SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has joined betting market global research service, SIGMA, as part of its fight against illegal sports betting.
Through an agreement with the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DJOG) – dependent on the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 – the RFEF takes a further step in its work to both detect and prevent any fraudulent practices related to gambling on sports.
Pedro Rocha, President of the RFEF Management Committee, stated that football – as ‘the example for society that it is’ – must fight against everything that distorts the competition and its sporting spirit.
“To be a true example, we must ensure equal opportunities, the safety and protection of all those who play the game and, of course, its cleanliness,” he said.
The RFEF will now provide its data to fight against corruption linked to the manipulation of sports competitions.
This can include data relating to possession of professional sports licences(players, coaches, etc.) by a person suspected of having carried out any fraudulent or suspicious activity related to sports betting.
“Working against illegal sports betting means protecting our football and taking care of its cleanliness”, Rocha insisted, before affirming that the RFEF is committed to “continuing to provide transparency and to collaborate with the relevant institutions and security forces”.
The written agreement also highlighted how such activities ‘undermine the interests of participants and operators in this sector, and constitute one of the greatest threats to sport’.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arana, Director General of the DGOJ, thanked the RFEF for its commitment to clean betting, and emphasised the importance of the football world representing the true values of sport.
He also emphasised the ‘firm will’ of the DGOJ to continue its work in the prosecution of illegal rigging of sports events, and its intention to incorporate new players into the global betting market investigation service to improve its efficiency and strength.
