ANJ issues athlete gambling addiction and match manipulation action plan
French regulator’s coordinator against sports manipulation, Corentin Segalen, details how authorities can combat athletes suffering from problem gambling and turning to criminal activities
Corentin Segalen, coordinator against sports manipulation for France’s National Gaming Authority (ANJ), has outlined three ways in which gambling addiction and match manipulation among athletes can be tackled.
As part of an opinion piece for sport ethics organisation Play the Game, Segalen explained that a rise in the rate of problem gambling among professional athletes has in turn prompted an increase in criminal behaviours, such as match-fixing.
Segalen cited past examples, including the “Calciocommesse” scandal of 2011 in Italy, which saw several prominent figures in Italian football arrested and investigated for match-fixing.
Many of those involved were already dealing with gambling debts, which therefore made them an easier target for criminal networks, Segalen said.
Other athletes burdened by financial problems may be more willing to sell confidential information in exchange for money, even if the act is not outright match manipulation..
Segalen has worked within the French gambling sector for 10 years, initially with trade body ARJEL from 2015 until 2020, before moving to the ANJ as public affairs manager for the authority.
In his opinion piece, Segalen detailed three ways in which the issue of addiction and subsequent match manipulation, something he described as a “dual problem”, can be reduced.
The first is for the relevant authorities to develop tailormade bespoke? prevention schemes. Segalen said: “Current approaches to tackling gambling addiction must be tailored to specifically address athletes, considering the factors that make them more vulnerable.
“Athletes dealing with gambling addiction or sports manipulation should have access to specialised support and treatment programmes.”
Secondly, Segalen called for sporting organisations to take a stricter approach when it comes to ensuring their athletes are not able to gamble.
He insisted that cross-checking between sports organisations and regulatory bodies should be “reinforced”, as well as urging federations to encourage athletes to register for self-exclusion schemes where available.
The ANJ head’s third recommendation came in the form of a reduction on gambling adverts, with Segalen arguing that the current rate of ad exposure normalises betting.
He added: “Using athletes in gambling advertising campaigns should be prohibited to prevent the glorification of such practices.”
Segalen signed off by dubbing problem gambling as a “silent tsunami threatening the sports world”, damaging the integrity of fixtures and leaving sports susceptible to criminal activity.
He ended his article with an optimistic assessment of how to combat the threat. He said: “Although this phenomenon is alarming, it is not inevitable.
“Through coordinated action by sports federations, regulators and governments, it is possible to counter this trend. Preserving the integrity of sports also means protecting its primary stakeholders: the athletes.”