SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has further bolstered its global rank, adding multinational betting operator Pinnacle.
By joining the betting safeguarding association, Pinnacle will feed into the IBIA’s global integrity monitoring and alert platform alongside a range of other firms.
The IBIA’s membership accounts for ‘nearly 50%’ of all regulated online operators, with the inclusion of Pinnacle following Coolbet and Videoslots joining the association.
Paris Smith, Pinnacle CEO, said: “Our focus on integrity not only applies to our clients, but also the governing bodies themselves, an area which is increasingly important for responsible gaming operators.
“We are delighted to become members of the IBIA and look forward to working closely with the organisation to combat betting-related corruption and manipulation.”
Pinnacle was established in 1998 as Pinnacle Sports before rebranding to its current corporate identity, and holds licences in jurisdictions such as Malta, Sweden and Italy.
The firm’s Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) licence was secured in March, and was described by Smith in an interview with SBC one month later as being of particular significance to Pinnacle as one of the most ‘widely respected around the world’.
“At Pinnacle, integrity is a priority,” Gareth Gray, Pinnacle’s SPort Integrity Manager remarked on the company’s IBIA membership.
“By becoming a member of IBIA, this highlights our focus on sporting integrity and shows our commitment to combatting sporting manipulation and providing our customers a safe and enjoyable environment.”
The IBIA in particular highlighted Pinnacle’s status as one of the earliest providers of esports betting products in 2010, a market which repeatedly features on its quarterly integrity reports.
In the association’s Q2 update, esports accounted for four integrity alerts, although still a comparatively small amount in comparison to football and tennis at 42 and 27 respectively.
“The size and scope of Pinnacle’s sports betting operation makes it a valuable addition to IBIA’s global monitoring and alert network,” commented Khalid Ali, IBIA CEO.
“Our growing roster of members are committed to high levels of integrity and to the protection of sporting events and betting products alike. It is pleasing that so many leading operators like Pinnacle have chosen IBIA as their preferred sports betting integrity partner.”
