Sports Integrity Conference as part of the International Sports Convention 2016

Key stakeholders call upon the entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on Manipulation of Sport Competitions, welcoming the significant contribution of Lotteries to sports integrity.

Major stakeholders in the fight against match fixing, convened in Geneva today on December 7, 2016 for the Sports Integrity Conference, which was part of the two-day International Sports Convention 2016 (ISC) and was supported by the European Lotteries (EL) and the World Lottery Association (WLA). More than 20 international speakers, of a diverse background, discussed the state of on-going work, facts and figures, and lessons learned from past cases and investigations, as well as forward-looking strategies. The stakeholders agreed that the entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions is now essential, and even more states need to start developing their national platforms. The significant contribution of Lotteries in the fight against match-fixing through the provision of information on irregular betting patterns via their risk management systems and the establishment of the Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS) was highlighted and welcomed. Commenting on the Sports Integrity Conference, Chairman of EL Sport Committee, Torbjørn Almlid, noted “It is clear that the setting up of national platforms, cooperation and sharing of information among all relevant stakeholders, as also required by the Macolin Convention, are vital for the fight against the phenomenon. Lotteries all over Europe are already actively contributing towards this direction. As highlighted by many speakers, though, illegal betting operators pose obstacles and undermine the efficient information sharing among the national actors and it is vital that states need take concrete measures against illegal betting.”