The Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS) has become the first sport integrity association representing betting operators to be an observer to the International Convention’s Statutory Committee.
GLMS congratulated the Follow-Up Committee of the International Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (CETS 215) on its first official meeting this week via videoconference at the Council of Europe HQ in Strasbourg, France.
It also announced that it has been admitted as an observer to the Follow Up Committee, one of only three, alongside the International Olympic Committee and Interpol.
As an observer, GLMS will be able to participate in meetings and contribute to discussion topics, including conditions to be met by sports betting operators in the exchange of information within national platforms, developing the list of sports organizations, and aspects of the convention relevant to sports betting operators. This includes article 10, which refers directly to obligations of sports betting operators as well as issues in which operators may contribute.
Ludovico Calvi, GLMS President, said: “I am proud, on behalf of GLMS and its membership base, for this nomination. This is an important acknowledgement not only to our institutional credibility, but above all, to the quality of the technical and strategic contribution by GLMS and our members over the last few years.
“The Convention is the only legally binding instrument that promotes global co-operation to combat the phenomenon and we will continue to endeavor to contribute to the fight against sports manipulations worldwide while ensuring that the interests of our members and the society as a whole are represented.”
GLMS has been supporting the Council of Europe’s activities since its inception in 2015 through its projects. These include Keep Crime Out Of Sport (KCOOS and KCOOS+), with KCOOS+ also being partly financed by its collective members, World Lottery Association and The European Lotteries and its local member La Française des Jeux, as well as its informal network of national platforms and through policy-making and education.
It has also supported the convention by aligning with its principles, which are reflected in its code of conduct.
GLMS stated it sees being an observer as an important step in the co-ordinated fight against sports manipulations. It also congratulated the seven state parties (Norway, Portugal, Ukraine, Moldova, Switzerland, Italy and Greece) for ratifying the convention, effectively placing the topic of combating sports manipulations on their national agendas. It also encourages countries worldwide to ratify the international instrument.