Malta Abandons Application for a Viewpoint on Content of Unlawful Wagering
Malta has stepped back from its demand for the European Court of Justice to provide a verdict on the meaning of unlawful sports wagering in the Council of Europe's Agreement on the Rigging of Sports Competitions. This interpretation gives Malta pause, even though they state they aim to assist in curbing match fixing and other matters concerning sports integrity.
This Request for Opinion was lodged in July by Malta following the Convention's view of "unlawful sports betting" as any bet or wager facilitated through a non-approved operator across a member state.
Maltese officials raised concerns that this definition could hinder licensed companies in one nation (like Malta) from offering their betting services in other European countries with restrictive regulations or total bans on online betting.
The Convention Strives to Enhance Defenses of Match Integrity
The Agreement on the Rigging of Sports Competitions came into force last year, designed to tackle attempts to fix or tamper with athletic events.
The agreement includes efforts to establish a better channel of communication between national and international sporting organizations, regulators, and bookmakers. This partnership aims to recognize unsavory patterns of activity at an earlier stage.
It wasn't remarkable that Malta was part of enacting the Convention, as it is among the online gambling hotspots in Europe.
Nevertheless, Malta ultimately declined its endorsement of the Convention because of its illegal sports betting definition.
Officials in Malta believe the focus should be directed at unregulated sports betting sites rather than licensed companies operating in markets where they arguably shouldn't be. Unlicensed operators are thought to be less involved in match manipulation, so ensuring they're the main target would be more effective.
In a shift, Malta decided to drop its request for an opinion, opting to work through a legislative process in the Council of Europe in hopes of altering the Convention.
Most countries in Europe endorsed the Agreement in September 2014, however, Malta is not presently a signatory to the pact.
Perform Group Collaborates with FIFA to Enhance EWS
In other news, various sports organizations are moving forward in preserving the integrity of athletic events.
The Perform Group, a digital sports media provider, joined forces with FIFA's Early Warning System to counter match manipulation in soccer games and tournaments.
Perform will mix data from their Opta brand with FIFA's current monitoring efforts. FIFA hopes that this data can support their detection of suspicious gambling activities.
“The Perform Group is a key partner in the global crusade against match manipulation, and such cooperation is a cornerstone of our overall strategy,” stated FIFA director of security Ralf Mutschke.
The Perform Group generates and distributes content for professional sports competitions worldwide. It also operates Livesport.tv, an online streaming site for sporting events.
Perform officials expressed optimism that sharing information with the Early Warning System will be advantageous for both FIFA and their company.
“We are thrilled that Perform's digital content can be used in partnership with rights holders to reinforce the integrity of competitions,” remarked Matthew Drew, director of security and integrity for Perform.
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Source: www.casino.org
