Licence betting operators to combat match fixing, says Swedish regulator

Swedish gaming regulator Lotteriinspektionen has published a series of recommendations to combat match-fixing following an investigation into the prevalence of gambling-related corruption in the country.

It concluded that not enough is known about the prevalence of sports-related corruption in Sweden and proposed that a national action plan be formulated to tackle the issue.

The authority also suggested that a licensing system be introduced for private operators in order to better monitor betting-related corruption.

“A licensing system that allowed a legitimate presence would create conditions for effective action from a large number of betting operators,” the report explained. It noted that foreign operators tended to have more clearly formulated anti-match-fixing controls.

It called for the establishment of a working group with operators to develop increased knowledge and awareness of match-fixing, and campaigns to make members of the public and professional sportspeople aware of its dangers.

The Lotteriinspektionen also recommended a more effective system be set up to monitor gambling companies’ own anti-match-fixing controls, and that Sweden becomes a more active participant in international sporting corruption forums. It also called on the Swedish Lottery Act to be supplemented with a provision that requires all players to be registered, largely for land-based operators, in order to better monitor player behaviour and identify unusual betting patterns.

The investigation was carried out after the European Commission published a paper on developing a comprehensive framework for online gaming in Europe.

Research was carried out in partnership with Sweden’s Centre for Sport Research, part of the School of Sport and Health Sciences and the National Crime Prevention Council, while the Swedish Sports Confederation will also be given the opportunity to participate. The authority also consulted with market incumbents and the wider industry.