April 28 – As it makes strides on the field to develop its fledging footballing status, Gibraltar is in danger of becoming the latest haven for match-fixing.
Reports from the tiny principality that only recently gained official international status have revealed that a staggering €4 million was gambled on local games in just one year, with betting industry experts suggesting the figure could multiply 30 times in the near future.
Louis Wink, the Gibraltar FA’s Security and Integrity Officer, told the Gibraltar Chronicle following a workshop on the dangers of rigging that Gibraltar was “at grave risk” and that it could be “a breeding ground for criminals.”
Match-fixing has its roots in south-east Asia and the issue, regarded as arguably the most serious to plague the global game, will play a key role at next week’s Soccerex Asian forum in Jordan when a group of prominent panelists will examine the scale of match-fixing and corruption in Asian football, how it is being monitored and how it is being policed.
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