Cover the Bases: Sports Betting News and Notes from the Past Week
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Sport Betting Industry Looks To Protect Itself
Betting on sport is big business.
Sport England estimates the worth of costs on sport-related gaming in England grew from ₤ 1.7 bn in 1985 to ₤ 2.8 bn in 2008.
Which figure is likely to have grown further, with an approximated ₤ 1bn bet on the World Cup alone in the UK this summertime.
Meanwhile, German research study firm Sport & Markt estimates the total international gaming market will be worth 263bn euros (₤ 220bn) by 2012, with much of that driven by web and sports betting.
But when the integrity of events are hit the betting industry suffers, and profits are put under threat if clients can not wager with 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 speak about the sports betting gambling market now.
“Not just is it a substantial market in world service, it is one that is now on the front pages of papers.”
Four Pakistan cricketers have been questioned by authorities over spot-fixing claims relating to a test versus England at Lord’s last month.
Three of these players 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 claims, but was prohibited recently for 6 months for stopping working to report the unlawful approach to him to throw frames.
There are likewise two other continuing investigations – not associated to Mr Higgins – into snooker.
‘Honest’
David O’Reilly is legal counsel for Betfair, among the UK’s biggest online sporting exchanges.
“If the sport is perceived as truthful, straight and reasonable that is great for wagering companies since people will invest cash wagering with self-confidence,” he states.
“If you take the Pakistan allegations, although unrelated to the UK managed betting industry … it is not truly a positive story for wagering in the UK.
“That is due to the fact that the understanding is that ‘cricket is now something we may have to be careful about’.”
‘Education’
So what can be done to prevent future scandals?
According to experts at a World Sports Law Report conference into sports betting gambling, the focus needs to be on sportsmen and sportswomen.
As Simon Taylor of the Professional Players’ Federation mentions: “The only individuals who can fix a match are the rivals or the referee.”
His organisation represents men and women in 15 sports betting in the UK, being an umbrella organisation for all player 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 deal with potential issues around players is likewise through education.
Mr Taylor says rules need to be discussed plainly to gamers with clear examples, and by people they respect.
“Through informing players about sports betting wagering you enhance stability which remains in everybody’s interest,” he adds.
“If players are harder to corrupt then sport will be harder to corrupt.”
‘Brand damage’
Matt Johnson, head of regulatory legal advice at the Football Association, concurs.
“Prevention is much better than treatment, and we also make a point of telling players ‘you are going to be captured’.”
“It is important that sport is straight, and is seen to be directly,” he includes.
“If it loses that then individuals don’t desire to bet, that is not in gaming 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 allowed to bank on a competitors in which they are included.
Mr Johnson states players have to be seen not to be capitalizing any inside knowledge, which he says could trigger “brand name damage” to football and its competitors.
So, even a Second Division player knocked out of the FA Cup in the autumn can not bank on a Manchester United v Chelsea cup final the following spring.
“We need to overcome to gamers the reputational danger to the video game,” he states. “Once self-confidence has been damaged it is hard to get it back – mud sticks.”
‘Overwhelmingly legal’
If this represents the “carrot” technique, then possibly Nick Tofiluk, director of policy at the Gambling Commission, represents the “stick”.
The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to control industrial gaming in Great Britain.
An ex-chief constable of West Midlands cops, Mr Tofiluk has responsibility for policing all wagering in the UK apart from spread wagering, which is the remit of the FSA.
“The overwhelming majority of sports betting occurring through UK operators is legal and reasonable,” he says.
“But for some there is the temptation to … corruptly hinder the outcome of a sporting occasion.
“Such unfaithful has the possible to weaken the stability of a sport, and it likewise hurts the commercial interests of sports betting bodies and sports betting.”
The commission has established an internal Sports Betting Intelligence Unit to receive and share information to sporting authorities, wagering firms and policing authorities.
“Since 2007 we have actually experienced a considerable insight into world of corrupt sports betting wagering,” he says.
“We will signal sports betting of our issues, to assist avoid or cut [prohibited] activity”
In May 2010, the commission also presented a personal telephone hotline for those with info or suspicions.
‘Vulnerabilities’
But in a two-and-a-half year duration there has been just one criminal prosecution, a 24-year-old male who was warned for unfaithful in relation to greyhound racing.
However, Mr Tofiluk says there are still 8 continuous examinations, and that much helpful info has likewise been passed to sports betting authorities.
He said that where an examination by a sport governing body was quicker, and more cost effective, then the commission would think about stopping a criminal investigation “in favour of letting sports betting governing bodies take the lead”.
Meanwhile, he states much of those seeking to cheat the sports betting market were educated about sports betting and sporting individuals, and about betting operations and the motion of money.
“They look for the vulnerabilities of these to help in their enterprises.”