Andreas Frank writes: The report, compiled by the 
ICSS and the Sorbonne University in Paris, said that 80% of global sports betting was being carried out on illegal markets, placing it beyond the reach of regulators and investigators. Manipulation takes place in a growing sports economy, which now accounts for 2% of the global GDP. The transnational sports-betting market is estimated with wagers worth between €200 – 500 billion, more than 80% of which is illegal.
Criminals are using betting on sports events to launder $140 billion each year, exposing a lack of effective regulation that allows match-fixing to spread.
The findings assume: Asia and Europe represents 85% of the total legal and illegal market. Europe makes up 49% of the legal market, whilst Asia makes up 53% of the illegal market. Legal sports betting currently delivers only €4 billion of official tax revenues for countries. More than 8,000 legal operators offer sports betting – 80% are in territories with a low rate of tax and few inspections.
The internet has led to an unprecedented expansion of sport betting offers, with online betting now representing 30% of the global market. The sports betting market has been transformed into a multi-billion dollar industry with betting exchanges, live betting, betting on more low-profile events and derivative betting formulas, as well as higher return rates for bettors.
Soccer and cricket were identified as the sports most threatened by criminals seeking to rig the gambling market but tennis, basketball, motor racing and badminton were also affected, according to the report.
A number of soccer leagues have been hit by match-fixing scandals in recent years and three Pakistani cricketers were jailed for a plot to deliberately bowl no-balls during a test match against England at Lord’s in 2010.
Practical solutions will help combat match-fixing and illegal betting. These include creating a sports betting tax to finance investigations into match-fixing and illegal betting. Players, coaches and administrators must be prohibited from betting on competitions and matches within their sport.
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