ULIS reports 51.5% of suspicious betting alerts involved lower-tier sport

ULIS recorded 305 suspicious betting alerts in the quarter from July to September, and more than 51.5% of them concerned lower divisions and youth competitions, according to figures the organisation published. Luca Esposito Poleo, executive director at the World Lottery Association, said more than half of the alerts issued by ULIS in the last quarter related to competitions most people never watch.

The source gives three reasons for the concentration on the lower levels of sport. It cites limited media coverage, since the absence of cameras and public attention makes it easier for unusual betting patterns or suspicious conduct on the field to go unnoticed. It also cites low pay, with athletes and registered participants in lower-tier tournaments and youth championships often earning modest sums, which the source says leaves them more exposed to attempts at corruption or intimidation. The third reason is that anti-fraud protocols and integrity safeguards are usually less developed than in top professional divisions.

Esposito Poleo said the figures showed a change of approach for supervisory bodies, arguing that concentrating checks only on the largest top-level tournaments is no longer enough. "Monitorare solo il vertice della piramide non è più sufficiente", he said.