european commission funds betting industry-backed … · european commission funds betting...

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EUROPEANCOMMISSIONFUNDSBETTINGINDUSTRY-BACKEDPLAYEREDUCATIONPROJECT

9October2015,Brussels–ThejointEUAthletesandregulatedbettingsector’spioneeringplayerbettingintegrityeducationprogrammehasreceivedahugeboostinfundingfromtheEuropeanCommission.Thefive-year-oldprogrammehasreceived€488,305,ensuringthatitcontinuesforanother2years,kickingoffinJanuary2016untiltheendof2017.EUAthletesprogrammeisbackedbytheprivatebettingsectortradebodies,theRGA,EGBAand ESSA, which between them will also commit additional funding on top of what hasalreadybeencommittedbytheEuropeanCommission.Jean-François Reymond, General Secretary of EU Athletes, welcomed the EuropeanCommission’s decision, stating: “This is the second allocationof significant fundingby theCommission to this project. It’s a recognition of the success of our partnership with thebetting sector. It will allow us to improve our education tool set, enhance our outreachprogramme directly to players and also increase the visibility of the #PROtectIntegritycampaign. Players associations are in the front line to preserve the integrity of sportingcompetitionsinEurope.”EUAthleteswill nowset aboutdevelopingand implementinga rangeofnewandexistingtoolstocommunicateits5keyconcepts:knowtherules;don’tbetonyoursport;becarefulwithinsideinformation;fixinganypartofamatchisaseriousoffence;andreportanythingsuspicious.Ofparticularinterestisanexcitingnewsocialmediacampaign#PROtectIntegrityspecificallydesignedtohelpEUAthletestoexpandtheprojecttonewsportsandcountriesandtargetlargeraudience.KhalidAli,SecretaryGeneralofESSA,oneof thebettingsectors’ fundingpartners,praisedEUAthleteseducationprogramme,“Itisaworldleaderinitsfieldandcontinuestoinnovateanddelivereffectiveandfocusedprogrammessafeguardingbothsportandbettingmarkets.ManyoftheeducationprojectsinitiatedbyotherbodiesarebasedonthecorecomponentsoftheEUAthletesprogramme,underliningitsimpact.”CliveHawkswood,ChiefExecutiveoftheRGAadded:“ContinuedcooperationbetweentheEuropeanCommission, betting operators and athletes associations is vital to safeguardingthe integrity of sports in Europe.We are therefore delighted that funding of the bettingintegrity education programme for a further two years is to be provided jointly by theCommissionandbyrepresentativesofthelicensedbettingindustry.”MaartenHaijer,SecretaryGeneraloftheEGBAsaid:"TheEUathletesprogrammeensuresyoungathletesareeducatedontherisksofmatchfixing.Thecontinuedprivateandpublic

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fundingbyEurope'sbettingindustryandtheEuropeanCommissionallowsthisessentialprogrammetocontinueforanothertwoyears."TheEuropeanCommission’sErasmus+fundingresultscanbeaccessedhere.

