Three arrested in UK on suspicion of match fixing

Neha Soni January 28, 2025
Three arrested in UK on suspicion of match fixing

Three people have been arrested in the West Midands on allegations of match fixing on a boxing fight, the Gambling Commission has reported.

The suspects were arrested at various locations within Birmingham. They were a 54-year-old woman, a 33-year-old man, and a 23-year-old man. The investigation was commenced by the Gambling Commission and supported by West Midlands Police.

Two of the suspects, the 54-year-old and the 33-year-old, were arrested in Kings Norton. Whereas the 23-year-old was arrested in Longbridge. They were detained on suspicion of match-fixing related to a boxing match in the UK last year.

The suspects are alleged to have committed the offences under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005. While the exact sections cited have not been disclosed, the Gambling Act states that a person commits an offence if they cheat at gambling or do “anything for the purpose of enabling or assisting another person to cheat at gambling. (2) For the purposes of subsection (1) it is immaterial whether a person who cheats—(a)improves his chances of winning anything, or (b)wins anything.”

If found guilty of such offences, it would be punishable by a prison sentence of up to two years, as well as a fine.

The Gambling Commission said it will not be commenting further on the investigation at this time.

Latest in a string of incidents

The recent arrest is just the latest in a string of incidents in the UK that have come into light. In November, English snooker veteran Mark King received a five-year ban after being found guilty of match-fixing.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) found him guilty of one-count of match-fixing and being involved in providing inside information for betting purposes. This decision, following findings from an independent disciplinary committee, also required King to pay £68,299.50 in costs.

In December, the world of professional darts was rocked by scandal as the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) handed down an eight-year suspension to 18-year-old Leighton Bennett. He was accused and found guilty of match-fixing, providing inside information, and failing to cooperate during an investigation. Alongside him, Billy Warriner faced a ten-year ban for his involvement in the same scandal. Both players were also ordered to pay over £8,000 in costs.

In yet another case of match-fixing, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) acted against three Nigerian tennis players — Henry Atseye, Sylvester Emmanuel, Christian Paul — for breaching the Tennis Anti-Corruption Programme (TACP). They committed several key violations, including match-fixing, where they manipulated match outcomes for financial gain.

Last year, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) launched an investigation after a fight between Kane Baker and Aqib Fiaz was cancelled due to suspicious betting activity.

The fight was called off just hours before due to an unusual surge in betting, which raised concerns. In October, Fiaz was fined for violating the BBBC’s rules, specifically Section 30 of the board’s ‘Rules and Regulations 2023’, relating to betting.

In 2024, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) intervened in a potential match-fixing scandal involving World Boxing Association (WBA) events. The AGCO instructed its licensees to stop offering and accepting bets on these events after concerns emerged about potential rigged matches.

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