SEPANG, Sept 6 — The electronic sports or e-sports industry is currently under the scrutiny of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) due to its exposure to corruption and gambling issues, said MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
He said corrupt activities in the e-sports industry are believed to occur in the form of digital transactions such as bitcoin and cryptocurrency, which make it difficult for the authorities to detect them.
"We have yet to have any cases, but we are aware (of such possibilities). So we have to be prepared, instead of waiting for it to happen," Azam told reporters after launching the National Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Research Conference earlier today.
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Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki during a dialogue session with the press in Melaka, on September 2, 2020. — Picture by BERNAMA[/caption]
In his speech, he said the landscape of the sports industry became more challenging when electronic sports became a focus because of the potential and high commercial value the sector is able to generate.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report entitled Global Report on Corruption: Evolutions in Sport Related to Corruption in 2021, no legislation or policy framework that regulates the operations of e-sports operators has caused e-sports to be exposed to corruption.
The two-day conference organised by the MACC National Governance Planning Division (BPGN) will present ten research papers in various key sectors including public procurement, sports and the informal sector.
The conference is a platform for policymakers and industry players to assess, plan and take appropriate action to help create a Madani society free from corruption.
— Bernama
