Alliance Chief Executive: “We can tackle match-fixing, but we need to act now”

The Sport and Recreation Alliance is repeating calls in the wake of the latest scandal for Government to come forward with greater action to tackle match-fixing.

Since 2010, the Alliance has lead the Sports Betting Group (SBG), which includes representatives from the Football Association, England and Wales Cricket Board, British Horseracing Authority, Rugby Football Union, Professional Players Federation and the Premier League.

The Sport and Recreation Alliance’s position is that match-fixing poses a grave threat to the integrity of sport and that the issue needs to be tackled urgently, in close coordination with government, police, the Gambling Commission and betting operators.

Tim Lamb, Chief Executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance and Chair of the Sports Betting Group said:

“Sport is vulnerable and will continue to be vulnerable to match-fixing unless further action is taken by Government – both in changing the law and in providing greater funding and support.

“This scandal confirms what we have been campaigning about for some time – that there is an urgent need for an appropriate, clear and comprehensive legal and regulatory framework to tackle the match-fixing problem.

“We raised this issue with the sports minister two weeks ago and whilst a bill is currently going through Parliament that will bring about some improvements, there is still much more to do.

“We have long held serious doubts about whether the police and Crown Prosecution Service have the appropriate legal and financial resources to deal with the match-fixing effectively. Confusion and inconsistencies in the legal and regulatory environment are hampering efforts to tackle this blight on sport.

“The positive thing is that there is still time to make changes and improvements to this law – but the Government needs to act now.

“Resources and funding are also an issue. The fight against anti-doping currently receives around £6 million in public funding. The fight against match-fixing gets nothing.”

Tim Lamb as Chair of the SBG recently appeared at a public select committee on the Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Bill and wrote to the sports minister setting out three main points:

1. The Sport and Recreation Alliance and the SBG welcomes the introduction of the new Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Bill and has consistently campaigned for its principle – that all overseas operators taking bets in the UK should be fully licensed by the Gambling Commission.
    
2. However, these arrangements do not go far enough. They do not cover spread betting companies and we would like to see either the Financial Conduct Authority (which regulates spread betting) introduce Licence Condition 15.1, or the Bill be amended so that spread betting is covered by the Gambling Commission’s Advertising and Licensing arrangements.
    
3. We are also concerned about the effectiveness of the current structures to deal with those who cheat at sport. The SBG believes that the Bill should also introduce a new legal definition for cheating at sport/match-fixing since the current provisions in the Gambling Act 2005 are not fit for purpose.

For media enquiries contact Libby Jellie on 020 7976 3933.

Visit the Sports Betting Group website for more information.

Find out more about the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s policy work.

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