ESIC has imposed a lifetime ban on Palkovics ‘2xplayN’ Tamás, upgrading the Counter-Strike 2 player’s three-year suspension after posts made while he was barred from competition. The commission also said it planned to refer the sanctioned conduct to law enforcement and other bodies.
The decision followed a social media post showing what appeared to be stacks of cash, published shortly after the original sanctions were announced on Thursday, October 15. Dexerto reported the ban and police referral; Digg’s coverage also summarised the lifetime ruling and the earlier suspension.
A suspension becomes permanent
ESIC had initially barred 2xplayN from its affiliated competitions for three years, with the suspension set to run until April 2029. The penalty formed part of sanctions against five NOMERCY players after an investigation into suspicious matches at Roman Imperium Cup VII.
According to ESIC’s explanation, the later ruling considered a series of public posts that referred to apparent cash, match manipulation, betting payouts and a return to competition. The commission said the conduct created the appearance of impropriety under its rules. It also clarified that the photographs, by themselves, did not prove the displayed money came from match-fixing.
The change removes a cooperation-based reduction that had contributed to the original three-year sanction. ESIC said 2xplayN had cooperated with investigators, supplied financial records and provided detailed responses during the inquiry; it found that this earlier assistance did not excuse conduct during his suspension.
Investigation involved a high-value wager
The inquiry concerned four NOMERCY defeats in March 2026. ESIC linked those results to an accumulator bet with a potential payout exceeding $4.5 million. The bookmaker reportedly voided the wager before any winnings were paid.
The lifetime sanction places 2xplayN alongside former teammate Oliver ‘kzy’ Heck, who also received a lifetime ban in the original case. The episode adds to recent disciplinary action across esports, including a Dota 2 match-fixing ban reported by Esports Insider.
Referrals and eligibility
ESIC said it planned to refer the conduct to Valve, government agencies and law enforcement. Its lifetime ruling excludes 2xplayN from ESIC and member competitions in any capacity, ending the comeback timeline attached to his original suspension.
Any further action from Valve or public authorities would come separately from ESIC’s disciplinary decision. The commission’s referrals mark the next stage of the case beyond tournament eligibility.
