Latest News
Ground-Breaking Study Highlights Dramatic Growth in Women’s Sports
Calls for proactive approach to mitigating risk of match-fixing in women’s sports
The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), All-In Diversity Project (AIDP), Entain, Flutter and Stats Perform today launched a ground-breaking study on women’s sports and women in sports betting, ‘Breaking Barriers: Assessing Women’s Sports, Betting and Integrity Challenges’.
The study, conducted by the German Sport University Cologne and launched at iGaming Business Live! in Amsterdam, analyses the economic development of five women’s sports: soccer, tennis, basketball, cricket and volleyball. For the very first time it analyses the size and characteristics of the women’s sports betting market and examines the potential vulnerability of women’s sports to match-fixing.
“We are about to witness the best attended and most watched women’s World Cup in history and where soccer leads other women’s sports are rapidly following,” the Chief Executive Officer for the IBIA, Khalid Ali, said. “The dramatic growth of women’s sports is a hugely positive development for fans, the sports and athletes themselves and also for the betting market. It is creating very significant and untapped opportunities for sports betting. However, with increased growth comes an increased responsibility for ensuring we get ahead of the game when it comes to sports integrity and the fight against match-fixing in women’s sport. There is no room for complacency.”
The study confirms that the dramatic increase in women’s sport has been accompanied by a similar growth in betting on women’s sport. Soccer is leading the way in terms of the number of people betting and placing bets on women’s sport with an annual market growth rate of approximately 20% since 2020. This is followed by tennis, basketball, cricket, with growth rates of over 10% during the period 2017 to 2022.
It also analyses the particular characteristics of female bettors. Over the last few years, the percentage of female bettors in women’s sports has consistently risen across all five sports analyzed, with annual growth rates of up to 10%, while the total number of women betting on women’s soccer has more than doubled. The total volume of bets placed on women’s sports has grown more among women than men, highlighting potential untapped opportunities.
“Entain is delighted to fund and support the publication of today’s study, which is an important step in increasing our understanding of developing trends within women’s sport,” the Corporate Affairs Group Director for Entain, Grainne Hurst, said. “We are proud to already support aspiring female athletes through our multi-year partnership with SportsAid and our Pitching In initiative and we will continue to work with organizations to promote fairness and integrity in all sports competitions.”
“Stats Perform has a history and commitment to investing in women’s sports and enabling rightsholders and teams to grow their fan, commercial and on-field potential,” the Chief Commercial Officer for Stats Perform, Alex Rice, said. “Understanding women’s sports fans is key to achieving this, so we’re proud to have helped with this important research.”
Whilst corruption exists in women’s sport, the study found that it is significantly lower than in men’s sports. However, the experience of men’s sport has shown that sports betting can be the subject of criminals who defraud regulated operators by manipulating matches and exploiting vulnerabilities of sports and athletes.
The study makes a series of recommendations to strengthen the fight against match-fixing in women’s sport including:
- Strengthening monitoring and enhancing cooperation between sports governing bodies, betting operators and law enforcement agencies.
- Develop targeted and tailored education and communication programs for athletes, coaches and support staff to raise awareness about the risks of corruption and match-fixing and help create and reinforce a culture of integrity.
- Promote fair wages and economic transparency in women’s sports to reduce the risk of corruption and match-fixing.
“We are seeing the popularity of women’s sport continuing to grow with last summer’s European Championship the biggest women’s event for Flutter by volume and a seminal moment for many of our European brands,” the Sports Integrity Manager for Flutter, Ian Devlin, said. “This has created a higher demand from us to offer more sports with more markets relating to women’s events starting with the upcoming FIFA World Cup. However, as women’s sports continue to grow, so does the risk of participants being approached by individuals seeking to profit from sports-related corruption. This is an area that Flutter takes very seriously, with our Betting Integrity team working closely with both sport’s governing and trade bodies, such as the IBIA, to ensure that we, and the markets we offer, uphold the very highest level of sporting integrity.”
“This study wants to be the beginning of a conversation with the betting industry on how it addresses women’s sports,” the co-founder for All-In Diversity, Christina Thakor-Rankin, said. “By understanding what this new and rapidly evolving landscape looks like we put ourselves in the best possible position to keep customers, sports betting operators, athletes and sport safe for all.”
Additionally, a key next step is to increase the data available and conduct further research and analysis on women’s sports and betting. This will help deepen the understanding of the match-fixing dynamics in women’s sports and will allow to develop approaches to sports integrity which are tailored to the particular circumstances of women’s sports.
Latest News
7-Eleven selects Jackpot.com as their official lottery partner
Online Lottery Courier Service Jackpot.com Announces Exclusive Collaboration with 7-Eleven, Inc.
Jackpot.com will serve as the official lottery courier service of 7-Eleven, Inc., initially launching in Ohio and Massachusetts
Jackpot.com – the online lottery courier service that allows consumers to purchase official state lottery tickets on their phone, tablet, or computer – announced today an exclusive collaboration with 7-Eleven Inc., the largest convenience store chain in the world, to serve as their official lottery courier service.
