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Sport bookmakers look for safety in numbers versus cheating
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10 November 2010

The current choice by Pakistan's cricket authorities to suspend the main contracts of three gamers means one of the summer season's greatest sport betting stories refuses to go away.

Batsman Salman Butt and speed bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif are under investigation for alleged spot-fixing throughout Pakistan's trip of England earlier this promotion code year.

They stay provisionally suspended from all cricketing activities by the International Cricket Council.

"The allegations around the Pakistan cricket team and their UK go to this promotion code summer season have actually been so incendiary that they still remain in the headings," states Khalid Ali, secretary general of the European Sports Security Association (ESSA).

'Confront obstacles'

Brussels-based ESSA was established by leading online sports book operators in Europe to keep track of any irregular betting patterns or possible expert betting from within each sport.

It has signed memorandums of comprehending with a number of sports bodies - including FIFA, UEFA, EPFL, the FA, DFB, ATP, ITF and WTA - and has established close relations with the IOC and many other sports regulators.

"Nobody desires to bank on contests whose results they feel are rigged," states Mr Ali, discussing sports wagering.

"The certified betting market is identified to challenge the obstacles head-on."
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It was a scandal five years ago which led to the creation of this bookmakers' intelligence operation, one designed to keep an eye on and dispatch suspicious wagering patterns.

The body happened in 2005 following a scandal in Germany which saw a referee fixing video games - the notorious Hoyzer case.

"That was a match-fixing scandal impacting German football matches and called after the yohaig code referee Robert Hoyzer, who was condemned of accepting bribes," says Mr Ali.
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"It was Odset, the German state-run betting monopoly, that lost millions in euros, as they were unable to track the bets being placed on location in Germany on the fixed games.

"But the licensed and regulated online industry, with its electronic audit tracks, was untouched by the affair."

Mr Hoyzer was consequently jailed for his role in the scandal.

Information sharing

Nevertheless, the scandal galvanised ESSA's charter member to attempt and develop a system where the licensed wagering sector and sporting authorities could interact "to share info on irregular and suspicious wagering".

Essa represents licensed repaired chances bookies such as Ladbrokes, Bwin and Unibet, but betting exchanges are not part of the organisation.

"Most of our members are noted on stock exchange, so it is also in their interests to stop bribery, corruption and matchfixing," says Mr Ali.

If there is a scandal, certified bookies can lose cash as individuals stop betting and "the entire market is stained".

The Essa companies have actually developed a main office to share details and security and pass on info to sports organisations free of charge.

"A lot of work has actually been done in regards to developing and enhancing the way that sports and bookies interact and work with one another," states Mr Ali.

'Safety standards'

Each Essa member offers chances on an average of 500,000 different bets a year, and each digests and scrutinises the electronic information it receives.

There are early caution systems in place, which he states, makes it tough for wrongdoers to do misaligned things online.
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"Every reliable bookmaker has their own security guidelines.

"Online is well-regulated, individuals who come online leave a footprint and great deals of details about who they are and where they are," says Mr Ali.

"Technology suggests we are able to identify in genuine time when suspicious bets are wagered."

Essa companies can use "stop losses" or betting ceilings to prevent more bets being placed.

"Once irregular wagering has actually been determined, this info is shared amongst the Essa group with an hour, and if proved to be suspicious, passed to sport federation," says Mr Ali.

"We are constructing some momentum now and would like other individuals to come on board, such as state monopolies."
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'Little education'

Essa has likewise developed a standard procedure for sportsmen and females and is dealing with sporting body EU Professional Athletes.

Mr Ali has performed in person conferences with professional in Germany, France and Spain, talking about concerns such as match-fixing and betting.

And it is hoped that Essa can even more expand that deal with the European athletes group next year.

"We have had gamers coming to us and asking us to assist them," he adds.

"A few of them have had no, or really little bit, education on gaming and sporting policies.

"We see young professional athletes, not betting really greatly, but going against the rules of their sport."

And he states that a couple of sports do not even have a gaming recommendation in their standard procedure.

Denied wrongdoing

At present, the Pakistan case appears like dragging on for a while yet.

Mr Butt and Mr Amir have lost their attract the ICC over the provisional restrictions, while Mr Asif has withdrawn his appeal.

PCB main Zakir Khan stated the players' contracts were suspended in line with the ICC's anti-corruption bet9ja promotion code yohaig.

the yohaig code innocence or regret of the gamers, who have rejected any misdeed, will be judged at an independent tribunal, the date of which has yet to be set.

'Challenges dealing with sport'

ESSA's Mr Ali thinks that a lot of the issues surrounding sports betting which have occurred over the previous year have been related to markets where betting is prohibited, such as the Asian sub-continent and East Asia.
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"When you have prohibitions, gaming is driven underground into the black market," he says.

And he alerts there is no space for complacency.

"The obstacles presently dealing with sports - and in particular how we deal with the integrity concerns - are so basic that if we do not manage them correctly and promptly they might send sport - and the sports gaming industry - into decrease."

"But if we grasp the initiative, we really do have the opportunity to put the brakes on match repairing."

ESSA

C5
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