The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has suspended the Peruvian Team Clown Crew roster, also known as BarrancoBar, over alleged suspicious gameplay in competitive Dota 2 matches.
While the agency investigates the issue, the players are prohibited from competing in ESIC Member events or any competition operating under the ESIC Integrity Program.
In a press release, ESIC said it is investigating potential betting-related misconduct, match manipulation, and other integrity offenses across three recent matches.
ESIC Flags Up Suspicious Gameplay
ESIC said the investigation is particularly focused on the player Christian “Accel” Cruz. It is the latest in a series of investigations launched by the agency, including several sanctions handed down last month.
Accel’s recent record shows he lost all four matches against Team Leto in the Get Good League Season 2 playoffs earlier this month.
The investigation is reviewing the following from Accel’s gameplay:
- unusual camera behavior and player-perspective activity;
- suspicious de-warding and map-awareness incidents;
- reactions to enemy activity occurring outside normal vision or information range;
- potential use of radar, second-screen information, unauthorized external information, or other prohibited assistance; and
- possible awareness, assistance, benefit, or complicity by other team members.
The 30-year-old started his career in 2015 and has amassed total prize money of $142, 811. He has represented 18 teams over the past three years, without achieving any notable success.
He has not taken home any prize money since November last year, when he earned $500 while representing Perros Angryy at the Redragon LatAm Series.
Low Tier Wagering An Integrity Risk
ESIC stressed: “This suspension is an interim protective measure only and does not represent a final finding.”
However, the rise of wagering on low-tier events has been identified as a potential integrity risk, as players struggling to make a living may be tempted to manipulate performances for betting purposes.
Esports betting has grown in Latin America, with several partnerships announced recently. Peru started regulating its gambling industry in 2024, allowing legal sports betting and online casinos.
Brands such as Stake, 1xBet, bet365, Betsson, and MeridianBet are active in the country. The latter agreed a deal with Beter last year to increase the esports content on its platform.
While the latest case of suspected match-fixing raises integrity concerns, it also points to monitoring systems working. In a regulated industry, companies work with ESIC to report suspicious betting activity.
It remains difficult ot judge whether match-fixing is increasing across esports or if the systems to catch suspicious gameplay are improving and catching cases that have long been occurring.