On Thursday, the UK's House of Lords examined the escalating issue of international match-fixing during a session focused on the merits of ratifying the Macolin Convention into national law. This legal framework addresses the manipulation of sports competitions and has already been signed by 43 European nations, as well as Australia, Morocco, and Brazil.
Moses Swaibu, CEO and Founder of GameChanger360, highlighted the increasing corruption in sports, sharing his personal experience after being convicted of match-fixing. After serving a 16-month sentence, Swaibu has collaborated with the English Football Association, Premier League, and FIFA to shed light on the problem. He indicated that the rise of prediction markets and the accessibility of betting via smartphones has exacerbated this issue.
"From the perspective of criminals, you now have one of the biggest open markets across Asia, pinpointing poly-markets where you can literally bet on anything," he remarked during his testimony.
While Sportradar reported a decline in match-fixing suspicions earlier this year, committee members pointed to a 92% surge in uncertain soccer matches recorded in Africa. Swaibu noted the vulnerabilities in regions like Africa can be exploited easily due to the prevalence of smartphones. He added that new match-fixers operate openly, often undetected by law enforcement.
Madolina Diaconu, an Associate Professor at the University of Neuchâtel and a legal expert in sports and gambling, supported Swaibu's claims. She stated that studies over the past 20 to 25 years depict a clear increase in match-fixing, particularly noting the infiltration of organized crime into the practice.
"Over the last 15 to 16 years, we have seen a tremendous increase in the infiltration of organized crime into match-fixing," Diaconu explained. Unlike previous isolated instances of collusion among players, the current scenario involves sophisticated criminal syndicates. She recounted Swaibu's experiences with three criminal organizations during his career, particularly focusing on active groups based in Asia.
"Match-fixing offers a golden opportunity for these syndicates. They can easily access the market, profit from high and immediate gains, and simultaneously launder illegal proceeds from other horrific crimes, such as drug trafficking and human trafficking," Diaconu elaborated.
Swaibu and Diaconu both argued that adopting the Macolin Convention is crucial for countries to share information in real-time, bolstering efforts to combat corruption.
"This issue can only be effectively tackled through international cooperation," Diaconu asserted. "Criminals do not stay in one country; they travel and profit from our open world. Therefore, our law enforcement must also respond internationally."
Swaibu urged the UK to take the lead in ratifying the treaty, advocating for a proactive rather than reactive approach. He stressed the importance of protecting young players and emphasized the need for educational initiatives to promote sports integrity.
"Integrity shouldn’t just be taught verbally; it involves body language, recognizing warning signs, and developing soft skills," he said.
Diaconu praised the Macolin convention’s practical focus as essential for dismantling international match-fixing operations, suggesting it expand to include more countries outside of Europe.
In addition to international cooperation, Diaconu noted that gambling companies are contributing to the fight against match-fixing by sharing data from global markets. "We now have hundreds of sports betting agencies, regulators, and operators who have agreed to share data and system alerts in real-time across international borders,” she stated.
She referenced a recent scandal involving Brazilian player Lucas Paqueta, who was accused of receiving bookings intentionally. Investigations revealed that family members placed bets on these outcomes; however, Paqueta was eventually acquitted. The committee plans to review these findings and may continue discussions in the House of Lords before deciding on ratifying the treaty.