ENDNotestoEditorsTheprojectwillprovide face-to-faceeducationtocloseto15,000Europeanelite levelandyouth athletes in 11 countries and at least 10 different sports. It has a total budget of€488.305andwillbeco-financedbytheEuropeanCommission,theEGBA,RGAandESSA.Buildinguponbestpractice,theeducationcampaignwillbedeliveredbypeopletheplayerstrustandrespect–theirnationalsportingtradeunions.Thecountriesandsports targetedarelistedbelow.Forafulllistoftheassociationsseelink:Sweden(IceHockey)France(Handball,Rugby,Cycling,Basketball,Football)Italy(Volleyball,Basketball,water-polo)Spain(IndoorFootball,Handball,Cycling)Ireland(Gaelicsports,Rugby)UnitedKingdom(Cricket,Rugby)Slovenia(Icehockey,Football,Basketballandindividualsports)Denmark(Handball)Greece(Volleyball)Iceland(football,basketball)Norway(Handball,football,athletics)All 21 qualifying player associations in EU Athletes will take part in a big tutor trainingconference co organised with Interpol in Lyon (France). Smaller conferences will allowassociationstosharebestpractice;hearfromnationalregulators,policeandsportsbettingoperators;andpotentially learnfromthemistakesofathleteswhogotcaughtupinmatchfixing.Theeducationwillbesupportedbyathletefriendlykeymessagesonposters,socialmediaand an upgraded version of the internet site (www.protect-integrity.com) that is alreadyaccessiblefromsmartphonesandtablets.AboutEUAthletesTheEuropeanEliteAthletesAssociationisafederationofindependentathletesassociationsfrom all over Europewithmember associations from 15 European countries representingover 25,000 professional athletes. Among the sports represented are basketball, cricket,Gaelic sports, handball, ice hockey, rugby and volleyball. EU Athletes has memberassociations in for example Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel,Italy, The Netherlands, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.For more information, please visithttp://www.euathletes.info/orfollowusontwitter@EUAthletes

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AboutESSAESSAisakeyplayer inthefightagainstbettingrelatedmatch-fixing. Itrepresentsmanyoftheworld’sbiggestregulatedsportsbettingoperators,servingover40millionconsumersinthe EU alone. Concerned regulated bookmakers created ESSA in 2005 tomonitor bettingmarketsandalertsportingbodiesandnationalregulatorstosuspiciousbettingpatterns.Thegoalwasandistoprotectconsumersfrompotentialfraudcausedbymanipulatingsportingevents. ESSAhelps to combat thiswithevidence-based intelligence itprovides to sportingbodiesandregulatorsEveryyear,ourmembers investover€50m incomplianceand internal security systems inordertohelpcombatfraud.Theyalsogivebacktosportandsocietybyspending€400monsponsorshiparoundtheworld-€250mofthatinEuropealone.Thisincreasessubstantiallywhenadvertisingandphotoandvideo-streamingrightsare taken intoconsideration.ESSAanditsmembersalsoco-fundaneducationprogrammeongamblingwithEUAthletesthatreachesoutto15,000athletes/playersacrossatleasttendifferentsportsin13EUcountries.ESSAmembers include theABB,Betclic,Bet-at-Home,Betsson,Bet365,BetVictor,Betway,bwinparty, Digibet, Expekt, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Interwetten, Ladbrokes, PaddyPower,PMU,SkyBet,Stanleybet,UnibetandWilliamHill.For more information see ESSA’s website at www.eu-ssa.org or visit us on twitter:@ESSA_BettingAboutEGBAThe EGBA is an association of leading European gaming and betting operators Bet-at-home.com, BetClic, bwinparty, Digibet, Expekt,and Unibet. EGBA is a Brussels-based non-profit association. It promotes the right of private gaming and betting operators that areregulated and licensed in one Member State to a fair market access throughout theEuropeanUnion.Onlinegamingandbettingisafastgrowingmarket,butwillremainforthenextdecadesalimitedpartoftheoverallEuropeangamingmarketinwhichthetraditionallandbasedofferisexpectedtogrowfrom€71.9BillionGGRin2010to€79BillionGGRin2015, thuskeeping the lion’s sharewith86%of themarket. Source:H2GamblingCapital,September2011.Forfurtherinformationorcommentpleasecontact:MaartenHaijer+3225540890AbouttheRGAThe RGA is the largest online gambling trade association in the world, representing theworld’s largest licensed and stockmarket-listed remote gambling operators and softwareproviders.Theorganisationprovidestheremotegamblingindustrywithasinglevoiceonallissuesofimportancetoregulators,legislators,andkeydecision-makers.Furtherinformationabout the RGA can be found atwww.rga.eu.com. For further information, please contactBrianWrighton+44(0)2035851240