Manipulation of sports competitions

Though the motives for competition manipulation are many, manipulation is often found in sports betting contexts (betting fraud). Matches or races are fixed in order to maximize gains from bets. In recent years, betting fraud has become an important source of income for internationally operating criminal organisations. It is just the internationality of such criminal activities that makes their prosecution difficult.

Manipulation of competitions subverts the integrity of sports and the fundamental values of a fair sporting contest. However, its social consequences reach far beyond the world of sports. Sports betting fraud often goes hand in hand with money laundering, and the moneys generated potentially serve to finance further criminal activities. Last but not least, competition manipulation undermines legal and correct sports betting activities.

By signing the European Council’s Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (Macolin Convention) in 2014, Switzerland has committed itself to cooperate with international partners in implementing hands-on control measures. While the Federal Office of Sport coordinates the fight against competition manipulation and deals with further political aspects, the Gambling Act assigns to Gespa the task of a “national platform” acting as reporting office, thus giving it a central role when it comes to investigating suspected cases.

Offering betting on sports events that involve a heightened risk of competition manipulation is prohibited (cf. Art. 29 Gambling Ordinance).

As a consequence, Swisslos and Loterie Romande cannot offer sports betting on just any sports event. In order to specify the range of permissible offers, Gespa has compiled a list to which operators must adhere. In addition, operators must comply with the relevant licensing requirements that apply to them.
 
This list primarily defines on which sports events it is prohibited to offer betting – namely, on those not figuring on the list. It is the operators’ responsibility to decide – taking into account the totality of the context and the risks involved – whether they want to offer betting on a specific event figuring on the list.

Sports governing bodies and other organisations headquartered in Switzerland that organise, supervise or themselves take part in sports events are obliged by law to inform Gespa on suspected cases of competition manipulation. Prerequisite for such an obligation is that

Depending on the case at hand, reports received by Gespa are forwarded to prosecution or other authorities, to betting operators, sports governing bodies or reporting offices abroad.

Should you have any questions on the issue or should you – in whatever function – have encountered competition manipulation, please contact us by e-mail at sport@gespa.ch.

For reports related to competition manipulation in sports, you may also use our reporting form. If you provide your e-mail address (optional) in the corresponding field, we may contact you in case of queries from our part. We will follow up any plausible information, even if provided anonymously.

Please note that we cannot give any feedback on the results of our inquiries and possible steps initiated.