Betway, bet365 and FanDuel join IBIA for Canadian educational programme

The International Betting Integrity Association will work with betting operators to provide guidance to mitigate match-fixing and sports betting fraud.

Canada.- The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) will work with betting operators in Canada to fund an athlete education programme. Operators Betway, bet365, and FanDuel will invest at least CA$300,000 (US$219,830) to provide guidance to athletes on match-fixing and sports betting fraud.

The announcement was made at the Symposium on Competition Manipulation and Gambling in Sport event in Toronto. The firms plan to launch the programme in the second half of 2023. It will include face-to-face athlete training, an e-learning portal, an anonymous reporting app and awareness-raising material.

Khalid Ali, CEO of the IBIA, said: “The IBIA is delighted that our members, such as bet365, Betway and FanDuel, are so committed to sports betting education and are prepared to invest in such an important initiative.”

Anthony Werkman, Betway CEO, added: “We have a commitment to combatting any form of betting corruption, both globally and locally, and we look forward to working with the other members to help shape a better future for both sports organizations and regulators.”

Dale Hooper, GM, FanDuel Canada, commented: “Maintaining the integrity of sport is essential to players’ safety and enjoyment. As a newly-regulated market, we are committed to supporting educational programs that will help increase understanding and protections for athletes, bettors, and beyond.”

IBIA has signed an integrity protection agreement with the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR). It will develop activities to reinforce monitoring against match-fixing and reliability in sporting events and online betting in the country. IBIA members will provide exclusive data to be used as evidence in investigations.

In February, IBIA published its report for 2022. It reported 268 alerts made to sports governing bodies – an increase of 14 per cent on 2021 and also higher than the 230 alerts reported in 2020.