The UK gambling regulator has faced accusations of not having the necessary expertise, resources and appetite to initiate and pretty much deal with criminal investigations into sports betting corruption cases across the country.
The comments regarding the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) have been made by the Sports Betting Group (SBG) and Sports and Recreation Alliance (SRA), along with other bodies, such as the Football Association (FA), the Rugby Football Union, and the England and Wales Cricket Board, at part of a submission to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee’s inquiry into the gambling regulation.
Apart from that, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) made a separate submission to the governmental department’s inquiry, saying that it was important for the local lawmakers to make sure the gambling watchdog is provided with the suitable equipment and resources to deal with the threats to sports integrity and to tackle further growth of the black gambling market.
As stated in the submissions of the Sports and Recreation Alliance and the Sports Betting Group, sports governing bodies are given the power to suspend participants but they are unable to either investigate or impose sanctions on individuals outside the sport. According to the two organisations, it was extremely important for the UK Gambling Commission to have not only the strategic focus and determination but also the powers, expertise and resources to effectively investigate and prosecute cases of corruption in the sports betting sector.
UK Gambling Regulator Should Be Granted More Powers to Investigate Corruption Cases
The gambling industry watchdog got its powers to investigate and prosecute various offences under the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005. However, the latest submission in the DCMS committee’s inquiry into the country’s gambling regulation added that the organisations had not seen any evidence of those powers being used to investigate corruption cases in the sports betting sector. According to the bodies, this was because the UK Gambling Commission lacked the expertise, resources and appetite to initiate such criminal investigations. Furthermore, they criticised the UKGC for its unwillingness to engage other law enforcement bodies in further actions whenever it unveiled evidence of serious criminal offences.
The SBG/SRA submissions have called for the gambling watchdog of the UK to be provided with powers to investigate and prosecute suspected cases of corruption in the sports betting industry or, at least, have the same powers as law enforcement agencies. According to them, the establishment of an enhanced Sports Betting Integrity Unit within the regulator that could be funded by the larger fees imposed on gambling companies could help the UKGC do so.
The British Horseracing Authority has supported the recommendations made by the Sports Betting Group and the Sports and Recreation Alliance that the Commission should be granted more powers and resources to investigate cases of corruption, saying that all sports governing bodies are supposed to maintain the integrity of their sport. The BHA has highlighted the challenges associated with the expansion of the black market not only in the UK but also globally.
There is already a Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) that operates as part of the UK Gambling Commission and is focused on tackling betting-related corruption. As shared by a regulatory body’s spokesperson, the Unit determined the most effective course of action based on a case-by-case approach that could result in further investigations being carried out either by the Commission or the police forces.
- Author
Daniel Williams
