Sport Betting Industry Wants To Protect Itself

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Sport sports betting industry aims to protect itself

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16 September 2010

By Bill Wilson

Business press reporter, BBC News

Betting on sport is big company.

Sport England approximates the value of costs on sport-related betting 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 approximated ₤ 1bn bet on the World Cup alone in the UK this summer season.

Meanwhile, German research company Sport & Markt estimates the total global 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 struck the gambling industry suffers, and revenues are put under hazard if customers can not wager with self-confidence.

And there can have been couple of higher-profile sport sports 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 market now.

"Not just is it a substantial market in world organization, it is one that is now on the front pages of newspapers."

Four Pakistan cricketers have actually been questioned by cops over spot-fixing claims relating to a test versus England at Lord's last month.

Three of these players have stated they will likewise 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 allegations, but was prohibited recently for six months for stopping working to report the unlawful approach 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 most significant online sporting exchanges.

"If the sport is viewed as truthful, straight and reasonable that benefits sports betting companies due to the fact that people will spend cash betting with confidence," he states.

"If you take the Pakistan allegations, although unrelated to the UK regulated betting industry ... it is not actually a positive story for wagering in the UK.

"That is because the understanding is that 'cricket is now something we might need to take care 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 needs to be on sportsmen and sportswomen.

As Simon Taylor of the Professional Players' Federation explains: "The only people who can repair a match are the competitors or the referee."

His organisation represents guys 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 adequate to merely have deterrents, sanctions and disciplinary procedures, but that the method to deal with prospective concerns around gamers is also through education.

Mr Taylor states guidelines need to be described plainly to gamers with clear examples, and by people they appreciate.

"Through educating players about sports betting wagering you enhance stability which remains in everybody's interest," he includes.

"If gamers are more difficult to corrupt then sport will be more difficult to corrupt."

'Brand damage'

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

"Prevention is much better than cure, and we also make a point of telling players 'you are going to be caught'."

"It is necessary that sport is directly, and is seen to be straight," he adds.

"If it loses that then people don't wish to bet, that is not in gaming companies' interests, and it is not in our interests."

He said that when a good track record was lost, the damage to a sport was "incalculable".

FA rules imply players are not permitted to wager on a competition in which they are included.

Mr Johnson states players have actually to be seen not to be cashing in on any inside understanding, which he states might cause "brand name damage" to football and its competitions.

So, even a Second Division player knocked out of the FA Cup in the autumn can not bet on a Manchester United v Chelsea cup last 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" approach, then perhaps 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 industrial gaming in Great Britain.

An ex-chief constable of West Midlands authorities, Mr Tofiluk has responsibility 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 reasonable," he says.

"But for some there is the temptation to ... corruptly disrupt the outcome of a sporting event.

"Such cheating has the potential to weaken the integrity of a sport, and it also damages the industrial interests of sports betting bodies and sports betting wagering."

The commission has actually developed an internal Sports Betting Intelligence Unit to get and distribute details to sporting authorities, sports betting firms and policing authorities.

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

"We will signal sports betting of our concerns, to help avoid or reduce [prohibited] activity"

In May 2010, the commission likewise presented a private telephone hotline for those with info or suspicions.

'Vulnerabilities'

But in a two-and-a-half year duration there has been simply one prosecution, a 24-year-old guy who was warned for unfaithful in relation to greyhound racing.

However, Mr Tofiluk states there are still eight ongoing investigations, which much useful details has likewise been passed to sports betting authorities.

He said that where an investigation by a sport governing body was quicker, and more cost effective, then the commission would consider terminating a criminal investigation "in favour of letting sports betting governing bodies take the lead".

Meanwhile, he says a number of those wanting to cheat the sports betting wagering industry were well-informed about sports betting and sporting people, and about sports betting operations and the motion of money.

"They look for out the vulnerabilities of these to help in their enterprises."