The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was the first major football tournament to take place during the online gambling boom, increasing the likelihood of match-fixing and inside betting. After compiling data from various online sportsbooks, however, the ESSA (European Sports Authority Association) has determined that no suspicious betting behavior took place.
The ESSA represents some of the biggest online gambling companies in the world, including Ladbrokes and other renowned sportsbetting operators. The regulatory body works together with online gambling operators to fight and prevent match-fixing and other illegal online betting practices.
During the World Cup, ESSA used a special monitoring system to track the betting habits of players on various sportsbetting websites. Any suspicious behavior would have been investigated and the offending user’s bet would be intercepted. Luckily, the ESSA reports that no such actions were required. After reviewing all of the collected data, FIFA and the ESSA determined that none of the made before or during the World Cup had any links to match-fixing.
FIFA also worked hard with the ESSA to ensure that this year’s World Cup was free of any scandals. The organization set up a hotline that players and other sports officials could use to report match-fixers. Together with the ESSA, FIFA did a great job of ensuring that no illegal betting took place as a result of the World Cup.
