Psyonix distances itself from gambling site Unikrn

eSports betting site Unikrn has announced the Rocket League will join its roster of titles in Australia.

However, the game’s developer Psyonix has moved quickly to disassociate itself from the move, with VP of publishing Jeremy Dunham telling GameSpot that: "Psyonix is not affiliated with Unikrn, nor do we support or endorse online betting for our game."

Indeed, Unikrn CEO Rahul Sood also clarified: "We are not in any way associated with the publishers of Rocket League. However, we love the game, and like other titles on our sportsbook, we create odds and content on the pro matches and their top tier tournaments."

For its part, Unikrn insists that Rocket League gambling has got the nod from Australian regulators. The company also offers eSports betting in the UK, although there’s not yet any word about rolling out the offer over here.

Rocket League joins the likes of League of Legends, CS:GO, Dota 2 and Overwatch on Unikrn’s roster.

eSports gambling was in the headlines again last week whenthe Gambling Commission said that parents need to be made aware of the potential risk posed to their kids by the gambling scene that has become associated with some video games.

Mums and dads could be giving money to a child thinking that they are playing a computer game when in fact they are gambling and this is a real worry,” Gambling Commission CEO Sarah Harrisonsaid.

Gambling on eSports with in-game-items is growing and we need to make sure all gambling is fair, safe, crime-free and protects the young and vulnerable. It is vital that any form of gambling online is properly regulated and paramount that we protect children and vulnerable people.

eSports is a phenomenon that gets bigger every day and is enjoyed by millions, but it is a concern that there are unlicensed websites jumping on the back of popular video games and encouraging children to gamble. The Gambling Commission has shown that it will take action and prosecute but it is important that parents are vigilant too and know about this risk to their children.”

These unlicensed websites are a hidden form of gambling – they’re parasites feeding off popular video games, presenting a clear and present danger to players including kids. Our prosecution last month demonstrates that we won’t hesitate to take action.”

The news follows the successful prosecution ofYouTuber Craig ‘NepentheZ’ Douglasfor his promotion of a FIFA Ultimate Team gambling site. The issue was propelled into the spotlight last year following an investigation that outedTmarTn and ProSyndicate’s secretive ties to a gambling sitethey had been promoting.