56 Suspicious Betting Alerts Reported by IBIA in Q1 2024
April 30, 2024
Football and Tennis Top the List with 68% of Cases
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has revealed a significant surge in suspicious betting activities reported during the first quarter (Q1) of 2024. A total of 56 alerts were flagged to relevant authorities, marking a notable 65% increase from Q4 2023 and a 12% rise from the revised Q1 2023 figures.
IBIA, representing over 50 companies and 125 sports betting brands worldwide, stands as the largest integrity monitor in the industry. These alerts, meticulously identified through customer account data analysis, underscore the ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of sports betting markets globally.
The breakdown of the 56 incidents reported in Q1 spans across six sports, impacting 21 countries across five continents. Key highlights from the Q1 2024 report include:
Football (soccer) accounted for the highest number of alerts, totaling 24 cases, indicating a 50% increase from Q4 2023 and a substantial 60% rise from Q1 2022.
Turkey recorded the highest number of country alerts with 8 cases, predominantly in football (5), tennis (2), and basketball (1).
Asia witnessed 41% of all alerts, with North and South America following at 18% each.
Europe, in contrast, reported only 4 alerts, marking a 76% decrease from Q4 2023.
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, emphasized the persistent challenges posed by corrupt activities in sports betting, particularly in football and Asia. He underscored the pivotal role of IBIA’s data-driven alerts in advancing investigations and implementing sanctions against wrongdoing.
Additionally, the Q1 report delves into the landscape of sports betting in Canada, comparing the licensing approach in Ontario with the monopoly approach elsewhere. IBIA’s recent report on the Availability of Sports Betting Products highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated jurisdiction, projecting a substantial onshore channelization rate.
IBIA’s commitment to safeguarding sports betting integrity is evident through its extensive global monitoring network, which tracks transactional activities linked to individual customer accounts. With over $300bn in annual betting turnover, IBIA members play a crucial role in upholding fair play and combating match-fixing in regulated markets.