A woman places bets prior to the 150th Belmont Stakes on Jun. 9, 2018. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
The Sports Wagering Integrity Monitoring Association has officially launched as a non-profit partner of industry stakeholders to identify and stop nefarious activity related to sports betting. SWIMA counts most of the major sports betting operators in the U.S. as founders. A key function of the organization will be a collaborative reporting system to track possible event manipulation and match-fixing.
MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment led the creation of SWIMA, which was originally announced in November. By the time it launched on Thursday, it had garnered support from 26 corporations, including bet365, DraftKings, FanDuel, Hard Rock, and William Hill.
SWIMA is modeled after ESSA, a European group dedicated to ensuring sports betting integrity. SWIMA is entirely funded by the betting operators and receives no government funding.
“We are eager and ready to assist all stakeholders involved in the sports betting market to ensure a safe and secure betting environment for consumers across the country,” said George Rover, SWIMA’s chief integrity officer, in a statement. Rover is a former assistant attorney general and deputy director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. “In partnership with gaming regulators and law enforcement officials, we are determined to help prevent fraudulent and manipulative behavior that could negatively affect the integrity of sporting event—something that does not occur with the widespread illegal sports betting market.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Cooperation across state lines will be paramount to ensuring a safe betting market, especially as even more states pass their own legislation. Companies like Sportradar and Genius Sports already power private integrity monitoring services, but having a non-profit like SWIMA to partner broadly within the market should complement their work.
