RGA REJECTS SPORTS CORRUPTION AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR STATE MONOPOLIES

14 December 2007

Online gambling trade association and state monopoly bodies cross swords


Clive Hawkswood, the CEO of trade organisation the Remote Gaming Association was quick to discount claims by monopolistic bodies this week that state gaming monopolies are necessary to prevent corruption in sport - an interesting alternative to the usual argument that monopolies protect the public morals!

The membership of the RGA reads like a who's who of influential and top-end European gambling firms, giving Hawkswood's comments significant weight.

Referring to claims by the European State Lotteries and Toto Association (ESLTA) that "uncontrolled expansion" of online sportsbetting is at least partly responsible for recent attempts to rig sports events, Hawkswood said that the allegations were being used to prop up a failing case [for European monopolies] and the RGA strongly rejected the allegation.

There have been recent issues with sports corruption, including the news that UEFA is investigating up to 26 allegations of betting related corruption (see previous InfoPowa report).

Hawkswood pointed out that reputable private betting operators were “regulated to the same standard as state monopolies, if not better”. He added that it was the betting companies themselves that would be the victims of any match-fixing.

“Furthermore, all our members will collaborate with the competent authorities on any case of alleged match-fixing. The integrity of sports is of fundamental importance to all betting operators because they provide our core products. Wherever possible we are committed to working with sporting authorities to address any problems which arise and that will continue to be the case.”

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa