FACEIT to Toughen Penalties for Cheating and Smurfing Ahead of Season 9

FACEIT has announced a major update to its moderation policy, which will take effect on August 5 alongside the launch of Counter-Strike 2 Season 9. According to the platform, the new rules will introduce significantly harsher penalties for the most serious offenses while giving players more freedom to engage in competitive banter during matches.

FACEIT stated that the primary goal of the changes is to ensure that the toughest punishments are reserved for players who genuinely damage the competitive experience. At the same time, moderators will adopt a more contextual approach by evaluating not only individual messages but also the circumstances of each match and a player's overall disciplinary history.

One of the most significant changes concerns cheating. Previously, players caught using cheats received a two-year ban. Under the new policy, the initial suspension will increase to five years. Every attempt to evade the ban will add another two years to the penalty, while repeated ban evasion may ultimately result in a permanent ban.

Penalties for smurfing will also become much stricter. Instead of the previous 30-day suspension issued to the player's main account, offenders will now receive a three-month ban. Repeat violations may lead to a one-year suspension and, eventually, a permanent ban. Similar changes will apply to stream sniping, with the minimum penalty increasing from 30 days to six months before escalating to one year and potentially a permanent suspension for repeated offenses.

At the same time, FACEIT has decided to relax its approach to everyday in-game communication. The platform explained that moderate trash talk, friendly banter, emotional reactions, harmless support for a country, sports team, or community, as well as moderate profanity, will generally be allowed as long as such behavior does not cross the line into personal abuse or harassment.

According to FACEIT, the platform previously maintained a strict moderation policy because toxicity has long been one of the community's biggest concerns. Beginning with Season 9, moderators will assess incidents based on context rather than isolated words. For example, a single emotional outburst after losing a round will no longer be treated the same way as repeated abusive behavior throughout multiple rounds and matches.

However, FACEIT emphasized that its zero-tolerance policy toward severe misconduct will remain unchanged. Racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks, doxxing, threats of physical violence, and intentionally ruining matches will continue to receive the harshest penalties. The minimum suspension for these offenses will start at seven days, although longer bans may be issued depending on the severity of the violation. Players who repeatedly engage in this type of behavior will face rapidly escalating punishments that can ultimately result in a permanent ban.

FACEIT May Bring Back Cross-Team Voice Chat During Halftime

Earlier, FACEIT also asked the community whether it should bring back all-chat voice communication between opposing teams during halftime side switches. If the feature receives enough support, it could return as a limited test with the launch of Season 9.