Canada is preparing for the arrival of its fully-fledged sports betting industry which will involve private operators. Ontario, in particular, has set the launch date for private betting companies for early in April and as different parties express their hopes and concerns, the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) has decided to take some definitive steps towards ensuring the integrity of sports betting in the industry, as many leading players, including PokerStars, are planning an entry.
IBIA and CGA to Share Their Expertise in Tackling Fraud
To this end, the trade body has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) which will allow the two organizations to collaborate in upholding the integrity of sports and monitoring the industry. The partnership will expand beyond sports betting, though.
The MoU specifies that the organizations will have responsibilities to focus on both the Canadian casino and sports betting verticals and protect them from corruption. The two partners will also have to create mechanisms and measures to ensure that individuals do not fall into corrupt or questionable practices as well.
Commenting on this partnership, CGA CEO and president Paul Burns said that IBIA is one of the few integrity bodies recognized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, and the current partnership adds additional value to the organization’s efforts in keeping gaming clean.
“As the CGA looks ahead to the opening of Ontario’s iGaming market and the expansion of sports betting products and services across Canada in 2022, the protection of athletes and integrity of sports betting is a key priority.”
CGA CEO and president Paul Burns
IBIA plays an important part in ensuring that sports betting and gaming stays clean on a global scale. The organization has access to betting activity worth $137 billion in terms of transactional volume annually and the organization has received accreditation by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario which allows it to expand its scope and monitoring.
To keep sports free of outward interference that may undermine its integrity, IBIA and CGA have several ideas that they are looking to put forward. The two organizations propose a range of initiatives to help tackle betting fraud. First and foremost, IBIA and CGA will focus on monitoring and detecting suspicious betting activities.
Focusing on Detecting and Preventing Fraud
They will use advanced algorithms and data to look into potential corruption cases and issue penalties, suspensions, and fines accordingly. The organizations will similarly focus on prevention as much as on detection and will create educational seminars to alert event hosts, staff, and players about the dangers of match-fixing and the serious implications it has.
IBIA CEO Khalid Ali said that the integrity of sports betting in Ontario and the wider Canadian gaming market is a key priority for IBIA and all of its members.
“The CGA has been a driving force behind the evolution of regulated betting in Canada; and IBIA views it as a valued and critical partner in the continued development of the sector, and in placing sporting and betting integrity at the forefront of that,” Ali said, praising CGA’s efforts in establishing a clean gaming industry in Canada.
Meanwhile, the number of companies preparing to launch in Ontario has been growing with 888 Holdings and GNOG.