Spain’s Basque Country joins gambling regulator’s sports integrity initiative

Euskadi will have access to the DGOJ’s Global Research Service.

Spain.- The Spanish gambling regulator, the DGOJ has announced that the autonomous Basque region, Euskadi, in the Basque language, has joined its sports integrity initiative. The General Administration of the Autonomous Community of Euskadi will be able to access the regulator’s Global Betting Market Research Service (SIGMA), which provides a view of the betting market for the purposes of vigilance against match-fixing.

The Basque Country’s autonomous police force, Ertzaintza, will assist the DGOJ in investigations of the betting market when necessary, and key data will be shared with the Ertzaintza’s Gaming and Entertainment Unit.

Last month, the DGOJ announced that the Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE) has been added to its Global Betting Market Research Service (SIGMA). The AFE can now consult the betting integrity monitoring service and submit information about instances of suspicious bets placed on various sporting events. 

SIGMA was created under amendments to Spain’s 2011 Gambling Act passed in October 2022. The centrally controlled database allows registered bodies to cooperate against match-fixing and fraud through the processing of personal data. The network includes licensed gaming operators, the National Sports Council, sports federations and professional leagues. 

Last May, Spain’s national police force announced an agreement to investigate possible match-fixing via access to SIGMA. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs reached a five-year agreement with the Ministry of the Interior’s General Police Directorate to allow criminal investigations using SIGMA. The police force can access SIGMA data and will investigate the alerts raised.