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

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Sport bookmakers look for security in numbers against unfaithful
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10 November 2010
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The current choice by Pakistan's cricket authorities to suspend the central contracts of three gamers means among the summer season's biggest sport gaming stories declines to disappear.

Batsman Salman Butt and speed bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are under examination for alleged 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 accusations around the Pakistan cricket team and their UK check out this summer have been so incendiary that they still remain in the yohaig code headlines," says Khalid Ali, secretary general of the European Sports Security Association (ESSA).

'Confront obstacles'

Brussels-based ESSA was established by leading online sports book operators in Europe to monitor any irregular wagering patterns or possible expert wagering from within each sport.

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

"Nobody desires to bank on contests whose results they feel are rigged," states Mr Ali, speaking about sports wagering.

"The certified betting industry is figured out to confront the challenges head-on."

It was a scandal 5 years ago which led to the creation of this bookies' intelligence operation, one developed to monitor and snuff out suspicious wagering patterns.

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

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

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

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

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

Information sharing

Nevertheless, the scandal galvanised ESSA's founding members to attempt and develop a system where the certified betting sector and sporting authorities could interact "to share info on irregular and suspicious betting".

Essa represents certified repaired odds bookies such as Ladbrokes, Bwin and Unibet, however gambling exchanges are not part of the organisation.

"Most of our members are listed on stock exchange, so it is likewise in their interests to stop bribery, corruption and matchfixing," states Mr Ali.

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

The Essa companies have created a main office to share information and security and hand down info to sports organisations totally free of charge.

"A lot of work has been performed in terms of developing and improving the way that sports and bookmakers communicate and work with one another," says Mr Ali.

'Safety guidelines'
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Each Essa member uses odds on approximately 500,000 different bets a year, and each digests and scrutinises the electronic details it receives.

There are early warning systems in location, which he says, makes it tough for bad guys to do crooked things online.

"Every trusted bookie has their own security standards.

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

"Technology indicates we are able to spot in real time when suspicious bets are wagered."

Essa firms can utilize "stop losses" or wagering ceilings to prevent additional bets being put.

"Once irregular betting has actually 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 individuals to come on board, such as state monopolies."

'Little education'

Essa has also devised a standard procedure for sportspersons and ladies and is dealing with sporting body EU Professional Athletes.

Mr Ali has actually performed face-to-face conferences with athletes in Germany, France and Spain, talking about problems 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 actually had players pertaining to us and asking us to assist them," he adds.

"Some of them have had no, or really bit, education on gambling and sporting policies.

"We see young athletes, not betting extremely greatly, however going versus the guidelines of their sport."

And he says that a couple of sports do not even have a gaming reference in their bet9ja promotion code yohaig of conduct.

Denied wrongdoing

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

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

PCB official Zakir Khan said the players' agreements were suspended in line with the ICC's anti-corruption promotional code yohaig.

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

'Challenges dealing with sport'

ESSA's Mr Ali believes that much of the issues surrounding sports gambling which have occurred over the yohaig code past year have been connected with markets where gaming is banned, such as the Asian sub-continent and East Asia.

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

And he cautions there is no room for complacency.

"The challenges presently with sports - and in specific how we handle the stability concerns - are so basic that if we don't manage them correctly and swiftly they could send sport - and the sports video gaming industry - into decrease."
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"But if we grasp the initiative, we truly do have the possibility to put the brakes on match fixing."
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