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During the match between G2 Esports and MOUZ in the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, multiple protesters interrupted the game as they ran past security and reached the stage. As a consequence, the match was paused for over 30 minutes and the tournament's trophy was severly damaged.
Shorty after, the protest was revealed to be the work of CSGOEmpire, a gambling website that claims G2 Esports is "currently partnered with a criminal organization and scam casino."
Said partnership involves G2 Esports and CSGORoll, another gambling website. The partnership reportedly began in May 2023. Three months later, the Berlin-based organization decided to remove CSGORoll from their official sponsor list.
According to CSGOEmpire's most recent blogpost, CSGORoll runs a "ponzi scheme." Therefore, to expose the partnership between G2 Esports and CSGORoll, CSGOEmpire decided to take matters into their own hands.
However, the events seen during the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024 have resulted in various casters and teams stepping away from CSGOEsports' upcoming $50,000 competition: the CSGOEmpire Cup.
Among those that have decided not to participate include MOUZ NXT's coach Tobias "TOBIZ" Teo and the Romainan esports organization Nexus Gaming.
Additionally, Fortuna Esports, the now-former tournament organizer for the CSGOEmpire Cup, announced they will be "cutting all ties with CSGOEmpire effective immediately."
"We will not provide our services in connection with their tournament and we deeply apologize to all of the players, teams, casters and everyone else we contacted with regards to the CSGOEmpire Cup.
"The most important thing is that everyone was kept safe and no harm came to the players or staff and that something like this never happens again," they added.
Despite yesterday's problems, the PGL Major will continue today as expected. FaZe Clan and Team Vitality will face off in the first match of the day, while G2 Esports return to play against Natus Vincere in the second.
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