Café culture: The newest betting brand to hit the high street takes a charitable approach


BETTING NEWS 10


Giving evidence: The Culture


Select Committee has been


checking out the Gambling Act


POLITICS 16


Dealing with live betting: An in- depth look at how the industry tackles in-play bankers


ESSENTIAL GUIDE 20


£5.20 (€8.30) • ISSUE:86 • NOVEMBER 2011 • www.betting-business.co.uk


Spot fixers sent down


The corrupted Pakistani cricketers have been banned and jailed, although some want to see an even harder line against match fixers.


INTEGRITY W


ould-be match fixers have been sent a strong message after the Pakistani crick- eters involved in ‘spot


fixing’ at Lords last year were given custodial sentences. Former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt was jailed for 30 months, Mohammad Asif for one year and Mohammad Amir for six months for their parts in the conspiracy to bowl deliberate no-balls in a Test match against England last year. Cricket agent Mazhar Majeed was jailed for two years and eight months. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Cooke was particularly scathing during sentencing: “It is the insidious effect of your actions on professional cricket and the followers of it which make the offences so serious. The image and integrity of what was once a


game, but is now a business is damaged in the eyes of all.” He added: “These offences, regardless of pleas, are so serious that only a sentence of imprison- ment will suffice to mark the nature of the crimes and to deter any other cricketer, agent or anyone else who considers corrupt activity of this kind, with its hugely detrimental impact on the lives of many who look to find good honest entertainment and good-hearted enjoyment from following an honest, albeit professional sport.”


Despite the fact that the issue emerged as part of a newspaper sting, the Gambling Commission said it still showed how co-oper- ation can help secure a convic- tion. It said: “We welcome the resolution of this case which shows how collaborative work between the police, sports gov-


erning bodies and the Gambling Commission can help tackle the threat to sports betting integrity.”


Khalid Ali, secretary-general at the European Sports Security Association (ESSA), suggested that black market betting markets needed to targeted in order to prevent corruption in the future. He commented: “This conviction highlights the need for co-ordinated action in the battle against betting related match fixing. This means action against unregulated bookmak- ers, strong governance among sports bodies and zero tolerance for match fixers.”


The International Cricket Council (ICC) seems slightly less hardcore than ESSA - in Febru- ary all three players were banned for at least five years, and all three are appealing against their


suspensions. Some in the sport believe they should have received life bans.


Sir Ronnie Flannagan, who is the head of the ICC’s Anti-Cor- ruption and Security Unit, com- mented: “It is only a tiny proportion of people, some of whom may have a pre-disposi- tion to it, and some who succumb to the evil advances of other people. Sadly, I wouldn’t say the instances we have seen brought to justice are totally isolated. They indicate we must never be complacent and ever vigilant.” However, Sir Ian Botham was highly critical of the ICC, which he said ‘sat on their hands and pretended it’s not there’. He added: “It is 11 years since Hansie Cronje and it has come to the surface again now. Nothing has happened since. We have only just scratched the surface.”


MOHAMMED ASIF HAS BEEN JAILED FOR ARRANGING TO BOWL NO BALLS


ABB calls for reduction in tax burden


TAXATION Ten years after the introduction of


gross profits tax transformed the shape of the retail betting sector, the industry’s main trade body the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) is calling for a reduction in the tax burden that the betting industry faces.


Chief executive Dirk Vennix said: “The introduction of a gross profits tax was a huge victory for cus- tomers and our industry ten years ago. The price of a bet was reduced overnight and taxation was put on a more rational footing.


“But our industry still faces a colossal tax burden, which needs to be reconsidered by government. Through a mixture of gross profits tax, levies, electronic gaming machine tax, Gambling Commis- sion and local authority licensing fees and corporation tax, our indus- try now pays much more in tax than it retains in profit. It pays £949m in tax - which is about £400m more than comparable retail sectors.” The trend of the LBO industry in


recent years has been flat or dipping revenues decimated by a huge increase in day to day running costs associated with the betting shop. Vennix added: “High street book- makers, like all retail outlets, are struggling in the current economic backdrop. Many are struggling to stay afloat, and many more cannot create new jobs, because of the tax they are paying to a variety of sources. In 2010 more than 100 shops closed with 500 job losses. We support the government’s drive to encourage economic growth. But nothing could stimulate growth more for our industry, and in turn the country, than lower and fairer taxes for betting shop operators.”


ACTION IMAGES / ANDREW BOYERS


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48