ESIC exposes biggest esports match-fixing scandal of 2025
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has issued a report on ATOX Esports, causing an uproar in the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) community. Seven players, analysts, and staff members of the Mongolian organisation have been suspended, with some receiving lifetime bans, due to suspected match-fixing.
Timeline of the events
In late 2024, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) received allegations of match-fixing involving the ATOX Esports team during an ESL Pro League Season 20 match against Team Falcons. ESIC shared a preliminary notice through its Suspicious Betting Alert Network (SBAN) to verify irregularities.
Further, ESIC launched a formal investigation into ATOX’s roster, issuing Notices of Charge on 13 February 2025 against multiple players. As new evidence emerged, ESIC revised the Notices of Charge on 5 March 2025 and suspended the implicated participants from all ESIC competitions pending the investigation’s conclusion. On 15 April 2025, through a Notice of Enforcement Action.
Lifetime bans for major offenders
Gan-Erdene ‘dobu’ Batbold, a long-time CS2 veteran from Mongolia, has been issued a lifetime ban. ESIC’s research uncovered his heavy involvement in planning several match-fixing conspiracies.
Bat-Enkh ‘kabal’ Batbayar was banned for life for his active participation in several instances of match-fixing, severely compromising the competitive integrity of CS2.
Ana-Erdene ‘nuka’ Baasantogtokh, an analyst, was banned for life for making more than 70 suspicious bets on ATOX matches, most of which were rigged. His inside information made the fixing possible.
Coach and other players caught in the web
Tuguldur ‘flyNN’ Gansuk, coach and de facto CEO of ATOX, received a three-year ban for failing to prevent match-fixing. ESIC cited his “neglect of leadership responsibilities.”
Temuulen ‘MiQ’ Byambadalai received a one-year ban for remaining silent after being offered money to cover up match-fixing. ESIC deemed his silence as complicity and punished him accordingly.
Otgonlkhagva ‘AccuracyTG’ Batjargal and Munkhsaikhan ‘Zesta’ Erdenebaatar received eight-month bans for failing to report known breaches of the ESIC integrity programme. Although their offences were less severe, disciplinary action was still warranted.
ESIC’s findings on suspicious bets
Analyst ‘nuka’ used his access to team strategies, scrim results, and player conditions to place over 70 suspicious bets, which drew the attention of investigators between late 2024 and March 2025.
ATOX operated through a network of domestic and offshore betting accounts, sharing overlapping device IDs, IP addresses, payment methods, and social media credentials with team personnel and associates. These accounts were linked to China-based organised crime betting syndicates, highlighting the broader criminal ecosystem involved.
Players who escaped suspensions
Chinese player ‘xiaosaGe’, inactive ATOX member ‘ANNIHILATION’, and The Huns’ rifler ‘yAmi’ were mentioned in the investigation but have not been banned. ESIC’s investigations are ongoing, with more revelations expected. Future bans or legal actions remain possible.
The ESIC stated, “These participants were not included in the provisional suspensions issued on 5 March because, at that time, the available evidence did not satisfy ESIC’s suspension threshold.”
ESIC’s strict action on Joel Holmlund
Recently, Swedish Counter-Strike player Joel ‘joel’ Holmlund received a lifetime ban following an investigation into multiple violations. The investigation began in August 2024 during Season 2 of the CCT European Series, where Joel was found in possession of an Asdfware EFI bootkit, a hardware cheat containing an aimbot and triggerbot.
