Genius Sports and IBIA Partner to Combat Match Fixing
A worldwide sports integrity pact has been established between Genius Sports and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) to bolster efforts against match manipulation.
Genius Sports will join the IBIA as an associate member, forming a robust alliance to share information regarding sports integrity.
This collaboration will grant the IBIA access to Genius Sports’ technological resources and integrity reports, enhancing the potential for joint action against match fixing worldwide.
Simon Martin, Genius Sports’ Chief Integrity and Rights Enforcement Officer, emphasized the significance of cooperation in the battle against match fixing.
“Our partnership with the IBIA will provide us and our partners with enhanced transparency into global betting patterns, aiding in the identification, management, and prevention of any integrity threats,” stated Martin.
Khalid Ali, CEO of the IBIA, added: “I am pleased that we have reached this significant agreement with Genius Sports. It unites two global leaders in sports technology and betting integrity, with a clear commitment to shielding sports from betting-related corruption.”
The agreement with Genius Sports strengthens the IBIA’s presence in South America.
Ali highlighted the significance of Genius’s activities in North America and South America for IBIA’s growth in these areas.
“The inclusion of Genius Sports as a partner member of IBIA is particularly gratifying, considering its extensive network in the North and South American sports and integrity sector, which will aid IBIA in expanding its operations in these regions,” he stated.
Brazil is currently experiencing a major match-fixing controversy. Botafogo Football Club owner John Textor has accused Palmeiras of manipulating matches. These allegations led to the Brazilian Congress establishing a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) to examine the match-fixing claims.
Last week, Palmeiras president Leila Pereira denied Textor’s accusations during a CPI hearing, asserting that the American entrepreneur should be prohibited from Brazilian football if he cannot provide evidence to support his assertions.
Senator Jorge Kajuru, the head of the CPI, stated that Textor should be deported from Brazil if he has “no proof.”
IBIA reports an increase in the number of suspicious warnings in the initial quarter
IBIA’s first-quarter integrity report revealed that it received 56 suspicious betting warnings in the first quarter of 2024.
This figure represents a 64.7% rise from the previous quarter and a 12% increase from the revised 50 alerts in the first quarter of 2023.
Football and tennis alone accounted for 38 alerts, representing 67.9% of the total notifications in the initial quarter.
During the year 2023, IBIA’s warnings aided in the examination and penalization of twenty-one players, referees, and teams. This represents a rise of six compared to the fifteen penalties given in 2022.
Following the release of its initial quarterly results, Genius upgraded its forecast for 2024 due to an unexpectedly positive start to the year.
Genius declared that its first-quarter group income was $120 million (£94.1 million/€111.6 million), signifying a 23.1% year-over-year increase. This surpasses prior expectations by 2.5%.
Income generated by Genius’s betting technology, content, and services division saw a 14% year-over-year increase, reaching $73.9 million. Moreover, media technology, content, and services revenue experienced a 63% growth, reaching $35.5 million.
Based on the robust first-quarter performance, Genius adjusted its group revenue target from $480 million to $500 million, while projecting adjusted EBITDA to reach $82 million, exceeding the previous target of $75 million.
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