The Government has launched a national, cross-departmental Anti-Corruption Plan. The Plan, part of which involves sports betting, sets out the actions that will be taken to tackle corruption domestically and the priorities for raising international standards and leading the global fight against corruption.
The objective of the plan is to ensure that future activity to tackle corruption is joined up across government, civil society organisations, law enforcement and other partners.
The plan sets out a strategic response based around four principles:
• Pursue: prosecuting and disrupting people engaged in corruption
• Prevent: preventing people from engaging in corruption
• Protect: increasing protection against corruption and
• Prepare: reducing the impact of corruption where it takes place.
As regards sport, the Plan contains three specific actions in relation to tackling corruption and protecting sports betting integrity:
• DCMS to set out the measures the UK is taking to combat corruption in sport including consideration of ongoing international initiatives.
• Gambling Commission and DCMS to implement the Sports Betting Integrity Action Plan.
• Gambling Commission’s improved reporting mechanism for sports corruption to contribute to the Home Office’s proposed single reporting mechanism.
James Allen, Head of Policy at the Alliance, said that the plan will help in the fight against corruption in sport.
“We welcome the Plan and in particular its recognition that corruption and match-fixing in sport has a significant impact on public confidence. Through our engagement with the Sports Betting Group, the Alliance is committed to working with DCMS, the Gambling Commission and other stakeholders to support these efforts to tackle corruption and protect the integrity of sport.”
