Bookies form Olympics integrity alliance
The IOC and EGBA reveal new information sharing arrangement to assist with suspicious betting detection
A raft of leading bookmakers including bet365, Betfair and William Hill have pledged to share information with the Olympic governing body in a move designed to stamp out fraudulent betting activity.
The agreement, which was today announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), includes members of the European Sports Security Association (ESSA) as well as other European sportsbook operators.
The news of the alliance comes ahead of this month’s Winter Olympic Games in Russia while the arrangement will also stretch to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
If any issue related to betting integrity is raised at Olympic competitions, the agreement will allow ESSA and the EGBA members to share data with the IOC in its newly established Integrity Betting Intelligence System.
“The memorandum of understandings between the IOC and various betting operators and regulators, including the ESSA and the EGBA are part of our concerted strategy to support clean sport and protect major competitions from any form of manipulation, particularly those linked to betting,” Mark Adams, IOC communications director, said.
In announcing its participation in the scheme, Betfair corporate communication manager James Midmer said the agreement illustrated betting operators’ continued co-operation in reducing fraudulent betting.
“The interests of sports governing bodies, like the IOC, and Betfair are completely aligned in wanting to ensure customers can bet in fair, transparent and secure markets on exciting sporting events,” Midmer said.