Three darts players suspended amid investigation into suspicious betting

The IBIA highlighted suspicious betting activity during a Modus Super Series Event. 

UK.- The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has suspended the darts players Andy Jenkins, Prakash Jiwa and Jack Main from competing pending an investigation into suspicious betting. The probe is focusing on the independent Modus Super Series.

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) had issued an alert over suspicious betting activity on the Modus Super Series match between Jack Main and Lisa Ashton on June 9. Ashton is not under investigation and there is no suggestion that she was involved in any potential breach of rules.

The DRA said: “The Darts Regulation Authority Chairman Nigel Mawer has taken the decision to suspend Prakash Jiwa and Andy Jenkins from attending or competing in DRA-sanctioned events whilst an investigation is conducted into suspicious betting on matches played in the Modus Super Series.

“On 9 June 2023 the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) reported suspicious betting on the match between Jack Main and Lisa Ashton in the Modus Super Series Event. After an investigation, the Darts Regulation Authority Chairman Nigel Mawer has decided that Jack Main has a case to answer for breaches of the DRA Betting Rules.

“As a result of this decision, Main has been suspended from attending or competing in DRA-sanctioned events until the conclusion of the hearing or hearings and the determination of this matter. There is no suggestion that Lisa Ashton was involved in any way.”

The issue will be referred to the DRA Disciplinary Committee, which will conduct a formal hearing. It means that Jiwa may miss the World Darts Championship in December. He won an Indian Qualifier to reach the tournament.

The IBIA reported 50 suspicious betting cases for the third quarter of 2023. The cases were reported by IBIA members’ global businesses, which comprise more than 125 sports betting brands and over US$137bn in annual betting turnover.

The number of reports was down by 41 per cent year-on-year from 85 in Q3 2022. The reports in Q3 related to eight sports in 21 countries.

Football and tennis remained the sports with the most alerts, together accounting for over half of all reports. Tennis saw the highest number of alerts at 15, a rise of 7 per cent sequentially but a 55 per cent decrease year-on-year. Football saw 13 alerts.