predetermined results of “ESports Battle Football” matches. Kryvenko subsequently paid opponents to lose their matches.

According to the prosecution, Kryvenko took part in four rigged matches: three on 1 December 2022 and another on 18 March 2023. For the first three defeats, he received a total of 5,000 US dollars via a cryptocurrency exchange; for the fourth match, a further 3,976 US dollars. In total, he thus received US$8,976. As part of a plea agreement with the prosecution, the Ukrainian pleaded guilty. In July 2026, he was sentenced to two years’ restriction of liberty. However, due to his remorse and his cooperation with the investigators, he was released on probation.

Two further suspects under scrutiny

However, the case is not yet closed. As reported by Talkesport, in September, with the support of Interpol, Europol and the local police, properties in Spain and Germany were searched. During these searches, investigators seized mobile phones, computer equipment and handwritten notes. The public prosecutor’s office stated that one member of the group had already been convicted of deliberately fixing FIFA matches for the purpose of betting.

According to Talkesport, the description matches the aforementioned earlier case, although Kryvenko is not named in the new indictment. Furthermore, the police have identified two further suspects. The authorities are currently assessing whether to issue an international arrest warrant for them. They are accused of breaching Article 369-3 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which governs the unlawful influencing of the results of official sporting competitions.

BETER under fire as an organiser

BETER is the main target of the criticism. The company organises tournaments whilst also offering betting on them – in both sport and esports. On 5 May 2025, BETER joined the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) as a “Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Supporter”. The incidents under investigation therefore took place before this partnership began.

In the course of the investigations, the ESIC, when asked by The Esports Advocate, commented critically on this business model: “This structure poses integrity risks and potential conflicts that require external scrutiny. It is precisely for this reason that the ESIC has developed the ‘Gold Standard’. Our assessment covers security measures such as access controls, monitoring, the conduct of players and staff, training, reporting and cooperation with the ESIC. Internal monitoring alone is not sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the regulations.” BETER was also asked for a statement but did not respond.