The Isle of Man’s Gambling Supervision Commission is playing its part in the global drive against the rigging of sports events by agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding with the FIFA subsidiary Early Warning System (EWS).
 
The agreement with one of the world’s biggest sporting governing bodies is part of the Commission’s strategy to ensure that the Island’s gaming sector is kept free from crime and corruption.
 
EWS, which is signing similar MOUs with gambling regulators in other jurisdictions, was founded by FIFA to help safeguard the integrity of football. The organisation gathers and analyses betting information relating to football matches.
 
The MOU with the Isle of Man, which is in force with immediate effect, establishes a formal basis for co-operation and information sharing between the two parties. It is the precursor to the establishment of a holistic Manx Betting Integrity Framework (a proposed tripartite agreement between the GSC, all licensees and an increasing number of interested sporting bodies, regulators’ integrity units and law enforcement agencies).
 
Gambling Supervision Commission chief executive Steve Brennan said: ‘The GSC and EWS acknowledge the risks to the integrity of sport represented by the manipulation of sports events with the intention of achieving unfair winnings. We both believe that sports associations, betting providers and state and public organisations operating in this area should cooperate to try to prevent and oppose these dangers, in order to protect the integrity of sports and sports competitions.’