The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has expressed its support for in-play sports betting in Australia.
According to the association, limits on regulated live betting contributes to significant activity for offshore operators.
The IBIA has also said that by not legalising live sports betting in Australia, it’s harder for the authorities to ensure that match-fixing and the like do not occur.
All of this was a response to the consultation related to the Australian Sports Wagering Scheme (ASWA), which is a planned framework to uphold sporting integrity Down Under.
IBIA believes that online live betting would improve sporting integrity in Australia
At the moment, live betting is regulated in Australia. However, this is only in a limited capacity. Players either have to visit a retail venue or place a bet via telephone.
In the eyes of the IBIA, this poses problems in an increasingly-digital world. Because users cannot place this kind of bet online legally, they are more attracted to “unregulated or poorly-regulated Asian betting operators”.
The disadvantages for regulated operators (and the state) are clear to see in this respect. Not only do offshore websites contribute nothing in terms of tax, they also do not pay fees in terms of licensing or products.
IBIA wants Australia to do more
Two years ago, the IBIA published the Wood Review. In this, they made 52 recommendations for authorities within Australian gambling to consider.
One of these was to create Sport Integrity Australia (SIA). This body would be responsible for overlooking the country’s sports betting market. The SIA would monitor sports betting activity in Australia through an integrity task force.
The IBIA has had the following to say in relation to sporting integrity in the country.
“It is particularly disappointing that the Government has not supported the Wood Review’s recommendation on in-play betting to properly address the integrity challenges presented by offshore betting, notably unregulated or poorly regulated Asian betting operators.
“The absence of an effective and coherent policy on in-play betting is detrimental to the regulated market.”
In response to the Wood Review, the Australian government said that integrity bodies should be given the power to “nationally suspend wagering markets where significant risk of match-fixing is identified”.
Last November, efforts were also ramped up to block domains belonging to unregulated operators.
