Sport bookmakers seek safety in numbers versus cheating

10 November 2010

The recent decision by Pakistan's cricket authorities to suspend the main agreements of three players suggests one of the summertime's biggest sport betting stories refuses to disappear.

Batsman Salman Butt and speed bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are under investigation for supposed spot-fixing throughout Pakistan's trip of England previously this promotion code year.

They stay provisionally suspended from all cricketing activities by the International Cricket Council.

"The allegations around the Pakistan cricket group and their UK see this summer season have been so incendiary that they still remain in the headings," says Khalid Ali, secretary general of the European Sports Security Association (ESSA).

'Confront obstacles'

Brussels-based ESSA was set up by leading online sports book operators in Europe to keep an eye on any irregular wagering patterns or possible expert betting from within each sport.

It has actually signed memorandums of understanding with a variety of sports bodies - consisting of FIFA, UEFA, EPFL, the FA, DFB, ATP, ITF and WTA - and has actually developed close relations with the IOC and lots of other sports regulators.

"Nobody desires to bank on contests whose outcomes they feel are rigged," says Mr Ali, discussing sports betting.

"The licensed betting industry is determined to challenge the obstacles head-on."

It was a scandal 5 years ago which led to the production of this bookmakers' intelligence operation, one created to monitor and snuff out suspicious betting patterns.

The body happened in 2005 following a scandal in Germany which saw a referee fixing video games - the well-known Hoyzer case.

"That was a match-fixing scandal affecting German football matches and called after the referee Robert Hoyzer, who was found guilty of accepting kickbacks," states Mr Ali.

"It was Odset, the German state-run wagering monopoly, that lost millions in euros, as they were not able to track the bets being placed on location in Germany on the fixed video games.

"But the certified and regulated online market, with its electronic audit trails, was untouched by the affair."

Mr Hoyzer was subsequently jailed for his function in the scandal.

Information sharing

Nevertheless, the scandal galvanised ESSA's charter member to try and develop a system where the licensed wagering sector and sporting authorities could collaborate "to share info on irregular and suspicious wagering".

Essa represents licensed repaired chances bookmakers such as Ladbrokes, Bwin and Unibet, however betting exchanges are not part of the organisation.

"The majority of our members are listed on stock markets, so it is also in their interests to stop bribery, corruption and matchfixing," says Mr Ali.

If there is a scandal, certified bookies can lose cash as people stop betting and "the entire market is stained".

The Essa firms have actually developed a headquarters to share info and security and hand down info to sports organisations totally free of charge.

"A great deal of work has actually been carried out in regards to developing and improving the method that sports and bookmakers communicate and work with one another," states Mr Ali.

'Safety guidelines'

Each Essa member provides odds on an average of 500,000 different bets a year, and each digests and scrutinises the electronic information it gets.

There are early caution systems in place, which he states, makes it challenging for bad guys to do jagged things online.

"Every reliable bookie has their own safety standards.

"Online is well-regulated, individuals who come online leave a footprint and great deals of details about who they are and where they are," says Mr Ali.

"Technology means we are able to identify in genuine time when suspicious bets are wagered."

Essa firms can use "stop losses" or wagering ceilings to avoid additional bets being positioned.

"Once irregular wagering has been identified, this information is shared amongst the Essa group with an hour, and if proved to be suspicious, passed to sport federation," states Mr Ali.

"We are constructing some momentum now and would like other people to come on board, such as state monopolies."

'Little education'

Essa has actually also designed a standard procedure for sportsmen and females and is dealing with sporting body EU Professional Athletes.

Mr Ali has performed face-to-face conferences with professional athletes in Germany, France and Spain, discussing concerns such as match-fixing and betting.

And it is hoped that Essa can further broaden that deal with the European professional athletes group next year.

"We have actually had gamers concerning us and asking us to help them," he includes.

"Some of them have had no, or really little bit, education on betting and sporting regulations.

"We see young athletes, not betting extremely heavily, but breaking the guidelines of their sport."

And he says that a few sports do not even have a betting reference in their standard procedure.

Denied wrongdoing

At present, the Pakistan case appears like dragging on for a while yet.

Mr Butt and Mr Amir have lost their appeals to the ICC over the provisional restrictions, while Mr Asif has withdrawn his appeal.

PCB main Zakir Khan said the gamers' contracts were suspended in line with the ICC's anti-corruption yohaig promotion code.

The innocence or guilt of the gamers, who have denied any wrongdoing, will be judged at an independent tribunal, the date of which has yet to be set.

'Challenges dealing with sport'

ESSA's Mr Ali thinks that many of the yohaig code issues surrounding sports gambling which have occurred over the previous year have actually been related to markets where gaming is prohibited, such as the Asian sub-continent and East Asia.

"When you have prohibitions, gambling is driven underground into the black market," he states.

And he alerts there is no room for complacency.

"The difficulties presently dealing with sports - and in specific how we deal with the stability issues - are so essential that if we do not manage them correctly and swiftly they could send out sport - and the sports video gaming industry - into decline."

"But if we understand the initiative, we truly do have the possibility to put the brakes on match repairing."

ESSA

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