The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) to provide a framework for cooperation and coordination between the two organizations on betting and related integrity issues and to protect the Ontario and wider Canadian market, sports, consumers, and regulated betting operators.

The IBIA is the leading global voice on integrity for the licensed betting industry and represents many of the largest regulated sports betting operators in the world, with its account-based integrity monitoring system covering over US$137bn in betting transactions per annum globally.

It launched its integrity and monitoring services in Canada in February and was recently accredited by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) as an independent integrity monitor. All licensed operators in Ontario will be required to be part of a monitoring system.

Many existing IBIA operators are already members of the CGA, and the two trade associations have agreed to explore and establish cooperative projects and partnerships working in areas of mutual interest. The CGA and IBIA will be equal partners in those projects, which may involve a wide range of activities, including promoting the commercial and related integrity interests of the two associations’ betting operator members and establishing a viable regulated betting market with high consumer channelling rates and related consumer, sports, and operator integrity protection measures.

“IBIA will be one of only a handful of sports integrity monitors recognized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for licensed operators and we believe there is great value in deepening our relationship with the organization,” said Paul Burns, President and CEO of the CGA. “As the CGA looks ahead to the opening of Ontario’s iGaming market and the expansion of sports betting products and services across Canada in 2022, the protection of athletes and integrity of sports betting is a key priority.”

The recent changes to the Federal Criminal Code to permit single-event sports wagering have introduced new sports betting offerings to Canadians while bringing enhanced regulatory oversight to sports betting in Canada.

The gaming industry, professional and amateur sports bodies, and gaming regulators in regulated sports betting markets around the world already cooperate to protect the integrity of sport and sports betting. When working together through an integrity monitor like IBIA, the industry can:

• Detect and report suspicious activities in betting markets
• Use detailed market data to investigate and punish corruption
• Develop education activities to protect players and sporting events
• Support sports bodies, law enforcement and regulatory authorities in the fight against fraud and manipulation
• Channel consumers to the onshore regulated market

Khalid Ali, CEO of the IBIA, added: “Protecting the integrity of the betting market in Ontario, and indeed the wider Canadian market, is very important to IBIA and its members. We will be seeking to engage with a wide range of key stakeholders on betting and integrity-related issues and see the CGA as a pivotal partner in the achievement of that goal. The CGA has been a driving force behind the evolution of regulated betting in Canada and IBIA views it as a valued and critical partner in the continued development of the sector and in placing sporting and betting integrity at the forefront of that.”