The number of suspicious sports matches has declined by 14%, according to the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).

Publishing its Q3 2021 report, the IBIA reported 65 cases of suspicious betting activity to relevant authorities, as opposed to 76 during the corresponding time period one year prior.

Geographically, Europe accounted for 60% of all alerts during the third quarter of 2020 – an increase on the results of the organisation’s Q2 report, which saw 47% of alerts come from Europe, although marking a decrease on the 66% which originated in the continent in Q1 – followed by Asia at 15% and Africa at 12%.

On a national basis, there were 28 different countries where alerts were identified, and 23 of these alerts came from Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia, which accounted for one-third of the total, whilst there were six alerts on sporting events in the Americas. 

Meanwhile, alerts were spread across nine different sports, with suspicious betting activity most prevalent among tennis at 23 cases, followed by football at 18, table tennis at 17 and esports at two. Lastly, handball, cricket, squash and basketball saw one case each.

“The 65 cases in Q3 brings the nine-month total to 167 alerts, a 17% decrease on the same point in 2020 with 202 alerts,” said Khalid Ali, IBIA CEO.

“Tennis provided the highest number of alerts during the first three quarters with 47, followed by football with 46, table tennis 33 and esports with 25 cases. These four sports made up 90% of alerts reported in the first nine-months. 

“The benefits of being part of an international integrity monitoring body continue to be recognised; the association welcomes the decision of the Ontario authorities to require all licensed betting operators to be part of an integrity monitoring body, a position which is already in force in the recently opened market in the Netherlands. IBIA members are well-placed in those markets.”