Genius Sports and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) have penned a global sports integrity partnership to boost anti-match-fixing efforts.
Genius will become an associate member of the IBIA. The deal will involve Genius and IBIA sharing information on sports integrity, establishing a “powerful alliance”.
The partnership will give IBIA access to Genius’ technological resources and integrity reports. It will also increase the potential for collaboration on global match-fixing.
Simon Martyn, Genius’ director of integrity and rights enforcement, believes cooperation is crucial in the battle against match-fixing.
“Our partnership with IBIA will provide us and our partners with greater transparency over global betting patterns, helping to identify, manage and prevent any integrity threats,” Martyn said.
IBIA CEO Khalid Ali added: “I am delighted that we have reached this important agreement with Genius Sports. It brings together two leading global players in the sports technology and betting integrity environments with a clear focus on protecting sporting events from betting-related corruption.”
Genius deal boosts IBIA’s South American influence
Ali highlighted Genius’ work in North and South America as key for allowing IBIA to grow its influence in those regions.
“The addition of Genius Sports as an associate member of IBIA is particularly welcome given the breadth of its sporting and integrity relationships across North and South America, which will assist IBIA’s operational expansion across those regions,” he explained.
A match-fixing scandal is currently heating up in Brazil. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas owner John Textor has made allegations of match-fixing involving Palmeiras. The claims led to a parliamentary inquiry commission (CPI) being set up to investigate manipulation claims in Brazil.
Last week, Palmeiras president Leila Pereira rejected Textor’s claims in a CPI appearance, stating the American businessman should be banned from Brazilian football should he fail to provide evidence to support his accusations.
Senator Jorge Kajuru, president of the CPI, said Textor should be expelled from Brazil if he “proves absolutely nothing”.
IBIA reports Q1 increase in suspicious alerts
The IBIA’s integrity report for Q1 revealed it had received 56 suspicious betting alerts over the first quarter of 2024.
That figure was a 64.7% rise on the previous quarter, as well as a 12% rise on the revised figure of 50 alerts from Q1 2023.
Football and tennis alone combined for 38 alerts, 67.9% of the total Q1 notifications.
In 2023, IBIA alerts contributed to the investigation and sanctioning of 21 players, officials and clubs. This was six up on 2022’s total of 15 sanctions in 2022.
Genius ups estimates after strong Q1
In announcing its Q1 results, Genius increased its 2024 outlook following a better-than-expected start to the year.
Genius announced group revenue of $120m (£94.1m/€111.6m) for Q1, a 23.1% increase on the same quarter last year. It was also 2.5% ahead of previous estimates.
Genius posted a 14% year-on-year increase in revenue for its betting technology, content and services sector to $73.9m. Additionally, media technology, content and services revenue hiked 63% to $35.5m.
As a result of its Q1 performance, Genius upped its group revenue target to $500m from $480m previously, while it also now expects adjusted EBITDA to reach $82m, again up from its prior objective of $75m.
