The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that it has banned Counter-Strike 2 player Dmytro “nifee” Tediashvili for four years for match-fixing. 

Nifee is accused of deliberately underperforming at ESL Pro League Season 22 in October last year. Inner Circle played against Team Spirit, Mongolz, FURIA, and FaZe in the second phase of the tournament. The team was eliminated with a 1-3 match record.

In a statement, ESIC said suspicions were raised due to unusual betting activity on Nifee’s prop markets. 

“The conduct in question involved repeated Molotov/incendiary deaths occurring in circumstances that raised significant integrity concerns. These incidents coincided with:

• Unusual spikes in betting volume on the relevant in-game outcome market
• Betting patterns involving newly created, dormant, and high-value (“VIP”) accounts
• Activity materially outside expected betting baselines for this type of market”

The organization added that a review of Nifee’s gameplay showed the player “unnecessarily exposing themselves to damage without meaningful competitive engagement.”

Tipster Flagged Up Nifee Prop Bets

At the tournament, an online esports betting tipster, Shelby Bets, flagged up Nifee’s prop markets, recommending followers to wager on the under in his total kills. 

🇸🇪🎮Counter Strike 2: ESL Pro League Season 22🎮🇸🇪

🇪🇺 Faze vs Inner Circle 🇺🇦

Map 1: nifee under 13.5 kills @ 2.07, Unibet (1U)

Map 1: nifee under 12.5 kills @ 2.45, Unibet (0.5U)

Map 2: nifee under 13.5 kills @ 1.97, Unibet (1U)

Map 2: nifee under 12.5 kills @ 2.32, Unibet… pic.twitter.com/AFSjBy7B5j

— 🎮 Shelby Bets 🎮 (@shelby_bets) October 7, 2025

In Map 1, Nifee recorded 10 kills, and in Map 2, he recorded 12 kills, meaning all bets recommended were winners. It is unclear whether Shelby Bets has any connection to Nifee or received any information indicating that he intended to underperform. 

The tipster claims to have made a profit on bets across 43 out of 52 Counter-Strike tournaments. The account launched a premium service in February, allowing users to pay for tips. 

Nifee Admits To Fixing

Nifee initially denied the allegations when interviewed by ESIC, but the organization noted that he “ultimately admitted to the conduct and provided assistance relevant to the broader investigation.”

Due to his cooperation, his ban was reduced from the standard five years to four years. The suspension will run from the time of the offense, October 21st, 2025, to October 20th, 2029. 

In reaction to the sanction, Nifee posted on his Telegram account a variation on the biblical proverb: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Prop Markets Susceptible To Fixing

A recent report on match-fixing from Sportradar found that esports had fewer suspicions of match-fixing last year. The total number of matches flagged in 2025 was 34, down from 41 the previous year.

Nevertheless, cases remain, and ESIC warned that prop markets are particularly susceptible to fixing. 

“This case is significant because it addresses manipulation risk associated with prop betting markets: markets that target discrete in-game incidents rather than match outcomes,” said the organization. 

It added that it “considers targeted prop markets to present acute integrity risk due to their susceptibility to manipulation through isolated incidents.”

There have been calls to ban prop bets across all sports in the wake of betting scandals in the NBA, NCAA, and MLB recently. Opponents of prohibition argue that it will drive bettors to unregulated platforms. Prediction markets, such as Polymarket, have also expanded their esports event contracts to include props.