As part of the collaboration, 7-Eleven customers in Ohio and Massachusetts will be able to sign up and play lottery games and scratchers on the Jackpot.com app or website. The program will initially be launched in over 600 7-Eleven and Speedway stores in Ohio and Massachusetts, with a special launch promotion that gives 7-Eleven customers a free lottery ticket on their first deposit by using promo code, “7Eleven”.
“We’re thrilled to work with 7-Eleven, the leading retailer of lottery tickets in the country,” said Akshay Khanna, CEO and co-founder of Jackpot.com. “Leveraging our technology and innovation, we can provide additional convenience for their customers, while adding an additional source of revenue. A true win-win relationship for all.”
By launching in Ohio and Massachusetts in 2023 and 2024, respectively, Jackpot.com aims at adding another avenue for player convenience with one of the most widely recognized brands in the convenience-retailing space. With a presence in Ohio, the nation’s seventh-largest lottery market, and Massachusetts, whose state lottery produced $1.2 billion in net profit for the Commonwealth during the 2024 fiscal year, Jackpot.com’s collaboration with 7-Eleven represents an added layer of accessibility for players.
Jackpot.com remains committed to responsible play and has significantly invested in protocols by allowing customers of legal age to set spend limits and limits on daily deposits, all while providing access to local and national responsible gambling resources, self-exclusion, self-suspension and automated notifications that offer help should problematic behavior be detected. Jackpot.com is also the only lottery courier service to launch with an iCap certification from the National Council on Problem Gambling.
To learn more, visit jackpot.com. First-time users can also download the official Jackpot.com Lottery App on the iOS or Android App Stores, where available.
eSports
The World Esports Summit 2024 Is Here!
The IESF World Esports Summit returns this December to Busan, South Korea. Hosted at the Busan Esports Arena (BRENA) from December 5-6, the Summit will bring together prominent figures from Esports, global brands, government officials, and sports executives for a deep dive into the current Esports trends, its rapid transformations, and future challenges.
This year’s theme, “Building Bridges, Not Barriers, Through the Power of Esports,” will highlight the role of Esports in uniting cultures, ideas, and industries. Under the slogan “We Empower Success,” the
Summit provides a great platform for Esports experts to engage in meaningful discussions and sessions, sharing their insights on trends and presenting forward-looking ideas for our industry.
The event, strategically timed at the close of the competitive season, presents a perfect environment for reflection on the year’s biggest events, industry shifts, and the next steps for Esports. Attendees can follow the expert’s perspectives on topics like:
- (R)Evolution in Esports
- East Meets West
- Esports Integrity: The Role of Referees
- The Rise of International Esports Competitions
- (In Korean) Korea’s Secret Sauce etc.
Also, featured at this year’s event are the IESF World Esports Training Camp and the World Esports Referee Academy.
These are very important IESF programs that are aimed at advancing the skills and professional standards of the next generation of Esports leaders.
Join us in Busan for two days designed to inspire, connect, and empower the international Esports community.
Registration for the World Esports Summit is free and open to all interested attendees.
To register, please complete our online registration form: iesf.formstack.com/forms/wes2024_participation_registration
See you in Busan!
eSports
Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo named as key note at ICE Esports Conference
Clarion Gaming has confirmed that Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo, the technology powerhouse behind the success of global brands Stake and Kick will headline the Esports & Games Conference (EGC) taking place on 21 January as part of the ICE Barcelona experience. As a key member of the executive team, Akhil Sarin has been instrumental in securing the high-profile partnerships that have accelerated Stake’s growth, including the Stake F1 team, UFC, Drake, and Premier League Everton FC.
Through these strategic alliances he has amplified Stake’s brand presence at the same time as creating unique, immersive player experiences, in the process setting new industry benchmarks.
Announcing the high profile speaker Will Harding, Head of Esports at Clarion Gaming said: “Securing Akhil Sarin as EGC key note at ICE Barcelona represents a remarkable opportunity for our attendees to gain invaluable insight into cutting-edge strategies in digital and influencer marketing .
“Akhil’s expertise with Stake and Kick.com embodies the forward-thinking, innovative approach that defines the digital marketing landscapes. His participation underscores the calibre of knowledge-sharing that we are committed to delivering at ICE and he is sure to both inspire our attendees and elevate their strategic perspective.”
Looking ahead to ICE Barcelona, Akhil Sarin stated: “Collaborating with Clarion Gaming at ICE Barcelona is an exciting opportunity to showcase Stake’s journey and continued focus on bold partnerships and creative marketing strategies that resonate with audiences.”
He added “The EGC is a vital platform for exchanging transformative ideas and shaping the future of gaming and entertainment. I look forward to discussing Stake’s vision and collaborating with industry leaders to inspire growth and innovation across the sector.”
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