Football listed as Top Concern for Suspicious Gambling Activity

The body responsible for identifying suspicious betting transactions around the world has named football as being the sport which triggered the most alerts. The Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS) said that in the third quarter of the year alone, 23 matches had been reported as cause for concern.  

During the three months leading up to the end of September, the GLMS said 209 alerts were issued about betting activity which was suspicious, and out of these 190 related to football.  

No alerts for Oceania 

Football was by far the sport with the highest number of suspicious betting transactions, with those in second place a very long way behind. However, basketball and tennis came in as joint second concerns with five flags each in the quarter, with four for American football, two for esports and just one for table tennis, ice hockey and handball.  

As well as keeping data on the specific sports which generated the concern, GLMS also have statistics on the locations where the suspicious betting activity occurred.  

During the third quarter of the year, Europe had the dubious honour of being out in front with a total of 166 alerts, of which 156 related to football bets. Asia trailed in second position with 20 alerts, all of which were for football with South America having 10 alerts.

The entire continent of Africa registered a lowly three alerts during the quarter while in Oceania, there were no alerts at all for suspicious activity registered.  

Not all of the alerts triggered were believed to be of a serious nature, but there were 9 considered to be a red alert. This level refers to activity such as match-fixing or serious irregularities with claims made from a named source.  

Follow-up investigation 

Once an alert has been raised, GLMS carries out an investigation and if there is no discernible reason for the suspicious activity a report is raised.  

In the third quarter, GLMS sent reports to both FIFA and UEFA as well as others to localised footballing bodies.  

Reports were also sent to the International Olympic Committee, plus the Tennis Integrity Unit and a single report to the Esports Integrity Coalition.

The news of the reports come after the GLMS called upon all countries to back the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions as it says this will give it the power to clamp down further on unlawful betting activity.