
Sport Betting Industry Seeks To Protect Itself
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Sport Betting Industry Wants To Protect Itself
Betting on sport is huge business.
Sport England estimates the worth of spending on sport-related gaming in England grew from ₤ 1.7 bn in 1985 to ₤ 2.8 bn in 2008.
Which figure is most likely to have grown further, with an estimated ₤ 1bn bet on the World Cup alone in the UK this summer season.
Meanwhile, German research study company Sport & Markt approximates the general global gaming market will deserve 263bn euros (₤ 220bn) by 2012, with much of that driven by web and sports betting.
But when the stability of events are struck the betting industry suffers, and profits are put under danger if clients can not bet with self-confidence.
And there can have been few higher-profile sport betting stories than those affecting cricket and snooker this year.
High-profile
As Sport & Markt’s Gareth Moore observes: “Everyone discuss the sports betting gambling market now.
“Not only is it a significant market in world organization, it is one that is now on the front pages of papers.”
Four Pakistan cricketers have been questioned by police over spot-fixing claims relating to a test versus England at Lord’s last month.
Three of these players have said 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 champion John Higgins was cleared of match-fixing allegations, however was banned last week for 6 months for stopping working to report the prohibited technique to him to throw frames.
There are likewise 2 other continuing investigations – unrelated to Mr Higgins – into snooker.
‘Honest’
David O’Reilly is legal counsel for Betfair, one of the UK’s greatest online sporting exchanges.
“If the sport is perceived as honest, straight and reasonable that is good for wagering companies due to the fact that people will invest cash wagering with confidence,” he states.
“If you take the Pakistan allegations, although unassociated to the UK regulated betting industry … it is not actually a favorable story for betting in the UK.
“That is due to the fact that the understanding is that ‘cricket is now something we may need to be careful about’.”
‘Education’
So what can be done to prevent future scandals?
According to experts at a World sports betting Law Report conference into sports betting, the focus has to be on sportsmen and sportswomen.
As Simon Taylor of the Professional Players’ Federation mentions: “The only individuals who can repair a match are the rivals or the referee.”
His organisation represents males and females in 15 sports betting in the UK, being an umbrella organisation for all gamer organisations, such as the Professional Footballers’ Association.
He thinks that it is not sufficient to merely have deterrents, sanctions and disciplinary procedures, however that the way to take on potential issues around players is likewise through education.
Mr Taylor states guidelines need to be described clearly to players with clear examples, and by people they respect.
“Through educating gamers about sports betting you reinforce integrity and that is in everyone’s interest,” he adds.
“If players are harder to corrupt then sport will be more difficult to corrupt.”
‘Brand damage’
Matt Johnson, head of regulatory legal guidance at the Football Association, agrees.
“Prevention is better than remedy, and we also make a point of informing players ‘you are going to be captured’.”
“It is imperative that sport is straight, and is seen to be directly,” he adds.
“If it loses that then individuals don’t wish to wager, that is not in betting firms’ interests, and it is not in our interests.”
He stated that as soon as a good credibility was lost, the damage to a sport was “enormous”.
FA rules imply players are not permitted to wager on a competition in which they are included.
Mr Johnson says gamers need to be seen not to be cashing in on any inside knowledge, which he says might cause “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 final the following spring.
“We have to get over to gamers the reputational danger to the game,” he states. “Once self-confidence has been harmed it is difficult to get it back – mud sticks.”
‘Overwhelmingly legal’
If this represents the “carrot” approach, then maybe Nick Tofiluk, director of regulation at the Gambling Commission, represents the “stick”.
The Gambling Commission was set up 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 wagering, which is the remit of the FSA.
“The frustrating bulk of sports wagering taking location through UK operators is legal and reasonable,” he says.
“But for some there is the temptation to … corruptly disrupt the result of a sporting event.
“Such cheating has the prospective to weaken the stability of a sport, and it likewise hurts the business interests of sports betting bodies and sports betting.”
The commission has developed an in-house Sports Betting Intelligence Unit to get and share details to sporting authorities, wagering companies and policing authorities.
“Since 2007 we have actually experienced a substantial insight into world of corrupt sports betting,” he states.
“We will notify sports betting of our issues, to help avoid or curtail [unlawful] activity”
In May 2010, the commission likewise presented a private telephone hotline for those with details or suspicions.
‘Vulnerabilities’
But in a two-and-a-half year duration there has been simply one prosecution, a 24-year-old man who was warned for cheating in relation to greyhound racing.
However, Mr Tofiluk states there are still 8 ongoing examinations, which much beneficial details has actually also been passed to sports betting authorities.
He stated that where an examination by a sport governing body was quicker, and more cost effective, then the commission would think about ceasing a criminal examination “in favour of letting sports betting governing bodies take the lead”.
Meanwhile, he says many of those aiming to cheat the sports betting wagering market were educated about sports betting and sporting individuals, and about wagering operations and the movement of cash.
“They seek out the vulnerabilities of these to help in their enterprises.”