Currently, the Gambling Commission can only share limited information with sports governing bodies unless the body is specifically listed in the Gambling Act 2005. Under new proposals announced yesterday by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Commission will be able to share information with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on suspicious betting activity.
The proposed changes to the 2005 Act are intended to strengthen the ability of the IOC to receive and share information should any threats to betting integrity arise during the course of the Games. It will also ensure a system of best practice in the UK from which others can learn. The DCMS also is consulting on whether any additional sports bodies should be included. The consultation process closes on 9 November 2011.
The Government proposes to add both international and national Sports Governing Bodies to parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 6 of the Gambling Act 2005 to better reflect the sports bodies that the Gambling Commission deals with on a regular basis, and to ensure the coverage of the main sports and major sporting events in the UK. In July, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt published the DCMS Structural Reform Plan, a blueprint for delivering, amongst other things, a safe and successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
At the time Mr Hunt commented, “The next few years will be an incredibly exciting and busy time for my department and our sectors.
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In 2012, we host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and deliver the full and final transition from analogue to digital TV across the UK. The work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be centre stage.”
In February this year the IOC organised a symposium in Lausanne of sports leaders and nine governments. For some time IOC president Jacques Rogge has been urging a broad collaboration between governments on the issue of match fixing and illegal betting. Around two years ago the IOC set up a company called International Sports Monitoring (ISM) which has developed links with 300 legal betting agencies around the world who report any suspicious activity.
“Match-fixing is the end result of illegal betting,” said Rogge. “Even if it were only illegal betting, without match manipulation, you would say it is still something we have to fight for the ethics and for money laundering. But the far bigger danger is the total credibility of sport.” (E-08.18.11)
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