Match-fixing: Svenska Spel launches ‘My Match’ campaign
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2 Oct 2024 •
Reading time: 3 minutes Svenska Spel, the major player in the field of gambling in Sweden, has launched something new: the My Match campaign. This campaign, which was launched last week on Monday, is aimed at high school students.
The company wants to make it clear to them that match-fixing is a major problem in the world of sports. The goal? To warn and protect young athletes from the pressure to manipulate matches.
Sweden tightens rules to combat match-fixing
Sweden has been taking measures against match-fixing for some time, but since 2024 the rules have become even stricter. Gambling companies and sports associations are now obliged to work together and exchange information. This is done if suspicious bets are placed. The Swedish gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has recently started working with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) to get an even better grip on the problem.
They have even set up a platform where gambling companies and sports associations can report suspicious cases. In this way, they ensure that everyone in the sports world is on the same page in the fight against fraud.
Match-fixing goes against everything that sport stands for. It is about fair play, respecting the rules of the game and fair competition between teams and athletes. Anna Iwarsson, the chair of the National Sports Confederation, emphasises how dangerous match-fixing is for the future of sport.
“We must take tough action against match-fixing. Only together can we protect sport from criminals who want to make money from it.”
Anna Iwarsson
Young athletes are at risk of external influence
It may seem innocent, but young athletes are often more vulnerable than you think. They are only at the beginning of their careers and are therefore more easily influenced by people with bad intentions. Criminals who try to change the results of matches know exactly how to put these young players under pressure. That is why My Match is so important. It focuses on a group that, despite their talent and ambition, does not always have the experience to resist this external pressure.
Svenska Spel is not the only one who sees the danger. Major sports associations such as the Swedish Basketball Association, the E-sports Association, and the Football Association are also participating in this campaign. Together, they want to ensure that athletes know what to expect and how to protect themselves.
Breaking the silence: dare to talk about match-fixing
A major goal of this campaign is not only to make young people aware of the problem, but also to encourage them to talk about it. Young athletes often do not dare to speak out for fear of the consequences, but My Match shows them that they do not have to worry. They are not alone, and there is always a place where they can tell their story without it being used against them.