Although sports betting in Canada is not new, placing a wager on individual sporting events is. The Canadian government only made this type of betting legal in 2021, leaving betting regulation to individual provinces. Now, experts are expressing concern about the damage a more open gambling market could do to professional sports in Canada.
The CEO of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), Jeremy Luke, believes that match-fixing will happen now that sports betting is more available. He is convinced that it’s only a matter of time before a major scandal happens.
Figures for the regulated Ontario industry show the size of a market which increases the risk of manipulation
So far, Ontario is the only province with regulated betting operators and confirmed revenue figures. So, it makes sense to look at the amount spent on sports betting in the province to see why Mr Luke is concerned about the growth of betting in Canada and its potential negative impact on sports in terms of match-fixing.
Over the last 12 months, residents of Ontario spent CAD$35 billion on sports betting. Much of this betting was done at legal and licensed sites that have continued to grow in numbers since single-event sports betting was legalized. It’s against this highly lucrative backdrop that CCES is pushing for the integrity of Canadian sport to be protected and for athletes to be educated about the dangers of gambling and match-fixing.
Evidence of what could happen in Canadian sports
Looking at recent events in the US shows what could happen in Canada. Earlier this year, the University of Alabama fired its baseball coach. This happened following suspicious activity surrounding one of his team’s games.
The events in Alabama were followed by the suspension of five NFL players. These players were suspended for violations of the NFL’s gambling policy which, in the case of three players involved betting on NFL games.
More recently, the NFL announced the suspension of Isaiah Rodgers and Rashod Berry of the Indianapolis Colts as well as Demetrius Taylor, who is a free agent. All three were suspended for betting on NFL games during the 2022 season. In addition, Nicholas Petit-Frere of the Tennessee Titans was suspended from the first six games of the regular NFL season for betting on non-NFL sports.
Action to protect athletes against manipulation
In order to protect Canadian sports from similar scandals to those that have happened in the US, the CCES is focusing on national sports organizations (NSO). These organizations identify and train around 4,000 Canadian athletes for various competitions, including the Olympics.
A Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) lawyer, Jerome McEniry, is a point of contact for match-fixing and sports betting. He has expressed concerns about the vulnerability of Canadian athletes. Mr. McEniry believes they are vulnerable because they are under-resourced and in situations where there is a power imbalance between them and their NSO or other people.
Due to their concerns, the CCES and COC have produced a template policy as part of a pilot project with six NSOs, including curling, soccer, and basketball. The organizations can adopt the policy that can help them protect and educate athletes.
The CCES has also partnered with the Canadian Football League. This partnership has involved helping with the rollout of a mandatory program for educating players and personnel. The work with the CFL is vital due to the value of sports betting in the league. One game in the CFL can generate around CAD$6 million. This value of betting generates an elevated risk of manipulation and attracts match-fixers who target players and non-players.
For this reason, educating those who are most at risk of manipulation makes sense. The same applies across the board in Canadian sports. The CCES is dedicated to continuing its work in this area in order to protect the integrity of sport in Canada as the sports betting market continues to grow. The organization’s aim is to prevent similar scandals to those that have happened in the US. Only time will tell if it’s able to do this by educating and informing those who are vulnerable to match-fixing approaches and sports betting enticement.
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