IBJR partners with the International Betting Integrity Association to develop actions for sports integrity in Brazil

The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) has signed a sports betting integrity protection agreement with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), the main global voice on integrity for the licensed betting sector. The primary aim of the agreement is to develop activities that reinforce monitoring against match-fixing and reliability in sporting events and online betting in Brazil. The partnership between the associations is a response to the arrival of regulation in the sector and the manipulation of matches and bets concerning Brazilian sporting events.

IBIA is a world leading industry-led sports integrity monitoring organisation that represents over 120 licensed sports betting brands globally that cross-reference alerts generated by the security systems of member operators in order to identify suspicious bets linked to match-fixing. IBIA members can provide exclusive data to be used as evidence in investigations such as those currently taking place in Brazil. According to consultancy H2 Gambling Capital, IBIA members already represent more than 60% of the online gambling market in Brazil.

IBIA and IBJR are not-for-profit bodies that are run by operators for operators with a core mission to protect regulated sports betting markets, especially for sports and consumers. The agreement aims to strengthen ties between the two associations, collaborating in actions that seek to establish a viable betting market, with high onshore consumer channelling rates, and ensuring the integrity of the Brazilian market, one of the largest in the world. H2 Gambling Capital estimates that the Brazilian sports betting market grew by 44.4% from 2021 to 2022, reaching BRL 4.5 billion in gross gambling revenue (GGR), and should reach BRL 9.2 billion by 2027 (an increase of 105%).

According to IBJR’s CEO, André Gelfi, the recent events involving football players in match-fixing schemes highlights the importance of regulation to maintain the integrity of the sport, the betting industry and bettors. “Sector regulation is essential to increase the authorities' monitoring and collaboration actions to curb match-fixing schemes, protecting sports betting companies and Brazilian bettors. To that end, we have already introduced IBIA representatives to the key authorities so that closer cooperation can be established to tackle the issue effectively”.

Commenting on the partnership with IBJR, Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “IBIA is delighted to reach this important agreement with the IBJR. It is clear from our conversations that we share the same values and goals for the Brazilian sports betting market. That prioritises the integrity of the betting product and the protection of consumers and sporting events in Brazil. We will now be seeking to explore joint projects that progress those important objectives.” He explained that what differentiates IBIA from commercial odds monitoring systems is the ability to track transactional activities linked to individual consumer accounts, rather than analysing simple betting odds movements, and which can contribute to improved protection of the sports betting market in Brazil.

Andre Gelfi and Khalid Ali concluded by committing their organisations to jointly seeking practical solutions to any integrity issues in Brazilian sport. IBJR and IBIA will be seeking to work closely with policymakers and sports bodies to ensure Brazil enjoys the full benefits of a dynamic and competitive sports betting market, whilst reducing the risks of match-fixing.