Recruitment
Bid Rigging
Coordinating with other clubs to fix who wins a player transfer, fix bid prices, or otherwise manipulate an auction undermines fair play and is forbidden.
Any attempt to simulate, disguise, or work around those protections is invalid and punishable.
What is prohibited (short list with examples)
Bid suppression (agreeing not to bid)
Definition: One or more clubs agree in advance that they will not submit an offer so a designated club wins.
In-game example: Club B agrees privately with Club A to stand down on Player X so Club A can acquire them for less.
Complementary, cover, or courtesy bidding
Definition: Submitting intentionally weak or inflated bids solely to create the illusion of competition.
In-game example: Club C places a deliberately high offer for Player Y to make Club A’s lower offer appear competitive even though the outcome was prearranged.
Bid rotation
Definition: Clubs take turns winning auctions according to a prior schedule or understanding.
In-game example: Two clubs agree that Club A will win Week 1 transfers, Club B will win Week 2, regardless of each club’s true intent or valuation.
Bid signaling
Definition: Using prearranged signals (message codes, tiny bid increments, timing of bids, public posts) to tell rivals who should stand down.
In-game example: A club uses a prearranged phrase in a shared channel to indicate it will not compete for a named player.
Market or roster allocation enforced through bidding
Definition: Dividing categories of players, regions, or types of transfers and enforcing that division through coordinated bidding.
In-game example: Two clubs agree one will only bid on Region A players and the other only on Region B, then intentionally avoid each other’s auctions.
Kickbacks, side deals, or compensation to losing bidders
Definition: Paying or promising future benefits to losing bidders so they will lose now.
In-game example: Club D “loses” a transfer and later receives guaranteed revenue sharing or exclusive content from the winner as compensation.
Sham bidders or controlled alternate accounts
Definition: Using fake or controlled accounts to submit phony competitive bids to mask the true arrangement.
In-game example: Creating a front club or alt account to place an apparent rival bid that is actually controlled by the intended winner.
Exchange of nonpublic, bid-sensitive information
Definition: Sharing private budgets, maximum offers, valuation models, or instructions about who should bid or stand down.
In-game example: Two clubs privately exchange their internal offer ceilings before an auction and then decide who will bid below those ceilings.
Withdrawing or modifying live bids on instruction
Definition: Coordinated changes or withdrawals during a live auction to let a preselected club prevail.
In-game example: A bidder retracts a live offer after receiving a private message from a rival telling them to do so.
Combination schemes
Definition: Any multi-facet scheme that mixes rotation, cover bids, kickbacks, signaling, or shams to share spoils.
In-game example: Clubs rotate wins, use cover bids to hide the plan, and then compensate each other outside the auction.
Enforcement and penalties
Reports and suspicious activity are reviewed before action is taken. Depending on the evidence and severity, enforcement can include reversing an abusive transfer, restrictions, a temporary suspension, or a permanent ban.
Detection and review
ESMO uses several signals and manual review to investigate suspected coordination. The exact methods stay private so they cannot be used to evade fair-play enforcement.
Even though clubs cannot collaborate directly, attempts to coordinate through signals, alternate accounts, side payments, or external communities are treated the same as direct collusion.
What to do if contacted to coordinate
- Refuse to participate.
- Document the contact by taking screenshots and saving chat logs.
- Report the incident by emailing support@esmo.gg.
- Do not share private account credentials or use another account to influence an auction.
Allowed behavior (examples of safe activity)
- Independently evaluating players and submitting bids based on your club’s own strategy and budget.
- Publicly announcing interest in a player, as long as it does not include secret signals, side deals, or instructions to competitors.
- Using a game feature that explicitly permits cooperation and keeps the activity visible to everyone involved.
- Forming public training academies or content partnerships where there is no exchange of bid-sensitive information or back-door compensation tied to auction outcomes.
Final note
This policy is designed to preserve fair competition and a healthy in-game economy.