A wide range of sports governing bodies and players’ associations will come together today under the auspices of the Sports Betting Group to discuss betting integrity issues in the sector.
The Group was formed as a result of one of the recommendations of former Liverpool FC chief executive Rick Parry whose report on betting in sport, commissioned by the former sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe, was published last year. The Group has been established to examine and make progress on issues surrounding the threat to the integrity of sport in the UK from corrupt or suspicious betting. Speakers at the event include sports minister Hugh Robertson MP, IOC Executive Board member Sir Craig Reedie and Rick Parry himself.
At today’s meeting, delegates will receive expert guidance from sector leaders such as the British Horseracing Authority, the ECB, The FA and the Professional Players Federation on such subjects as:
• how illegal betting on sport can be detected and prevented
• the best ways to educate participants about the risks and
• how to build a governance structure and rule book which minimises those risks.
Organisations including the Motor Sport Association, the Rugby Football Union and the Sports Rights Owners Coalition as well as a host of sports upon which betting is not currently commonplace will share good practice with each other.
In addition the Gambling Commission will make a presentation on the latest developments in regard to their recently formed Sports Betting Intelligence Unit.
The Group’s chair, Sport and Recreation Alliance chief executive Tim Lamb, believes that the event is a landmark in tackling suspicious betting in the UK.
“Although thankfully there are very few documented cases of corrupt betting activity in this country, we can’t afford to be complacent. We know from bitter experience that the goodwill and support of fans created by years of work invested in a sport or an event can be wiped out by one scandal. We mustn’t allow that to happen. This seminar reflects the need for sport to act together to do as much as it can to keep would-be cheats at bay.
“Some of our most bet-on sports already do some great work to protect their integrity. What we’re aiming to do today is to share that good work with sports which have not traditionally considered themselves of interest to the betting market, because they are the ones most at risk. We want to make sure that every sport has robust policies and procedures in place to give them the protection that they need.”
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