The benefits of livestreaming
Livestreaming sporting competitions can be a valuable way for sporting organisations to maintain supporter interest, reach new audiences and generate commercial opportunities.
For sports without a free-to-air or subscription television presence, livestreaming can increase exposure and engagement while creating opportunities through broadcasting, advertising, sponsorship, merchandising and events.
The risks
While livestreaming can provide significant benefits, it may also increase betting interest on a competition and create additional integrity risks.
Increased betting activity
Livestreaming has become an important tool for betting operators because it makes in-play betting easier, more engaging, and more commercially valuable.
It is increasingly common for lower-tier, amateur and junior competitions to be livestreamed to increase betting activity.
Increased betting activity usually results in larger amounts being wagered on a competition.
As betting markets grow, they may become more attractive to individuals or organised criminal groups seeking to profit from betting outcomes, potentially increasing competition manipulation risks.
Offshore betting markets
In some cases, livestreams may be used to support offshore betting markets operating outside the visibility and oversight of Australian sporting organisations and authorities.
These markets can be difficult to monitor and may provide limited visibility of betting activity, making it harder for sports, regulators and law enforcement agencies to identify and respond to integrity concerns.
Increased integrity risks
Athletes, officials and others associated with a competition may become vulnerable to approaches seeking inside information or involvement in competition manipulation.
This risk can be heightened in competitions where participants receive little or no financial reward for their involvement and may have limited awareness of competition manipulation risks.
Online abuse and harassment
A potential consequence of increased betting activity is the online abuse that athletes, officials and other participants may receive from disgruntled gamblers.
Participants may also be targeted through social media by individuals seeking inside information that could be used for betting purposes.
Measures sport can take
Sporting organisations considering livestreaming should assess the potential integrity risks associated with their competitions and implement appropriate safeguards if they decide to proceed.
The appropriate controls may differ depending on the sport, level of competition, audience and availability of betting markets.
Measures may include:
- implementing a Competition Manipulation and Sports Betting Policy that applies to relevant participants
- considering an appropriate delay to livestreams, particularly for lower-level, community or grassroots competitions
- considering restrictions on access to livestreams, for example by limiting access to registered users or participants rather than making streams openly available
- providing education and awareness programs on competition manipulation, betting-related corruption, reporting obligations and managing online abuse
- entering into information-sharing and integrity agreements with betting operators and data providers
- monitoring betting markets, either directly or through a market monitoring service, to better understand betting activity, market types and potential risks
- ensuring affiliate member bodies understand the risks associated with livestreaming sporting competitions
- advising the National Sporting Organisation, or other body responsible for the integrity of the sport, before introducing livestreaming where appropriate
- ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place when filming and distributing images of children and young people, including compliance with relevant safeguarding and child safety requirements.
The Adam Green story
Former Australian table tennis player Adam Green tells how an illegal gambling scheme and match-fixing conviction affected his life:
The Lou Vincent story
Former New Zealand cricketer Lou Vincent tells how competition manipulation comes at a significant personal cost:
Additional information
For additional information or assistance in developing or implementing these strategies, contact Sport Integrity Australia’s Australian Sports Wagering Scheme team at:
nationalplatform@sportintegrity.gov.au