While online gaming agencies in Argentina are booming, in Europe and other countries, including South America, they are raising objections. They are the subject of controversy following complaints and complaints from associations related to gambling addiction. But in the case of sport, the eye is also on the athletes who can become part of match-fixing.
Companies in the sector are undergoing a withdrawal process in Europe. An example is Spain, where in September 2021 the “Garzón decree” (in the name of the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón) came into force, in which all audiovisual advertising of online betting and gambling is prohibited. outside business hours. between 1 and 5 in the morning. The penalties range up to one million euros.
The provision also applies to sports clubs, which cannot sign sponsorship contracts with bookmakers that include gambling advertising on their shirts or other items of clothing. Stadium announcements will also need to adapt to the same times as other media when live events are broadcast.
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The aim of this regulation is to protect the most vulnerable sectors of a company that moves 400 million euros a year. They can direct their offers only to registered customers but, in no case, to people who have shown pathological behavior related to gambling.
Something similar was in the study of Boris Johnson’s administration in the UK prior to his departure from 10 Downing Street. That’s why the Premier League asked clubs mid-year to voluntarily forgo such sponsorships on the front of their jerseys.
In the current season, 8 of the 20 participants have a sponsor in this category: Bournemouth (Dafabet); Brentford (Hollywoodbets); Everton (Stake.com); Fulham (V88); Leeds United (Sbotop); New castle (Fun88); Southampton (Sportsbet.io) and West Ham (Betplay). For its part, the Bet 365 group owns the Stoke City club, which plays in the second division, and the brand names the stadium.
The Italian government, in July 2018, decided to veto advertising. At that time, more than half of the Serie A clubs had agreements with clubs in the sector. Following the pandemic, the League asked the authorities to allow it again, albeit temporarily until June 2023. In addition, a fund called the “Save Football Fund” was created, which allocates 1 percent of the proceeds.
Uruguay, for its part, has a 2017 regulation that bans any online betting advertising and only allows Supermatch, a brand run by La Banca de Quinielas, to do so. Since the South American Football Confederation has a sponsorship agreement with the bookmaker Betfair, posters with this inscription began to be included in the courts of the neighboring country in international cups.
For this reason, the National Lottery and Quinielas Directorate presented a summons to the sports organization with the possibility of a fine if it does not stop with such announcements.
In other countries, companies are incorporated into the naming of competitions. This is the case of the Liga Betplay Dimayor, from Colombia; LigaPro Betcris, from Ecuador; o Liga 1 Betsson, from Peru. Recently, the latter country enacted a law regulating remote sports betting and gaming. A 12 percent tax has been imposed on the net income of the business, which will allow the public sector to raise approximately $ 40 million annually.
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In Chile, MP Marco Sulantay presented a bill that aims to ban advertising of online bookmakers in clubs and events, whether in person or on radio, television or streaming broadcasts. Previously, the Ministry of Finance presented another initiative to regulate online betting, by establishing regulations that allow these companies to compete within the same legal framework.
rigged matches
One sport in which several such cases have occurred is tennis. Argentine Nicolás Kicker was found guilty by the Tennis Integrity Unit for setting a result and sanctioned him with a three-year suspension in 2018.
“The first time this person contacted me, he approached me via Facebook and told me he wanted to sponsor me, pay me monthly, give me a car to get around Buenos Aires and help me in general. He later told me they were a group of gamblers. At that time I didn’t trust. Later, in another where I was more vulnerable, I accepted. “ he confessed with regret.
Football is not far from this situation. The football given by the former Newell player, Milton Leyendecker, to Exequiel Zeballos in the Agropecuario – Boca match for the Copa Argentina is being investigated by the prosecutor Celsa Ramírez for an alleged motivation to sports betting. “It’s absolutely crazy. Will I leave my team with one less, playing against Boca, in the game everyone wants to play …?”, The footballer defended himself.
Primera C club El Porvenir sacked eight players from their squad earlier this year for confessing to “falling behind” in at least one official match as part of illegal betting. The club’s lawyer, Luis Pareti, had aptly expressed:
“Goalkeeper Diego Córdoba told us that his teammates had been offered money to allow them to score goals and even corner kicks. There is talk of 100,000 pesos, although there are some who only received 12,000 pesos. “.
The board of directors of Crucero del Norte, currently in Federal Tournament A, has separated two players for allegedly participating in sports betting. The match in question is the 4-0 defeat against Defensores de Pronunciationción, where the missionary team scored two goals against and were already losing 3-0 after 20 minutes of the first half.
“We categorically repudiate those involved in this type of illegal activity and the board of directors is committed to trying to clarify the facts, safeguard the good name of the institution and of the players who act in good faith and train daily to compete fairly “, have manifested themselves
European and South American countries are making progress in limiting advertising of this type so as not to encourage an activity that can lead to addiction. This is not happening in Argentina, where sponsorships are on the rise and match-fixing is suspected.
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