sport-bookmakers-seek-safety-in-numbers-versus-cheating

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Sport bookies look for safety in numbers versus unfaithful
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10 November 2010
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The recent decision by Pakistan's cricket authorities to suspend the central agreements of 3 gamers suggests one of the summertime's most significant sport gaming stories declines to disappear.

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

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

"The claims around the Pakistan cricket team and their UK visit this promotion code summer season have actually been so incendiary that they still remain in the headlines," says Khalid Ali, secretary general of the European Sports Security Association (ESSA).

'Confront challenges'

Brussels-based ESSA was set up by sports book operators in Europe to keep track of any irregular wagering patterns or possible expert wagering from within each sport.

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

"Nobody desires to bank on contests whose results they feel are rigged," states Mr Ali, speaking about sports wagering.
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"The licensed betting market is determined to confront the difficulties head-on."

It was a scandal five years ago which caused the production of this promotion code bookies' intelligence operation, one created to keep track of and off suspicious betting patterns.

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

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

"It was Odset, the German state-run betting monopoly, that lost millions in euros, as they were unable to track the bets being put on location in Germany on the fixed video games.
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"But the certified and regulated online market, with its electronic audit routes, was unblemished by the affair."

Mr Hoyzer was subsequently imprisoned for his role in the scandal.

Information sharing

Nevertheless, the scandal galvanised ESSA's charter member to try and produce a system where the certified wagering sector and sporting authorities could work together "to share details on irregular and suspicious wagering".

Essa represents certified fixed 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 bookmakers can lose money as individuals stop betting and "the entire market is tainted".

The Essa firms have produced a headquarters to share information and security and hand down details to sports organisations totally free of charge.

"A lot of work has been done in regards to establishing and enhancing the way that sports and bookies communicate and work with one another," says Mr Ali.

'Safety guidelines'

Each Essa member offers odds on approximately 500,000 different bets a year, and each digests and scrutinises the electronic information it gets.

There are early warning systems in place, which he says, makes it hard for crooks to do jagged things online.

"Every trusted bookmaker has their own safety guidelines.

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

"Technology implies we are able to identify in real time when suspicious bets are wagered."
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Essa firms can use "stop losses" or wagering ceilings to prevent more bets being positioned.

"Once irregular betting has been identified, this details is shared amongst the Essa group with an hour, and if shown to be suspicious, passed to sport federation," says Mr Ali.

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

'Little education'

Essa has also developed a yohaig promotion code of conduct for sportsmen and women and is working with sporting body EU Professional Athletes.

Mr Ali has performed in person conferences with professional athletes in Germany, France and Spain, discussing issues such as match-fixing and wagering.

And it is hoped that Essa can even more broaden that work with the European professional athletes group next year.

"We have had players pertaining to us and asking us to help them," he includes.

"Some of them have actually had no, or really bit, education on betting and sporting policies.
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"We see young professional athletes, not betting very heavily, but going versus the guidelines of their sport."

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

Denied misdeed

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

Mr Butt and Mr Amir have lost their interest the ICC over the provisionary bans, while Mr Asif has actually withdrawn his appeal.

PCB official Zakir Khan stated the gamers' contracts were suspended in line with the ICC's anti-corruption promotional code yohaig.

The innocence or regret of the players, who have actually rejected any misdeed, will be evaluated at an independent tribunal, the date of which has yet to be set.

'Challenges facing sport'

ESSA's Mr Ali thinks that a lot of the issues surrounding sports betting which have actually emerged over the previous year have actually been related to markets where gambling is banned, such as the Asian sub-continent and East Asia.

"When you have restrictions, gaming is driven underground into the black market," he states.

And he alerts there is no room for complacency.

"The challenges presently dealing with sports - and in particular how we deal with the integrity problems - are so fundamental that if we do not handle them properly and quickly they could send sport - and the sports gaming market - into decline."

"But if we understand the effort, we actually do have the chance to put the brakes on match repairing."
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