The Esports Integrity Commission has formally named data and technology firm Runestone as its Official Data Partner for the purposes of integrity monitoring, strengthening a relationship that will see Runestone's infrastructure used across circuits and titles that come under ESIC's regulatory umbrella.
The agreement, first reported by The Esports Radar, will run for multiple years. Runestone will supply real-time data analysis and integrity monitoring support, with its systems used to identify irregular wagering activity and flag suspicious in-game behavior. Any findings are then packaged into evidence-based documentation to support ESIC's formal investigations and disciplinary processes.
What Runestone actually does here
The deal formalizes what was already an operational working relationship. ESIC CEO Stephen Hanna made that clear at the announcement, pointing to Runestone's track record, particularly in the Counter-Strike scene.
"ESIC's work depends on a broad ecosystem of trusted stakeholders, technical expertise, and reliable sources of information," Hanna said. "Runestone has already demonstrated its value as a collaborative and evidence-led partner in supporting integrity outcomes, particularly within the Counter-Strike ecosystem. Formalising this relationship as part of ESIC's wider integrity infrastructure strengthens our ability to administer integrity functions in support of publishers, tournament organisers, and participants while ensuring that decisions remain grounded in robust process, expert assessment, and the broader evidentiary picture."
Runestone Managing Director Shane Clarke see’s the company's role in more straightforward terms, saying: "protecting competitive fairness and giving fans a richer experience come from the same place: trustworthy data. Our role is to provide the foundation and the evidence; ESIC governs the process."
The CS2 case that proved the partnership worked
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has issued a four-year ban to CS2 player Dmytro “nifee” Tediashvili following a detailed investigation into match manipulation and betting-related corruption during an ESIC Member Event.
— ESIC (@ESIC_Official) April 1, 2026
Findings confirmed deliberate in-game manipulation… pic.twitter.com/2EoXz5AX78
The announcement comes with a concrete example of what this collaboration looks like in practice. Earlier in 2026, ESIC used Runestone's data analysis to identify irregular in-game behavior involving professional Counter-Strike 2 player Dmytro "nifee" Tediashvili. That investigation resulted in a four-year competitive suspension for match manipulation during ESL Pro League matches, a significant sanction that demonstrates how Runestone's data pipeline feeds directly into enforcement outcomes.
That case is now the clearest public illustration of what the formalized partnership is built to do at scale.
Runestone's expanding footprint
Runestone has been quietly expanding its data rights portfolio recently. The company already holds multi-year tournament data rights until 2029 with PGL, covering Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2events. Runestone also has regional infrastructure partnerships in place, with SURGE for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang circuit in EMEA, and NODWIN Gaming for the Global South
The ESIC partnership adds an enforcement and governance layer on top of the existing commercial infrastructure.
What this means for the scene
For tournament organizers and publishers operating under ESIC's remit, the deal means a more data-driven investigation process; one that's less reliant on anecdotal reporting and more grounded in behavioral and wagering patterns. That's the direction integrity monitoring has been heading in traditional sports for years, and esports has lagged behind.
The ESIC-Runestone deal means both organizations can help to close that gap. With Runestone's data rights spanning multiple major organizers and regions, the coverage potential is huge.
More details on which specific titles and circuits fall within the expanded monitoring scope are expected as the partnership rolls out.
