UFC fighters banned from betting on all UFC fights
Fighters will not be allowed to bet on any UFC events.
US.- The UFC has announced that it has updated its athlete code of conduct to ban fighters from betting on any UFC fights. The announcement was made in a letter sent to fighters and their teams by UFC chief business officer, Hunter Campbell. The ban also covered close associates of UFC fighters.
The UFC said it had changed its policy due to the expansion of sports betting in the US. It said it had made the decision in order to come into line with the “regulators responsible for the regulated sports betting industry in the United States”.
Most states where sports betting has been regulated have banned athletes from betting on the sports in which they participate. In some states, the ban also covers athlete’s teams, families and others who could have access to inside information.
The UFC said: “The UFC’s contracted athletes are not exempt from these prohibitions, which state legislators and regulators have implemented for the purpose of maintaining the integrity of our sport.
“In order to assist our athletes in understanding their obligations under the laws of the majority of states in which sports betting is permitted, and in further support of these integrity measures, UFC has incorporated a wagering prohibition into the UFC Athlete Conduct Policy expressly prohibiting athletes from wagering on any UFC match.”
The UFC clarified that fighters can still enter into brand ambassador agreements with sports betting companies and can still bet on any other sport, including other MMA promotions.
IBIA records 76 cases of suspicious betting in Q3
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has reported that it received 76 reports of suspicious betting in the third quarter. That’s a drop from 88 in Q2. Europe accounted for 37 reports, down from 46 in Q2.
There were eight suspicious betting reports in Asia, seven in South America and Africa and one in North America. Tennis was responsible for 33 alerts, remaining the most represented sport in reports made by the IBIA’s partner organisation. Esports followed with 16 reports – a significant increase as more operators focusing on the sector have joined the IBIA.
