As the prominence of sports betting continues to grow, and with controversies sweeping across major sports leagues, the Canadian Premier League is stepping up to educate its squads.
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), in partnership with members bet365, Betway, and FanDuel, has teamed up with the Professional Footballers’ Association Canada to create a sports-integrity education program for CPL players and staff with the new season underway.
Set to be undertaken over the next two years, the program is expected to educate upwards of 300 players and staff on the potential risks of match-fixing and the threat sports betting poses to the integrity of the CPL, as well as the careers of relevant stakeholders.
“IBIA’s members take their role – as responsible regulated betting operators – in protecting the integrity of sporting competition and of betting markets seriously,” Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA said via release. “Alongside balanced, efficient and evidenced-based regulation, protecting soccer players, staff and officials from being targeted by criminals is an essential first step to stamping-out sports-betting related match-fixing and fraud.”
The IBIA’s program will provide resources to all eight of the CPL’s teams, including both in-person learning opportunities and online resources, as the league no doubt looks to preemptively avoid any potential threats to the integrity of its league.
Notably, just last month, the IBIA reported a 65% increase in suspicious betting activity quarter-to-quarter, no doubt a cause for concern and potentially a substantial factor in the prominence of education programs around the world of sport.
“IBIA has delivered sports-integrity education to over 35,000 athletes in Europe since 2010, and we’re grateful that they can leverage that know-how to design a bespoke training system for CPL players,” PFA Canada executive director Dan Kruk said. “At PFA Canada, we understand that, despite being more resource-intensive, in-person sports integrity education is essential to gain the trust and understanding of busy athletes, and to enable full, frank and open conversations.”
As for the operation itself, the program is expected to be funded in large part thanks to a $300,000 commitment from major operators including bet365, Betway, and FanDuel, with the commitment being made available across the Canadian market and across sports.
“At FanDuel Canada, we recognize the critical role athlete education plays in maintaining sports integrity,” said Dale Hooper, general manager of FanDuel Canada. “We are thrilled to expand our engagement with IBIA through this new partnership helping to build a curriculum that will help athletes understand their role in protecting sport.”
Legislation a major factor in protecting integrity
While education efforts continue to serve a prominent role in preventing the erosion of integrity across major sports, the IBIA has also found other methods effective in largely ensuring a safe and fair environment for sports betting.
According to a March study, softer restrictions and wide availability of sports betting products meaningfully reduce the risk of exposure to sports betting-related fraud on unlicensed markets.
“Whilst politically attractive, this study confirms that bet restrictions are a blunt and counterproductive instrument,” Ali noted earlier this year. “They don’t prevent betting, they just drive it into the unregulated market where most of the problems with sports integrity arise."
The decision notably comes as leagues such as the NBA have sought out restrictions following a scandal involving two-way player and former Toronto Raptor Jontay Porter. Among the proposed measures in consideration for the league, according to reports, is the limiting of bets that can be placed on two-way players, or, in more extreme cases, entirely limiting bettors' ability to place wagers on the under for players.
