The Dark Side of the Game: Why Betting Integrity Matters

In principle, there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as the bookie is a safe and trusted one and  customers engage in responsible gambling. But sadly, it’s not as simple as that. 

Sports, betting and match-fixing have history

Here’s the definition of match-fixing as per the website of UEFA, European football’s governing body. 

“Match-fixing is the manipulation of the course or outcome of a football match, whether for sporting, financial or other reasons, and represents a fundamental violation of our sport’s universal values, such as trust and integrity.”

Examples of it over the decades included dozens of Serie A and Serie B football matches particularly in the 1980s and 90s, attempts to fix snooker matches involving such high-profile players as Stephen Lee and John Higgins (both of whom were banned), the famous case of top tennis player Nikolay Davydenko at the Sopot tournament in 2007 and the three Pakistani players who were found guilty of spot-fixing in 2010, banned from playing and eventually jailed. 

What’s the future looking like in the fight against corruption in sport?

Mostly bright. There have been far fewer examples of match-fixing in sport recently than in the past. 

This is a result of more anti-corruption units being in place, greater use of technology such as identifying(money) paper trails, greater general awareness and sportspeople being afraid to engage in it because of the consequences: from fines, to bans, and even prison. 
A report by the Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) who come under the UK Gambling Commission found that the ‘Total unusual and/or suspicious betting reports submitted’ was thankfully, declining. From (April) 2021 to 2022 there were 607 cases, from 2022 to 2023 509 cases and from April 2023 to April 2024, just 443. That’s just one example, but a good sign that things are improving. 

Why match-fixing has to be fought

Here’s more from the UEFA website about match-fixing, whether in a betting context or otherwise.

“It is often associated with serious criminal activities such as corruption, fraud and money laundering, with profits benefitting other criminal networks. Typically, match-fixing transcends national borders, making detection and prosecution difficult.”

With this in mind, let’s consider the big problems match-fixing creates. 

•    Criminals are benefitting financially from it, in some cases using proceeds to fund terrorist activities. 
•    Both punters and betting sites can be cheated out of their money (depending on who’s fixing what!) through no fault of their own. 
•    Fans of the sport may start to question the integrity of the sport they love and stop watching it. 
•    It can permanently ruin the careers of sportspeople who may be dragged into it against their will. 
•    It’s time consuming and expensive for all involved to monitor it.