Esports: PESO, Moonton eye deeper probe on MDL match-fixing fiasco

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MANILA -- A deeper probe awaits after match-fixing allegations hounded the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Development League's third season, government and league authorities said, as they look to catch possible external forces who may have been involved in the practice.

In a press conference at the sidelines of MPL Philippines' last regular season week, Philippine Esports Organization Executive Director Marlon Marcelo said they will also impose bans on the three players tagged in fixing MDL games. 

TIMELINE: Match-fixing scandal rocks amateur MLBB league in PH

"They will not be able to try out for the national team," Marcelo said. 

Days before April ended, two-time world championship coach Francis "Ducky" Glindro warned about individuals fixing matches in MDL, which resulted in a flurry of screenshots exposing some amateur players involved in throwing their matches. 

TNC Z4's Jiee and RSG El Ganador's Aeris and Nyija have since been found guilty of match fixing and had their contracts terminated as a result, while facing a three-year ban across MOONTON Games tournaments. 

Jiee, Aeris and Nyija  will be barred from trying out  for the national team in the said period. National team Sibol's tryouts for major tournaments are often open to amateur teams outside Moonton's esports ecosystem or in this case, the MDL and its professional counterpart, MPL Philippines. 

Gamers play Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

"Our athletes are also victims of these. We are actually having a program wherein we can try and catch these bad actors as well. Of course we cannot actively divulge how we'll do that, but PESO is acting on that as well," Marcelo shared. 

Players in MDL Philippines, an amateur league, are often called up for pro duty by their MPL Philippines counterparts, should times arise.

MOONTON is eyeing information campaigns for teams all over their ecosystem after finding that some players can potentially be uninformed of the risks of match-fixing.  

"It's just that in the past there was not an education to really shed the light [on match fixing] so we want to create a program to educate them and the organizations themselves, we check all the evidence or proof they did try to talk to the players. Unfortunately it's a problem in the whole esports ecosystem. It is an active battle. This is just the start. We keep pushing and doing more," MOONTON Games League Operations Lead Matthew Chan said.

They are currently trying to coordinate with the Games and Amusements Board on the investigation, and could possibly tap other authorities once they have more guidance on probing the matter. 

"Definitely with this kind of investigation, it needs to be very specific and very thorough. That's why Matt was saying it took a bit of time because we have to make sure that we get to the facts," Marcelo said.