Why Esports Platforms Are Prime Targets for Cybercriminals

Once a niche hobby confined to small gaming basements and cafes, electronic sports (esports) have grown into a multi-billion dollar business. Esports video gaming platforms now attract millions of viewers who tune in to watch top players battle it out in real time for prizes, bragging rights, and sometimes even life-changing cash rewards.

However, the catch is that the platforms are becoming juicy targets for hackers looking to make quick bucks through malicious techniques. In fact, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on gaming platforms grew by 94% from 2023 to 2024, according to security firm Akamai.

But why is this happening? What makes esports so appealing to the bad guys?

We’ll uncover the “whys” behind this growing threat and what it means for the future of competitive esports.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. What Are Esports Tournament Platforms?
3. What Is Attracting Cybercriminals to Esports Platforms?
4. How Sports Betting Platforms Can Protect Themselves From Cybercriminals
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs
7. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. What Are Esports Tournament Platforms?
3. What Is Attracting Cybercriminals to Esports Platforms?
Show Full Guide
4. How Sports Betting Platforms Can Protect Themselves From Cybercriminals
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs
7. References

What Are Esports Tournament Platforms?

Esports tournament platforms are digital hubs that organize and manage competitive video game tournaments for players from around the world.

The platforms which include big names like YouTube Gaming, Twitch, and Steam allow the players to sign up, join teams, compete in matches, and track their progress while providing schedules, rules, and leaderboards for everyone involved.

Esports platforms are also popular for their social flair as they allow fans to interact with their favorite players and teams.

What Is Attracting Cybercriminals to Esports Platforms?

Many factors are pushing threat actors toward esports platforms. But in most cases, these factors are financially motivated. Here’s a breakdown of the main factors driving this surge in cyberattacks.

Financial Incentives

One of the primary reasons why cybercriminals are drawn to esports is because there’s big money to be made. According to Statista, the industry’s market revenue is worth more than $1.8 billion in 2025, with huge prize pools, in-game purchases, and valuable digital items like skins or NFTs all involved.

These prize pools are often in millions of dollars. Popular esports tournaments like Dota 2 recorded at least $23 million in the prize pool alone in 2024, and these are good attractions for bad actors.

With these vast financial incentives at stake, hackers usually steal valuable assets from the platforms or trick players into giving up money through scams, knowing fully well that the rewards are high.

Large & Vulnerable User Base

Esports has millions of players worldwide, many of whom are young or new to online security. This huge, often inexperienced crowd makes it easy for cybercriminals to find targets.

Chances are many of the players don’t use strong passwords nor know how to recognize scams, and this leaves them open to attacks.

The sheer number of users, combined with their vulnerability, makes esports a perfect hunting ground for hackers.

In some cases, weaker platform infrastructures are also reasons for criminals to strike. Take, for instance, the Epic Game data breach caused by server misconfiguration, which resulted in the loss of nearly 200GB of data.

High-Value Identity Theft Potential

Esports players often fall victim to identity theft through account takeovers. The attackers usually trick players using online phishing, keylogging, or exploiting the weaknesses in their game platform’s security architecture.

Once mlicious actors get access to these accounts, they could cheat, ruin players’ progress, or even sell the account illegally on the dark web. This can lead to real money losses or even harm a player’s reputation.

Bitdefender reported that this type of attack is on the rise, with a recent occurrence involving scammers taking over YouTube accounts to pose as professional Counter-Strike 2 players, such as Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev, Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kova?, and Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, to broadcast fake livestreams.

Apex Pro @Genburten just got hacked mid game in NA Regional Finals and was given every cheat known to man…

Competitive integrity is chalked forever.pic.twitter.com/MuBI30Bm7o

— JMeyels (@jmeyels) March 18, 2024

High Money Laundering Potential

Cybercriminals love esports platforms for money laundering because it’s an easy way to turn illegal cash into clean money.

They often use stolen funds or crypto to buy virtual items like skins or in-game currencies in esports and then trade them via multiple accounts to hide the trail. These items are sold to unsuspecting buyers for real cash, which looks legitimate and can be pocketed without raising red flags.

With no strict ID checks, tons of daily markets to blend into, and a global market that’s hard to track, esports let crooks wash their dirty money fast and quietly.

Huge Betting Pot

Betting on esports is huge, and millions are wagered every year on games like League of Legends and Counter-Strike. We know all too well that where there’s betting, there’s a chance for cheating, and cybercriminals are all over it.

Attackers can crash a favored player’s connection or sneak in cheat tools to flip the odds in their favor. They often use DDoS tactics to flood esports platform servers with junk traffic to slow them down or knock them offline completely.

Some attacks in esports also come from players looking to sabotage their rivals. For example, last year, a hacker named Destroyer2009 stirred up trouble during a 2024 Apex Legends tournament. He hacked two well-known streamers mid-event, making it appear as though they were cheating, which caused confusion and complications.

Some more information on the cheat that was injected into the streamers PC

clips: https://t.co/mWpTm6UmxY pic.twitter.com/pTtIZjUmX7

— Anti-Cheat Police Department ??? (@AntiCheatPD) March 18, 2024

How Sports Betting Platforms Can Protect Themselves From Cybercriminals

Cybercriminals are eyeing esports betting platforms as gold mines for quick money. The risks are high, from DDoS attacks crashing servers during big matches to scammers rigging bets with stolen accounts.

Still, betting platforms can fight back, and here’s how:

Cybersecurity Checklist

According to Rosehana Amin, Partner at Clyde & Co, organizations must adopt a proactive approach to risk management and incident response to effectively safeguard against DDoS attacks and data breaches. She said:

“This involves conducting regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities, developing comprehensive incident response plans that outline procedures and responsibilities, and providing ongoing employee training to enhance cybersecurity awareness. The more robust these measures are, the more difficult it becomes for hackers to carry out successful attacks.”

By being vigilant, esports betting platforms can ensure the game is fair, the money is safe, and the hackers are at bay.

The Bottom Line

Esports platforms are in the crosshairs of cybercriminals, and it’s easy to see why financial gains and other forms of theft make them hard to resist.

As account takeovers, DDoS attacks, ransomware, and betting scams are becoming smarter, so should players and operators.

It’s absolutely essential for players to recognize the seriousness of these threats and remain cautious. Enhanced security measures, stricter regulations, and greater player awareness can help the esports community effectively combat hackers.

FAQs