Sport Betting Industry Looks To Protect Itself

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Sport Betting Industry Looks To Protect Itself

Betting on sport is substantial company.

Sport England approximates the worth of costs on sport-related gaming in England grew from ₤ 1.7 bn in 1985 to ₤ 2.8 bn in 2008.

And that figure is likely to have grown even more, with an approximated ₤ 1bn bet on the World Cup alone in the UK this summer.

Meanwhile, German research company Sport & Markt approximates the general international gambling market will be worth 263bn euros (₤ 220bn) by 2012, with much of that driven by web and sports betting gaming.

But when the integrity of events are hit the gambling market suffers, and revenues are put under risk if customers can not wager with self-confidence.

And there can have been couple of higher-profile sport wagering stories than those impacting cricket and snooker this year.

High-profile

As Sport & Markt’s Gareth Moore observes: “Everyone discuss the sports betting market now.

“Not only is it a considerable market in world company, it is one that is now on the front pages of newspapers.”

Four Pakistan cricketers have actually been questioned by police over spot-fixing accusations connecting to a test versus England at Lord’s last month.

Three of these gamers have stated they will also challenge the corruption charges installed against the trio by the sport governing body the International Cricket Council.

Meanwhile, three-times snooker world champ John Higgins was cleared of match-fixing accusations, however was prohibited last week for six months for stopping working to report the prohibited technique to him to toss frames.

There are also two other continuing examinations – not associated to Mr Higgins – into snooker.

‘Honest’

David O’Reilly is legal counsel for Betfair, one of the UK’s biggest online sporting exchanges.

“If the sport is perceived as sincere, straight and fair that benefits wagering firms due to the fact that people will spend cash betting with self-confidence,” he says.

“If you take the Pakistan allegations, although unrelated to the UK controlled wagering market … it is not really a favorable story for wagering in the UK.

“That is since the perception is that ‘cricket is now something we might need to beware about’.”

‘Education’

So what can be done to avoid future scandals?

According to professionals at a World sports betting Law Report conference into sports betting gambling, the focus has to be on sportsmen and sportswomen.

As Simon Taylor of the Professional Players’ Federation explains: “The only individuals who can fix a match are the rivals or the referee.”

His organisation represents males and females in 15 sports in the UK, being an umbrella organisation for all gamer organisations, such as the Professional Footballers’ Association.

He believes that it is inadequate to merely have deterrents, sanctions and disciplinary treatments, but that the method to take on prospective problems around gamers is also through education.

Mr Taylor says rules need to be discussed clearly to gamers with clear examples, and by people they respect.

“Through informing gamers about sports wagering you reinforce stability and that is in everybody’s interest,” he adds.

“If players are more difficult to corrupt then sport will be more difficult to corrupt.”

‘Brand damage’

Matt Johnson, head of regulatory legal recommendations at the Football Association, concurs.

“Prevention is better than cure, and we likewise make a point of telling gamers ‘you are going to be captured’.”

“It is important that sport is straight, and is seen to be straight,” he includes.

“If it loses that then individuals do not want to bet, that is not in gaming companies’ interests, and it is not in our interests.”

He said that as soon as an excellent reputation was lost, the damage to a sport was “enormous”.

FA rules indicate gamers are not enabled to bank on a competition in which they are involved.

Mr Johnson states gamers need to be seen not to be cashing in on any inside knowledge, which he states could trigger “brand name damage” to football and its competitors.

So, even a Second Division gamer knocked out of the FA Cup in the autumn can not bank on a Manchester United v Chelsea cup last the following spring.

“We need to get over to players the reputational danger to the game,” he says. “Once confidence has actually been harmed it is difficult to get it back – mud sticks.”

‘Overwhelmingly legal’

If this represents the “carrot” approach, then possibly Nick Tofiluk, director of regulation at the Gambling Commission, represents the “stick”.

The Gambling Commission was established under the Gambling Act 2005 to control commercial betting in Great Britain.

An ex-chief constable of West Midlands police, Mr Tofiluk has obligation for policing all wagering in the UK apart from spread betting, which is the remit of the FSA.

“The overwhelming majority of sports betting taking location through UK operators is legal and fair,” he says.

“But for some there is the temptation to … corruptly hinder the result of a sporting event.

“Such cheating has the possible to weaken the integrity of a sport, and it likewise damages the commercial interests of sports betting bodies and sports betting wagering.”

The commission has established an in-house Sports Betting Intelligence Unit to get and disseminate information to sporting authorities, wagering firms and policing authorities.

“Since 2007 we have actually experienced a significant insight into world of corrupt sports betting,” he says.

“We will inform sports of our concerns, to assist avoid or reduce [unlawful] activity”

In May 2010, the commission also introduced a personal telephone hotline for those with info or suspicions.

‘Vulnerabilities’

But in a two-and-a-half year period there has actually been just one prosecution, a 24-year-old male who was cautioned for cheating in relation to greyhound racing.

However, Mr Tofiluk says there are still 8 continuous investigations, and that much beneficial information has likewise been passed to sports betting authorities.

He stated that where an examination by a sport governing body was quicker, and more expense reliable, then the commission would think about stopping a criminal investigation “in favour of letting sports betting governing bodies take the lead”.

Meanwhile, he states many of those seeking to cheat the sports betting wagering industry were experienced about sports and sporting people, and about betting operations and the motion of cash.

“They look for out the vulnerabilities of these to help in their business.”