Watch: Are growing integrity challenges reshaping sports betting regulation?
At SiGMA Central Europe in Rome, the panel titled Growing Sport Integrity Challenges and Their Impact on Sports Betting Regulation brought together regulators, investigators, and sports integrity leaders to address one of the industry’s most pressing concerns. Moderated by Antonio Abdilla Zerafa of the International Betting Integrity Association, the panel, powered by IAGA, brought insights from regulators, international sports bodies and integrity specialists. Featuring, Martha Brincat, Head, Compliance and Player Protection, Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), Dieter Braekeveld, Intelligence & Investigations Manager, International Olympic Committee and Sarah Hamlet of The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The session examined how collaboration, intelligence and education are evolving to meet increasingly complex threats. “The sports betting industry is continuously growing and the more it grows, the more pressure there is to safeguard the integrity not just of betting markets, but of sport in general,” Zerafa explained.
Intelligence and collaboration
Dieter Braekeveld explained how the IOC supports dozens of sports with vastly different risk profiles. “We don’t govern the sports but we support international federations in protecting their integrity,” he clarified. Through the IOC’s Olympic Movement Unit, Braekeveld described a 24/7 monitoring system that connects betting operators, regulators, and sports bodies via intelligence-sharing platforms. “A lot of our job is developing relationships and signing data-sharing agreements,” he said, adding that smaller sports often lack the resources to build these networks themselves.
However, Braekeveld highlighted persistent legal obstacles. “Even when data-sharing agreements exist, national legislation can prevent operators from sharing information directly with sports bodies,” he explained. “For us, that can be extremely frustrating when time-sensitive investigations are involved.”
Match-fixing typologies
From the investigative front line, Sarah Hamlet outlined how match manipulation has evolved. “What we are seeing is organized groups behind the recruitment of players. Often one player is approached first, then encouraged to recruit others,” she said.
Hamlet explained that corruption rarely involves fixing entire matches. “It’s about losing a couple of games or a set. The corruptors want players to progress in tournaments so betting opportunities continue.” Vulnerability remains highest at lower-tier events, where financial pressure is greatest. “Other players corrupting other players, that, for me as an investigator, is very sad,” she added.
Risk-based response
Martha Brincat, detailed how regulatory oversight has matured over time. “We’ve invested heavily in human capacity, technology, and data-sharing agreements,” she said.
Brincat emphasised a shift from process-driven supervision to evidence-led risk assessment. “We sit on a lot of data. That allows us to focus our resources where the risks actually lie,” she explained. A recent MGA review into local football betting demonstrated the value of this approach. “Without that review, we wouldn’t really know what the true risk level was,” she noted.
Education as prevention
A recurring theme was education as a cornerstone of integrity. Hamlet stressed early engagement, “We start with juniors, before they even fall under our program, to ingrain awareness of the rules.” The ITIA now supplements this with mandatory online training, in-person outreach, and a confidential reporting line. Braekeveld echoed this philosophy. “Education and enforcement reinforce each other,” he said. “Sanctions are a deterrent, but trust and awareness are what prevent issues from arising in the first place.”
The panel concluded with a shared message that integrity cannot be protected in silos. Cross-border cooperation, real-time intelligence sharing and sustained education are essential as betting markets expand and threats evolve.
To continue these vital conversations on regulation, integrity and collaboration, join us at our next SiGMA World event in Rome from 02-05 November 2026, where global stakeholders will once again come together to shape the future of sport and betting integrity.
