Boosting Sports Betting Integrity in Latin America: A Call to Action from IBIA

On 9 July 2024, the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) made a strategic call to Latin American lawmakers and regulators, urging them to prioritize the establishment of a solid sports betting integrity framework to combat match-fixing. This call comes in the wake of Brazil's recent regulatory advancements, which could serve as a model for the entire Latin American region.

• Key Takeaway One: Brazil's new regulatory framework, mandating sports betting operators to join an independent integrity body, sets a significant precedent for Latin America.
• Key Takeaway Two: The IBIA has reported 127 suspicious betting activities in the last five years, highlighting the ongoing battle against match-fixing in the region.
• Key Takeaway Three: With the Brazilian market projected to hit $34bn in sports betting turnover by 2028, the importance of a robust integrity system has never been more critical.

Brazil's Ordinance 827/2024 is at the heart of this initiative, introducing integrity reporting requirements for licensed sports betting operators. This move not only aims to mitigate integrity concerns but also positions Brazil as a potential integrity leader in the Latin American sports betting landscape.

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, emphasized the significance of the ordinance, noting its contribution to IBIA's growing membership and enhanced monitoring capabilities within Brazil's regulated betting market. "Our priorities are to further strengthen our monitoring and alert network and extend our information sharing agreements with partner organizations in Brazil and across the Latin American region," Ali stated.

The regulatory changes have made Brazil an increasingly attractive destination for licensed sports betting operators, with projections suggesting a $34bn turnover by 2028. IBIA, which already represents over 60% of Brazil's remote gambling market, has strengthened its position through an integrity information sharing and anti-match-fixing partnership with Genius Sports.

Ali further highlighted the broader regional challenge, "With legalization comes renewed responsibility to protect the sports betting market, sports, and consumers from match-fixing. Brazil has set a high bar on integrity, but there remains a lot of work to do in the wider LatAm region."

The IBIA, a not-for-profit entity run by operators for operators, aims to shield regulated sports betting markets from match-fixing without the conflict of interest seen in other sectors. Its free integrity monitoring and alert service is a vital resource for sports governing bodies, gambling regulators, and law enforcement agencies, facilitating cooperation in the battle against sports betting-related match-fixing.

With the largest and most effective monitoring and alert network at its disposal, the IBIA is uniquely positioned to analyze $300bn in global betting transactions annually. By focusing on consumer account-level transactional activity, the IBIA can provide detailed and accurate data on suspicious bets, thereby supporting comprehensive investigations into match-fixing activities.

As legal sports betting continues to expand across Latin America, the IBIA's efforts to foster a robust integrity ecosystem are essential. Strengthening monitoring capabilities and enhancing stakeholder collaboration will be key to safeguarding the integrity of sports and betting markets in the region.