Just when we thought the MLBB esports world was all good and clear of any sketchy stuff, the Southeast Asia esports crowd gets hit with some serious accusations of match-fixing in the professional league. It turns out Bountee Esports and its crew in the MLBB Pro Malaysia league are now under scrutiny due to allegations of shady dealings behind the scenes.
About three days ago, the organizing body of MPL Malaysia made public their receipt of concerning reports alleging match-fixing involving a former player from the Bountee roster, who competes in MPL Malaysia Season 13. Furthermore, suspicions loom over incidents of aggression and internal discord within the team.
“It has come to our attention that Bountee Esports is involved in certain allegations, namely attempted match-fixing by an ex-player and aggressive behavior and conflict within the team,” wrote MPL MY on X. “The league is currently conducting a full investigation into the above matters and will issue our findings once it’s been concluded.”
As of the latest update, MPL MY has not issued additional statements regarding the identity of the implicated former player and the potential penalty for the Bountee team for the remainder of the season. However, Bountee promptly responded to the announcement, affirming their commitment to collaborating with the committee to address the matter at hand.
“It is brought to our attention that there are allegations involving Bountee Esports and its members in MPL MY. Rest assured, we have immediately connected with MPL MY and are providing our full cooperation in the investigations. In the meantime, we seek your kind understanding to refrain from any speculation as we await the findings from the league.” stated Bountee via Facebook.
Should these allegations indeed prove substantiated, it would mark the first high-profile case of match-fixing within the MLBB esports scene. Previously, some top teams found themselves embroiled in similar controversies, though these instances failed to elicit decisive action from Moonton due to insufficient evidence. Notably among them were the 322 allegations made against the world champion AP Bren during the MPL PH Season 7 in 2021.
At the moment, Bountee sits at seventh in the current standings of MPL MY S13, with a narrow margin separating them from HomeBois, Monster Vicious, and RSG Malaysia above. Nonetheless, the ramifications of this ordeal could potentially jeopardize their standings, endangering their prospects of advancing further in the ongoing competition towards the playoffs.
