SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Sports Betting Integrity Forum (SBIF), the government back body containing representatives from the world of sport and betting, has published its Sports Betting Integrity Action Plan.
The Gambling Commission-administered body says that while evidence of corrupt sports betting in the UK has ‘so far been limited to what appear to be isolated incidents’, the industry cannot afford to be complacent.
The plan outlines Britain’s approach to address risks to the integrity of sport and sports betting. It sets out the expected focus of the Gambling Commission, Law Enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, Player Associations, betting operators and government in delivering timely and effective actions to identify and control risks associated with match-fixing and sports betting integrity.
Minister for Sport and Gambling Tracey Crouch said: “The integrity of sport is absolutely paramount and we have to do all we can to protect it. The Sports Betting Integrity Action Plan is about ensuring that Britain remains a safe place to bet on sport and to tackle any threat of corruption that emerges. We cannot be complacent. The Gambling Commission, sports bodies and law enforcement agencies all are aligned on this with effective collaboration vital in the fight against match fixing.”
Spectators, viewers and participants must have confidence in the integrity of the sports events that they watch and engage in. At the same time, consumers must have confidence and belief that when they place bets with UK licensed operators they are doing so on markets that are fair and free from betting-related corruption.
Central to this is collaborative working across all stakeholders helping to understand, identify and respond to any potential threat thereby protecting the integrity of sport and betting.
Law enforcement agencies agreed: “The National Crime Agency (NCA), the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and Police Scotland (PS) all endorse and support the objectives of the SBI Action Plan. We shall continue to represent UK law enforcement at the Sports Betting Integrity Forum (SBIF) and will collaborate with forum members to sustain the integrity of sport and sports betting in the UK, responding promptly to all highlighted concerns.”
SBIF joint chairs Darren Bailey and Mike O’Kane said: “Maintaining confidence in the integrity of sport is key to its healthy future development. The action plan with its co-ordinated, proactive and collaborative approach across all relevant stakeholders will help meet the challenges of protecting sports from integrity threats, however large or small.”
The plan builds upon the progress made since the publication of the Report of the Sports Betting Integrity Panel in January 2010 that provided the initial roadmap for action and is being delivered as part of the UK Anti-Corruption Plan, published in October 2014.
Actions will be delivered and reviewed by the SBIF, with progress published annually. Interim reports will be made available on the SBIF website which we hope will go live in October this year.
