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Betting on sport is big service.

Sport England approximates the value of spending on sport-related gambling in England grew from ₤ 1.7 bn in 1985 to ₤ 2.8 bn in 2008.
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Which figure is likely to have actually grown further, with an approximated ₤ 1bn bet on the World Cup alone in the UK this summer season.

Meanwhile, German research study company Sport & Markt approximates the total global betting market will be worth 263bn euros (₤ 220bn) by 2012, with much of that driven by web and sports gaming.

But when the stability of occasions are hit the betting industry suffers, and incomes are put under threat if consumers can not wager with self-confidence.

And there can have been couple of higher-profile sport wagering stories than those affecting cricket and snooker this year.

High-profile

As Sport & Markt's Gareth Moore observes: "Everyone talks about the sports betting market now.

"Not just is it a significant market in world organization, it is one that is now on the front pages of newspapers."

Four Pakistan cricketers have been questioned by police over spot-fixing allegations connecting to a test versus England at Lord's last month.

Three of these players have said they will also challenge the corruption charges installed against the trio by the sport governing body the International Cricket Council.

Meanwhile, three-times snooker world champion John Higgins was cleared of match-fixing claims, but was prohibited recently for six months for stopping working to report the illegal approach to him to throw frames.

There are likewise two other continuing examinations - unrelated to Mr Higgins - into snooker.

'Honest'

David O'Reilly is legal counsel for Betfair, one of the UK's biggest online sporting exchanges.

"If the sport is perceived as sincere, straight and fair that is excellent for betting firms because individuals will invest cash wagering with self-confidence," he states.

"If you take the Pakistan accusations, although unassociated to the UK controlled betting industry ... it is not actually a favorable story for betting in the UK.

"That is since the perception is that 'cricket is now something we might need to be careful about'."

'Education'

So what can be done to prevent future scandals?

According to experts at a World Sports Law Report conference into sports betting, the focus has to be on sportspersons and sportswomen.

As Simon Taylor of the Professional Players' Federation explains: "The only individuals who can fix a match are the competitors or the referee."

His organisation represents males and females in 15 sports in the UK, being an umbrella organisation for all gamer organisations, such as the Professional Footballers' Association.

He believes that it is inadequate to simply have deterrents, sanctions and disciplinary procedures, but that the method to deal with potential issues around gamers is also through education.

Mr Taylor states guidelines need to be described clearly to players with clear examples, and by individuals they respect.

"Through informing players about sports betting you reinforce integrity which is in everybody's interest," he includes.

"If players are harder to corrupt then sport will be more difficult to corrupt."

'Brand damage'

Matt Johnson, head of regulatory legal advice at the Football Association, concurs.

"Prevention is better than treatment, and we likewise make a point of telling gamers 'you are going to be caught'."

"It is essential that sport is directly, and is seen to be directly," he includes.

"If it loses that then people don't want to wager, that is not in betting firms' interests, and it is not in our interests."

He said that when an excellent track record was lost, the damage to a sport was "incalculable".

FA guidelines suggest gamers are not permitted to bet on a competition in which they are included.

Mr Johnson states players need to be seen not to be cashing in on any inside understanding, which he says could trigger "brand name damage" to football and its competitions.

So, even a 2nd Division player knocked out of the FA Cup in the autumn can not wager on a Manchester United v Chelsea cup final the following spring.

"We have to overcome to players the reputational threat to the video game," he says. "Once confidence has been harmed it is difficult to get it back - mud sticks."

'Overwhelmingly legal'

If this represents the "carrot" technique, then perhaps Nick Tofiluk, director of guideline at the Gambling Commission, represents the "stick".

The Gambling Commission was established under the Gambling Act 2005 to control business gambling in Great Britain.

An ex-chief constable of West Midlands police, Mr Tofiluk has responsibility for policing all wagering in the UK apart from spread wagering, which is the remit of the FSA.

"The overwhelming majority of sports betting happening through UK operators is legal and fair," he says.

"But for some there is the temptation to ... corruptly disrupt the outcome of a sporting event.

"Such unfaithful has the potential to undermine the stability of a sport, and it also harms the business interests of sports bodies and sports betting."

The commission has actually established an in-house Sports Betting Intelligence Unit to get and disseminate info to sporting authorities, betting companies and policing authorities.

"Since 2007 we have actually experienced a significant insight into world of corrupt sports betting," he says.

"We will inform sports of our concerns, to assist avoid or curtail [prohibited] activity"

In May 2010, the commission likewise introduced a personal telephone hotline for those with info or suspicions.

'Vulnerabilities'

But in a two-and-a-half year duration there has actually been just one prosecution, a 24-year-old guy who was warned for unfaithful in relation to greyhound racing.

However, Mr Tofiluk states there are still eight ongoing investigations, and that much helpful info has also been passed to sports authorities.

He said that where an examination by a sport governing body was quicker, and more cost effective, then the commission would consider discontinuing a criminal investigation "in favour of letting sports governing bodies take the lead".

Meanwhile, he says a lot of those wanting to cheat the sports betting market were educated about sports and sporting people, and about wagering operations and the movement of money.

"They seek out the vulnerabilities of these to assist in their business."
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