International identity assurance and biometrics company Daon has announced a partnership with global esports tournament organiser ESL FACEIT Group (EFG).
This partnership will enable the EFG to use Daon’s technology to improve in-game experience, prevent smurfing and identity fraud and boosting in esports games that are supported by ESL FACEIT Group.
This is the first time Daon is partnering with an esports company, and the first time that ESL FACEIT Group is using this kind of technology to combat fraud and account sharing in esports games.
Daon is a well-regarded identity and biometrics company that offers identity verification solutions in a range of industries. These include hospitality, finances, healthcare, telecommunications and now esports and gaming.
The foundation of the partnership is the Know Your Customer system that EFG will use in the future, which will allow for gamers to verify their identity with biometrics and connect those to their accounts, reducing the possibility of fraud and account smurfing. According to the two companies, the final aim is to verify as many gamers as possible, and hold them accountable for their accounts.
EFG’s VP of labs and community integrity Maria Laura Scuri noted that verified users will have a badge on their FACEIT profiles, showing that they have authenticated through biometrics. In the future, added Scuri, verification will be needed to access certain competitions and experiences on FACEIT.
Clive Bourke, president of EMEA and APAC at Daon, commented: “The rapid growth of esports, although positive for the industry, comes at a cost. Gaming sites need to be prepared to offer users industry-leading technologies in order to combat fraudulent behaviour.
“Daon’s identity proofing and authentication technologies will help prevent wide-scale gaming fraud while promising gamers a frictionless and more equitable competitive experience.”
