For the 2025 edition of Wimbledon, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club has broken new ground. Gone are the suspects spotted solely via the bookmakers’ odds: Wimbledon is now deploying undercover agents (“spotters”) in the stands to track down courtsiders, the live bettors who exploit the time lag between the actual point and its televised broadcast.
What is courtsiding?
Courtsiding, a term already familiar from the 2013 Australian Open, refers to the transmission of data in near-real time to betting networks, before the score is officially updated.
These operators use modified smartphones or hidden microphones, sometimes even in their shoes, to transmit information with a lead of a few milliseconds: a decisive advantage in live markets where every moment counts.
Why is Wimbledon reacting now?
Today, almost 75% of tennis bets are made live, on points, sets or games. This explosion in in-play betting is creating more opportunities for criminal networks to take advantage of ultra-rapid information.
In addition, punters in the stands are perceived as a threat to the tournament’s credibility. Wimbledon’s image as a bastion of fair play must be protected.
A source said:
“Wimbledon is a Fort Knox of propriety and fairness. We go to great lengths to stop people exploiting our sport in any way, including by taking advantage of any unavoidable technical issue to make money. It takes a great deal of time, effort and expertise to monitor courtsiders whose activities have increased rapidly with the rise in in-play gambling. Rather than simply betting on the outcome of individual matches or who will win the championships, syndicates now gamble the outcome of individual sets, games or even individual points.”
A multi-pronged counter-offensive
Undercover agents in the stands
For the first time this year, spy-spotters are discreetly stationed in the stands. Their mission: to spot suspicious behaviour (eye contact, smartphone manipulation, hidden microphones) and to remove the individuals concerned.
Blocking Wi-Fi and technological control
Wi-Fi access to the tournament now blocks all online betting sites. An expanded no-fly zone also protects against drones flying over the courts.
Digital tools and biometric identification
According to the Daily Mail, several suspects were identified as soon as they arrived, even before they entered the stands, suggesting the use of facial recognition technology to spot repeat offenders and people reported on underground forums.
A storm brewing over face-recognition?
The potential use of facial recognition raises questions about privacy and the proportionality of measures. To date, neither the All England Club nor the British authorities have officially confirmed this. However, the speed of identification, estimated at 15 minutes after entry by some forums, suggests a sophisticated system. While proactive surveillance enhances integrity, the legality of biometric methods on spectators raises a debate: what about the GDPR, consent and traceability?
Ethical issues and legal prospects
In the future, laws like the one passed in Victoria, Australia (2013) could be passed in Europe, making courtsiding a criminal offence. In the meantime, sporting bodies are fully exercising their disciplinary authority.The fight against courtsiders has reached a new level: infiltration, technological blocking, facial recognition… Wimbledon is affirming its commitment to defending the integrity of the sport. What remains to be seen are future developments on the legal and ethical fronts, at a time when a transparent environment is becoming a global issue for the development of responsible sports betting.