Canada anti-match-fixing education program by IBIA and PFA concludes in Alberta

Designed by the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) using its 3R’s training model, the program has utilised a combination of dedicated in-person training and online resources, with sessions delivered by the Professional Footballers’ Association Canada (PFA Canada) through its Protecting the Integrity of the Game workshops. 

In total, nearly 200 players have been trained by the IBIA/PFA Canada partnership at all eight CPL teams through the program, which started in Ontario and finished in Alberta, also covering teams in Nova Scotia, Manitoba and British Colombia. It concludes the first part of a two-year player education agreement between IBIA and PFA Canada. 

Marco Carducci, Cavalry FC & President of PFA Canada, said: “The IBIA sports betting integrity training, in partnership with PFA Canada, was an incredibly beneficial experience for our players. Effective and easy-to-understand, it made clear what professional athletes need to know about sports betting integrity and how to report attempted corruption. We are grateful for IBIA's support to help safeguard the integrity of the game and to protect and educate our players.” 

In addition to highlighting the potential threats from sports betting related match-fixing, the program educated players on rules and sanctions, the scale and accuracy of technology enabled sports integrity monitoring, and how to report criminals and corrupters using the red button app. 

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA said: “We take our responsibility to protect regulated sports betting markets, sports and athletes seriously. Decades of experience has shown that a combination of efficient regulation, education and collaboration are essential to safeguarding the sports integrity ecosystem. We are delighted that the PFA Canada education program has been so successful and look forward to year two of the project.” 

Dan Kruk, Executive Director, PFA Canada, said: “Through our work with IBIA, nearly 200 Canadian Premier League players attended PFA Canada’s Protecting the Integrity of the Game workshop this season. As a result, stakeholders can be confident our members know their obligations regarding gambling and match-fixing in their sport, how to recognize an approach to fix a match, and crucially, their duty to report any person attempting to manipulate a match.” 

The program is the first to be delivered from a CA$300,000 three-year fund – invested by IBIA and its members bet365, Betway and FanDuel – from which Canadian sports and athletes can receive free face-to-face integrity education designed to protect Canadian sports

Canadian Betting Market The Availability of Sports Betting Products released earlier this year which highlighted Ontario as a leading regulated gambling jurisdiction, with an expected onshore channelisation for sports betting of 92% in 2024 forecast to rise to 97% in 2028. 

This contrasts with the rest of Canada combined which is forecast to have an onshore rate of around 11% and is expected to lose $2bn in taxable sports betting GGR offshore during 2024-28. IBIA currently represents over 60% of the private sports betting operators licensed in the province. All online sports betting operators licensed in Ontario are required to be part of a betting integrity monitoring body. 

About IBIA 

The International Betting Integrity Association is the leading global voice on integrity for the licensed betting industry. Our members share a common goal of combating betting corruption to protect the integrity of sport and their businesses. Established in 2005, we are a not-for-profit association whose members include many of the world’s largest regulated betting operators, active across six continents. Members undergo a rigorous due diligence process and must adhere to our code of conduct committing them to responsible betting practices. 

The International Betting Integrity Association’s Monitoring & Alert Network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool that detects and reports suspicious activity on its members’ betting markets. The association has longstanding information-sharing partnerships with leading sports bodies including FIFA, UEFA, the ITIA and the IOC and many gambling regulators to utilise this data and prosecute corruption. The association maintains a policy of transparency and publishes quarterly integrity reports analysing activity reported on its network. For more information please visit https://ibia.bet/ and follow on LinkedIn and X.

About PFA 

Canada Professional Footballers’ Association Canada (PFA Canada) was formed in 2020 by Canadian Premier League (CPL) players seeking accountability, fairness, and transparency through collective bargaining. A candidate member of the Fédération Internationale des Associations de 3 Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPRO) since 2021, PFA Canada continues to represent CPL players in matters related to their employment whilst negotiating a first-ever collective bargaining agreement with the Canadian Premier League.