Former OG player Taiga reveal about his gambling addiction

Former OG player Tommy “Taiga” Le spoke up about his personal struggle with gambling addiction in a touching tweet. 

Taiga’s abrupt departure during the Dota Pro Circuit’s final tour confused many Dota 2 fans, with some in the Eastern European Dota 2 community speculating that the player had been inactive because of involvement in match-fixing. Yaroslav “Limitless” Parshin, a former Alliance player, asserted that Taiga was removed from OG for placing bets on the team’s games.

Taiga was accused by Limitless of deliberately feeding First Blood in OG’s games and placing bets on that result. But Taiga’s latest statement cleared all the rumors and revealed a very personal struggle he has been going through.

Taiga debunks rumors about his absence and hints at a comeback

The 25-year-old Norwegian player talked openly about his absence from the professional Dota 2 league during the 2023 DPC season. Taiga says in the three-page explanation Tweet that his addiction to gambling had caused him to drift further away from esports and his closest companions.

Taiga claims that once he progressively began to lose his enthusiasm for Dota 2 and esports, he fell vulnerable to addiction. He mentioned that he began gambling following The International 2022 (TI11), initially betting on the FIFA World Cup 2022 before moving on to other sports and casino games.

A lot of you have been wondering where I’ve been for the past year, so here’s my explanation.

It’s time to leave the past behind, and welcome the future with open arms💙

Like I mentioned in the text down below, if you ever need anyone to talk to or if you’ve struggled with… pic.twitter.com/jesYSJ47LR

— Tommy Le (@Taigadota) October 30, 2023

 

Taiga turned to the wrong circle of people instead of friends and family in an attempt to escape the hole he had dug for himself. Taiga acknowledged his addiction had far-reaching consequences beyond monetary loss, impacting his morals, demeanor, and conduct to the point that he was no longer the same.

Taiga claimed that the weight of his shame and guilt prevented him from asking for assistance or confiding in his loved ones. Thanks to treatment and the support of his loved ones, Taiga was able to face his addiction and start the process of recovering.

The Norwegian support player started a new path towards rehabilitation during this process and rediscovered his passion for Dota 2 and esports. Following his open admission of his addiction, Taiga declared his sincere desire to compete once more in a professional Dota 2 tournament.

He also revealed his intentions to rejoin a new team in a different region and play Dota more frequently while also steaming his game. This suggests that Taiga will pursue his career in a different region rather than going back to OG.

Header: ESL Gaming