The ‘Beautiful Game’ from a fraudulent perspective : match fixing in football

Abstract

Match fixing in football is a global phenomenon that is damaging the integrity of the sport. Several allegations and court cases, both locally and internationally, illustrate that match fixing is the main threat towards football. This dissertation aims to explore the methods and motives used to match fix, investigate what governing bodies and authorities are doing to minimize the crime, assess whether globalisation and the internet have made match fixing easier and suggest what should be done to prevent the crime in the future. The main objectives of this dissertation were achieved by conducting semi-structured interviews with six professionals who work within the field in order to gather in-depth data about the subject. Results indicate that funding, bribing and contacting players were found to be the main methods of fixing, while online betting was considered as a method of fixing when used fraudulently. Additionally, it was concluded that globalisation and the internet have made it easier to fix matches. It was also found that money is the main motive for fixing followed by ensuring specific outcomes during games to earn points and ultimately achieve the club’s objectives. Governing bodies are using a Betting Fraud Detection System to investigate suspicious betting movements while a new law regarding sports corruption is presently being implemented in the Maltese Parliament. Furthermore, education, an increased number of yearly integrity meetings and periodic increases in players’ wages are seen as preventive measures to reduce match fixing. Areas of further research can include an in-depth study of spot fixing, a phenomenon which is continuously increasing, both in terms of frequency and complexity. Furthermore, an exploration of match fixing in other sports such as tennis and golf can be conducted. Such sports would be easier to fix than football due to the significantly smaller number of players.