SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has confirmed that it has launched a second investigation into football matches involving Limerick FC after identifying a number of unusual betting patterns.
The football association explained that they are looking into bets placed on the recent FAI Cup game between Sligo Rovers v Limerick FC on August 24, in which Sligo Rovers won 6-2.
This new investigation follows on from a separate, ongoing investigation into a First Division fixture between Shelbourne and Limerick in April, in which Limerick lost 2-0 to Shelbourne.
An FAI statement has confirmed that “both investigations were launched following the receipt of reports from UEFA to the FAI concerning unusual betting patterns around the two games.”
An FAI spokesperson explained that the FAI has a “zero tolerance policy on match fixing”: “We have acted on the back of the UEFA report into two Limerick games, against Shelbourne in April and Sligo Rovers last month, and our investigations are ongoing.
“We are committed to a zero tolerance policy on match fixing in conjunction with UEFA. The FAI, as stated earlier, is also aware of a Garda investigation into match fixing.”
Irish Gardaí took part in a thorough search operation of Limerick sports ground as part of the investigation, in which documentation and electronic devices are understood to have been seized.
The FAI were also investigating a League of Ireland First Division match between vs Limerick FC in relation to suspicious betting back in May of this year.
A 3-2 victory for underdogs Limerick was placed under scrutiny with regards to betting activity witnessed on a market that was reported to have attracted ‘significant volume’ for an encounter that usually holds little punter interest.
