Sweden’s private operators want to be included in match-fixing fight

Garance Limouzy October 29, 2024

SiGMA news

Sweden’s private operators want to be included in match-fixing fight

In a memorandum issued by the Swedish Ministry of Social Affairs, Sweden’s government has proposed the signing and ratification of the Macolin Convention, an international treaty aimed at uniting Council of Europe (CoE) member states in the fight against match-fixing. The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) has welcomed the government’s commitment to sign the convention but urges that the scope of collaboration extend beyond state-owned betting companies to include private and publicly listed operators, who represent a significant share of the betting market. BOS argues that private operators play a crucial role in the battle against match-fixing, given their reach, player data, and influence across borders.

Gustaf Hoffstedt (pictured above), Secretary General of BOS, stated, “We welcome Sweden’s signing of the Macolin Convention. At the same time, it must be emphasised that it is outdated and unjustifiable to exclude licensed privately owned and listed gambling companies from the joint work against match-fixing. We urge Sweden to push for a change, so that all licensed gambling companies get full access to all the Council of Europe’s bodies on the matter, not just the state-owned gambling companies.”

Currently, only state-owned gambling entities have full access to Council of Europe’s Group of Copenhagen and its Follow-up Committee. These groups are key in shaping policies and assessing risks related to betting integrity; however, private operators, despite their extensive market share and resources, remain on the periphery of these critical discussions. BOS maintains that effective anti-match-fixing measures require the engagement of private companies that operate internationally and can provide real-time data on suspicious betting patterns across multiple jurisdictions.

A cross-border issue

“Match-fixing is inherently cross-border,” BOS stated, pointing out that the very nature of the issue necessitates international cooperation, especially among private operators with substantial global reach. “States possess competence and, not least, mandates that private companies and organisations often lack, which is why the involvement of states is crucial to achieving a successful result. At the same time, it must be emphasised that the private betting companies and their industry organisations are equally crucial for a successful result, as these have access to international player data, which authorities or state gambling companies with operations in only one country rarely have.”

According to BOS, private operators have, to date, cooperated extensively through the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), an organisation that enables data sharing on suspicious betting patterns across borders. Nonetheless, these companies are calling for direct participation in the Group of Copenhagen’s Follow-up Committee. They contend that such inclusion would permit a more comprehensive and coordinated response, especially as match-fixing risks and prevention methods are constantly evolving.

Defining illegal betting

BOS also flagged challenges within the Macolin Convention’s current framework, particularly the convention’s definition of illegal betting. The treaty classifies betting without a local license as illegal, which can impact cooperation among EU countries that have more open gambling laws. For instance, Malta, home to a substantial segment of Europe’s private betting sector, faces hurdles in ratifying the treaty due to this definition, which BOS describes as “simply incorrect and counterproductive to international cooperation.”

The Spanish model

In Spain, which ratified the Macolin Convention earlier this month, collaborative anti-match-fixing efforts illustrate the potential of broad participation among both state and private entities. The Spanish National Commission for Combating Match Manipulation and Betting Fraud (CONFAD), under the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and Agenda 2030, leads coordinated actions among public authorities, sports organisers, and gaming industry representatives. CONFAD’s initiatives include a publicly accessible alert portal where anyone can report suspected fraud directly to Spain’s Global Betting Market Research Service (SIGMA), managed by the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling.

This system exemplifies an integrated approach that BOS believes Sweden should mirror, where private operators and state bodies alike contribute meaningfully to policy-making and enforcement. As Sweden moves forward with ratifying the Macolin Convention, private gambling operators hope to see the model broadened to enable full representation and collaboration across the betting industry.