Epic Risk Management takes gambling awareness to esports

The consultancy has become the gambling awareness partner for the Counter-Strike Professional Players’ Association.

UK.- Epic Risk Management is to work with the Counter-Strike Professional Players’ Association (CSPPA), the global association for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players.

The gambling harm consultancy will provide awareness, education and risk management programmes to CSPPA members through a multi-year agreement. The two bodies will also collaborate on research projects on gambling awareness in competitive esports.

Epic chief executive, Paul Buck said: “We’re delighted to announce such a landmark agreement. I must applaud the leadership of the CSPPA for taking a lead in esports around the threats of gambling harm, and we are very excited to launch a first of its kind agreement between an esports players association in this space.

“At Epic, we have a proven track record of working with athletes to make them aware of the potentially destructive financial implications and health issues that out-of-control gambling can cause. 

“The work we do covers harmful products and practices and enables athletes to make well-informed decisions, reducing distraction, in addition to educating them on betting integrity issues and their potential problems that out-of-control gambling can cause.”

See also: UK gambling addiction centre claims world first

Buck said the growth of betting on esports meant more people involved in the sector may be put at risk of problem gambling.

He said: “The proliferation of gambling on esports and the growth of this sector shows that there’s a broad demographic of people, which include esports players themselves, their fans, audiences and commercial entities who could be at-risk to problem gambling.

“In our conversations with the CSPPA, we’ve been made aware of the potential issues related to gambling addictions in professional CS:GO. 

“This partnership now means that CSPPA is engaged with EPIC to raise awareness of these issues and help its members with any gambling-related problems along with the convergence between esports gaming and gambling.”

Epic has recently hired Jonathan Peniket as an esports and online gaming consultant as it expands its services into the area.

CSPPA chief executive, Mads Øland, said: “The CSPPA understands that elite athletes, including CSPPA Members, are potentially more vulnerable to gambling addiction and betting integrity issues.

“The CSPPA is committed to protecting its members from the potential harms of gambling addiction, which not only harms the individual both financially and with regards to mental health but also exposes and makes players vulnerable to further abuse relating to betting integrity and match-fixing.”