Sports Betting Integrity

Approximately half of all WLA members offer sports betting services, and grass-roots sports is one of the leading beneficiary of WLA member lottery funding for good causes.

The WLA is dedicated to leading the fight against match-fixing and illegal betting and to preserving the integrity of sports, through the work of its Betting Integrity on Sports & Horse Racing Committee.

The Betting Integrity on Sports & Horse Racing Committee was established in 2018 as the Sports Betting Integrity Committee (SBIC), in an effort to further the interests of WLA members that provide sports betting and to preserve the integrity of sports by leading the fight against match fixing and illegal betting. The committee complements the work of the operations team from the United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports in Lausanne, which acts as the Committee’s technical advisory group and is responsible for executing its strategy.

The scope of the SBIC was expanded in 2020 to include horse racing. To reflect this expansion, the SBIC subsequently changed its name to the Betting Integrity on Sports & Horse Racing Committee. Most recently, the committee has been concerned with the Macolin Convention on the manipulation of sports competitions.

The Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions – also known as the Macolin Convention – is a legally binding, international treaty established by the Council of Europe in 2014. Encompassing and complementing all other relevant legislative texts, both regional and international, the Macolin Convention is the only international accord in the global fight against the manipulation of sports competitions and illegal sports betting.

The creation of the Macolin Convention was the combined effort of over 50 States and organizations worldwide. The WLA has supported the Macolin Convention since the earliest days of its conception. In fact, together with the International Olympic Committee, the WLA was among the parties that created the initial draft of the convention.

The main objectives of the Macolin Convention are to establish a legal framework for the prevention, detection, and sanctioning of the manipulation of sports competitions; and to promote the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders in this endeavor. The Macolin Convention provides an effective means for combatting the manipulation of sports competitions. Most notably, it calls for the establishment of national platforms, which among other things facilitate the transnational exchange of information essential in the fight against the manipulation of sports competitions and illegal betting. National platforms have already been established in a number of WLA member states and have proven effective in the coordinated effort to thwart corruption in sports.

Download the Macolin Convention brochure

It is not enough for WLA member lotteries to be competitive. They are obligated to offer their lottery games and sports betting products in a responsible manner, keeping the best interest of their players at heart. This is what differentiates state-lottery organizations from the countless illegal and unauthorized lottery and betting organizations operating online today. Striking the right balance between providing our players with innovative and entertaining gaming and betting products while ensuring that those products are safe and responsible can be challenging. Providing safe and responsible gaming begins with how we position and market our products.

It is the responsibility of WLA member lotteries to ensure that the demand for lottery and sports betting products is channeled through legal and supervised retail and digital networks. To fulfill this important mission, lotteries must utilize a variety of media to advertise their products.

The producers and marketers of lottery and sports betting products encourage responsible decision making, regarding play by adults, and discourage the misuse of their products. It is the lottery sector’s firm commitment that adults who choose to play the lottery or bet on sports, do so responsibly.

It is with this in mind that the WLA has published this guide on sports betting marketing. The guide focuses on the marketing communications of sports betting products. It offers guidance on marketing sports betting products competitively, yet responsibly, in order to maintain an upper hand on the countless illegal betting operations around the globe.

Download the Sports betting marketing brochure

Responsible gaming is a core part of WLA values and is embedded in the operations of all our members. By providing their customers with responsible gaming environments, our members can distinguish themselves from other operators.

The Horse Betting Marketing Guidelines: Achieving responsible and competitive offers brochure was developed by WLA Betting Integrity on Sports and Horse Racing Committee (BISHRC).

It identifies the main rules and guidelines that will help WLA members to market their horse betting products in a competitive and socially responsible way.

It considers different types of offerings and games and examines a model for assessing risk levels of addiction for these. It also describes suitable distribution channels and how to plan, execute and manage responsible promotions in different social media platforms.

Download the Horse betting marketing brochure