DSWV says Germany in good position to fight match-fixing

The DSWV believes that Germany is in a very good position to fight match-fixing. The statement was offered by DSWV President Mathias Dahms who shared his opinions on the matter as part of a Sports Committee of the German Bundestag concerning a case of suspected match-fixing in amateur-level soccer in the country.

DSWV argues that Germany has robust defenses against match-fixing

The DSWV as a whole has backed the claim, arguing that the gambling industry has been designed in such a way as to ensure that a repeat of the infamous Hoyzer scandal in 2005 is no longer feasible and that the necessary safeguards are in place.

With the introduction of the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States or the GGL, for its German acronym, Germany has found itself in a very strong position to prevent or failing that – detect – instances of match-fixing, the DSWV said in a statement.

The DSWV did not offer any commentary to suggest that there has been actual manipulation in the particular case, but the trade group reminded that regulated industry stakeholders have very little incentive to break rules in the country. Most of the instances of match-fixing, the DSWV added, were tied to illegal gambling and black-market operations.

The DSWV has made several key points as well, arguing that the custodian bodies dealing with preventing and punishing match-fixing were sufficiently advanced to ensure that fraud would be detected and acted against.

The black market continues to remain a threat to sports integrity

However, the issue remained the black market which remained a cause for concern and where enforcement has proven increasingly difficult. The trade group also acquiesced that despite stakeholders’ best efforts, match manipulation remains an ever-present danger, and that DSWV's members were on the lookout to identify match manipulation.

Concerning the recently reported amateur-level soccer offenses, the DSWV said that its members had not found proof that match manipulation had indeed occurred. Other areas where the DSWV has been working on is the introduction of campaigns that inform consumers about responsible gambling.

A recent partnership between the trade group and Mindway AI, a tech company specializing in using data and tech to provide robust responsible gambling and detection tools, has reaffirmed this commitment.

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