An influential group of UK politicians has called on the sports betting industry to only accept bets on sports where it has memoranda of understanding with the relevant authorities.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group, comprised of members of both the UK houses of parliament, published its conclusions on 9 February, and said the betting industry must do more to clamp down on corruption in sport.
“We see it as imperative that all major betting operators sign memoranda of understanding with the sports on which they base their business,” Lord Faulkner of Worcester, chairman of the inquiry, said.
Betfair claimed the conclusions of the long-running enquiry, which solicited views from all sections of the UK betting industry, was a huge vote of confidence in the betting exchange sector.
“Each of the sports the committee heard from, without exception, came to the conclusion that betting exchanges were either good for the integrity of sport, or did nothing to affect them negatively,” a Betfair statement said.
Betfair said the report showed the complaints of the fixed-odds industry that betting exchanges aid corruption were groundless.
“Transparency is the key to preventing corruption, and cheating [and] betting to lose are an irrelevant smokescreen, as the report demonstrates,” it added.
Its conclusions come at a critical time for the gambling industry, with debate on the UK Gambling Bill due to begin in the House of Lords on 22 February.
With a General Election due in May it is likely many concessions will have to be made in order to ensure the bill becomes law before the current parliamentary session ends.
And many in the fixed-odds industry are still lobbying for additional controls to be placed on the betting exchange sector.
source : egaming review magazine
