Fighting sports match-fixing and illegal betting: call for common penalties

EU member states should step up their joint efforts to combat corruption in sports by introducing common penalties for match-fixing, says a resolution voted on Thursday.

Everyone involved in fighting against match-fixing, including sports organisations, police, judicial authorities and gambling operators, should better coordinate their efforts by exchanging information and sharing their most successful tools against corruption in sports, say MEPs.  

Member states should also set up national bodies to improve coordination and information exchange, says the resolution.

Circulating the names of people involved in corruption cases would help to prevent them simply shifting their illegal business to another EU country, MEPs suggest.

To enforce EU law in this field, member states should also set up joint investigation units to take out illegal and anonymous betting websites across the EU, say MEPs.

Stamp out Asian betting havens

The resolution also urges the European Commission to identify third countries, and especially those hosting "Asian betting havens" with a view to stepping up collaboration to combat organised crime linked to illegal betting and match-fixing.

Other proposals

Parliament also proposes a code of conduct for all players, referees and technical staff, measures to protect minors and national education programmes as input to a Commission recommendation on how to prevent and combat match-fixing, set to be adopted next year.

The non-binding resolution, drafted by PPE, S&D, Greens/ALE, ALDE and

ECR groups, was adopted by a show of hands.

 

Procedure:  non legislative resolution