SiegeGG Announce New Esports Betting Partnership with Midnite.com
Earlier this month, dedicated Rainbow Six esports site SiegeGG announced that they had partnered with the new UK-based esports betting company Midnite.com to bring their users the opportunity to bet on the results of selected Rainbow Six esports matches.
The new deal will see esports betting odds, provided by Midnite.com, displayed on the SiegeGG site. Customers can then pick from the matches and markets available on a range of different Rainbow Six esports tournaments, all of which offer a direct link to the Midnite.com site.
Detailed Blog Post Explanation
The move, which was not without its critics on social media, was announced in a detailed Blog Post from SiegeGG earlier in the month, which not only announced the move, but also the reasoning behind the decision to allow Rainbow Six esports betting on site.
SiegeGG blogged:
“We think that fans need to place bets in a safe and legal environment, free of predatory behavior. These practices are too common in the betting industry – especially in esports. When examining different outlets, ethical behaviour was one of our priorities.”
“Midnite is regulated by the UK Gambling Commisson and is licensed in all countries where it operates. In order to use their site, you have to prove your country of residence and that you are of legal age. We have ensured that there are no ways to circumvent these requirements and that anyone who is able to place a wager is in full compliance with laws and regulations in order to do so.”
Staff Prohibited from Betting
Further, SiegeGG explained that they had imposed a ban on all staff betting on any Rainbow Six matches. Going on to explain;
“The question of a possible conflict of interest would be catastrophic to our credibility. Even though our staff has no influence over match results, we handle confidential and insider information that would likely result in the exploitation of the average consumer, akin to insider trading, an unethical practice in addition to being illegal in the United States.”
“Any financial incentives on the outcomes of games by individuals would muddy the waters and compromise our ability to provide fair coverage of the circuit. This is not a legal restriction, but instead a moral decision made by SiegeGG ownership to remove any suspicion of foul play.”
Sign Up & Fans Reaction
Fans that are in countries where esports betting is allowed, can sign up using a special code to gain access to the Midnite.com site, with a special introductory offer of a matched first bet of up to £20.
Fans reaction to the news has been generally positive, with some noting the opportunities to win a decent amount of money, however on a Reddit thread one fan, FallingSwords voiced their concern stating:
“Not sure I like this tbh..I personally think they lose a lot of neutrality/integrity with this. Not sure what others think though, interested in other takes.”
To which the author of the blog post Splek responded:
“Curious, in what way specifically would you say SiegeGG’s integrity is compromised? Partnerships between these types of organizations are common in esports. Betway esports regularly sponsors CSGO tournaments, HLTV has numerous betting partners. Many Premier League clubs are sponsored by bookmakers, and while American sports don’t have as much involvement due to recent legalization, the NFL has already signed sponsorships with fantasy/betting websites.”
Rainbow Six esports betting is now available through SiegeGG, provided you also have a Midnite.com account.
