TORONTO, March 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). The purpose of the MOU is to provide a framework for cooperation and coordination between the IBIA and the CGA on betting and related integrity matters and to protect the broader Ontario and Canadian market, sports, consumers and betting operators regulated against corrupt activities.
IBIA is the leading global integrity voice for the licensed betting industry and represents many of the largest regulated sports betting operators in the world, with its account-based integrity monitoring system covering over 137 billion US dollars of betting transactions per year worldwide. The association was recently accredited by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) as an Independent Integrity Monitor; all licensed operators in Ontario will be required to be part of a monitoring system.
Many existing IBIA operators are also members of the CGA, and the two trade associations have agreed to explore and establish cooperative and partnership projects working in areas of mutual interest. The CGA and IBIA will be equal partners in these projects, which may involve a wide range of activities, including promoting the related business and integrity interests of betting operator members of both associations, and establishing a viable regulated betting market with high rates of consumer channeling. and related measures to protect the integrity of consumers, sports and operators.
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said, “Protecting the integrity of the betting market in Ontario, and indeed the broader Canadian market, is very important to IBIA and its members. We will seek to engage with a wide range of key stakeholders on issues related to betting and integrity and will view the CGA as an essential partner in achieving this goal. The CGA has been a driving force behind the evolution of regulated betting in Canada and the IBIA views it as a valuable and essential partner in the continued development of the industry and in bringing the integrity of sport and betting to the fore.
Recent amendments to the federal Criminal Code to permit single-event sports betting have introduced new sports betting offerings for Canadians while strengthening regulatory oversight of sports betting in Canada.
The gaming industry, professional and amateur sports bodies and gaming regulators in regulated sports betting markets around the world are already cooperating to protect the integrity of sport and sports betting. By working together through an integrity checker like the IBIA, the industry can:
- Detect and report suspicious activity in betting markets.
- Use detailed market data to investigate and punish corruption.
- Develop education activities to protect players and sporting events.
- Support sports bodies, law enforcement and regulatory authorities in the fight against fraud and manipulation.
- Route consumers to the onshore regulated market.
“IBIA will be one of the few Sporting Integrity Monitors recognized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for licensed operators and we believe it is very valuable to deepen our relationship with the organization” , said Paul Burns, President and CEO, Canadian Gaming Association. “As the CGA looks to open the online gaming market in Ontario and expand sports betting products and services across Canada in 2022, the protection of athletes and the integrity of sports betting are a key priority. .
About the Canadian Gaming Association
The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) is a not-for-profit organization working to advance the evolution of the gaming industry in Canada. The association’s mandate is to promote the economic value of gaming in Canada; using research, innovation and best practices to help the industry move forward; and create a productive dialogue between stakeholders. Visit www.canadiangaming.ca to learn more about CGA and the game in Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Paul Burns, Canadian Games Association
(416) 579-3922
[email protected]
About the International Association for Betting Integrity
The International Betting Integrity Association is the leading global voice on integrity for the regulated betting industry. The association is the world’s largest customer transaction-based betting integrity monitoring system and represents operators with more than $137 billion in bet handling annually worldwide. The association maintains a policy of transparency and publishes quarterly and annual reports containing the integrity alerts reported via its monitoring and alert platform; the 2021 report can be viewed here.
Our members share a common goal of fighting corruption in betting to protect the integrity of sport and their businesses. Founded in 2005 and formerly known as ESSA, we are a not-for-profit association whose members include many of the world’s largest regulated operators, active on six continents. Members undergo a rigorous due diligence process and must adhere to our Code of Conduct which commits them to responsible betting practices.
IBIA’s Monitoring and Alerting Platform is a highly effective anti-corruption tool that detects and reports suspicious activity in its members’ betting markets. The bespoke system tracks transactional activity related to individual consumer accounts, clearly distinguishing it from commercial surveillance systems focused on simple odds movements. The association has long-standing information-sharing partnerships with leading sports bodies, including FIFA, UEFA, ITIA and the IOC, as well as many gambling regulators to use these data and prosecute corruption.
IBIA can be contacted at [email protected].
