Coalition calls for improved match-fixing measures as betting on women’s sport explodes

A new study by the German Sport University Cologne has called for a proactive approach to mitigating match-fixing risk in women’s sports as betting on the vertical has soared in recent years.

Breaking Barriers: Assessing Women’s Sports, Betting, and Integrity Challenges analysed the economic development of women’s basketball, cricket, football, volleyball and tennis between 2017 and 2022.

The report has been backed by a coalition of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), All-In Diversity Project (AIDP), Entain, Flutter Entertainment and Stats Perform. 

It was found that combined with a “dramatic increase” in women’s sport, betting on women’s sport had similarly rocketed.

The report noted an approximate compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% for people betting and placing bets on women’s tennis, basketball and cricket since 2017. Impressively, football has reported a 20% CAGR since 2020 alone.

It was also discovered that the total volume of bets on women’s sports had grown more among women than men over the same period. 

Christina Thakor-Rankin, All-in Diversity Project co-founder, said: “This study wants to be the beginning of a conversation with the betting industry on how it addresses women’s sports. By understanding what this new and rapidly evolving landscape looks like we put ourselves in the best possible position to keep customers, sports betting operators, athletes and sport safe for all.”

The study found that while corruption does exist in women’s sports, it is significantly lower than in men’s sports. 

However, with a peak in betting volumes in the vertical, the report outlined five recommendations for the fight against match-fixing in women’s sports. 

The first is to implement comprehensive monitoring and regulatory systems to prevent match-fixing. The study stated that better cooperation between sports governing bodies, operators and law enforcement agencies can help mitigate risks. 

The next recommendation is for all stakeholders to actively challenge the misconception that women’s sports are less susceptible to match-fixing. The study noted that increasing awareness of the risks and promoting integrity in women’s sports will help foster a more vigilant and responsible sports community. 

Thirdly, it was recommended that there should be targeted programmes for athletes, coaches and support staff to raise awareness about the risks of corruption and match-fixing while emphasising social norms such as the importance of ethical conduct, fair play and respect for the opponent.

The study said that promoting fair wages and economic transparency could help reduce the risk of corruption and match-fixing. 

Lastly, it was recommended that there should be increased transparency and data sharing amongst stakeholders, and they should support initiatives to better understand match-fixing dynamics in women’s sports. 

Khalid Ali, IBIA CEO, said: “The dramatic growth of women’s sports is a hugely positive development – for fans, the sports and athletes themselves, and also for the betting market.

“It is creating very significant and untapped opportunities for sports betting. However, with increased growth, comes an increased responsibility for ensuring we get ahead of the game when it comes to sports integrity and the fight against match-fixing in women’s sport.”

Ian Devlin, sports integrity manager at Flutter Entertainment, said: “We are seeing the popularity of women’s sport continuing to grow, with last summer’s European Championship the biggest women’s event for Flutter by volume and a seminal moment for many of our European brands.

“This has created a higher demand from us to offer more sports, with more markets, relating to women’s events, starting with the upcoming FIFA World Cup. However, as women’s sports continue to grow, so does the risk of participants being approached by individuals seeking to profit from sports-related corruption.”