UK Law and Practice Contributed by: Alistair McHenry, Sofia Antipatis and Rebecca Dods, Tyr
• cheating at gambling (Gambling Act 2005, Section 42) – used to prosecute manipulation of sporting outcomes linked to betting activity; • bribery (Bribery Act 2010) – covering payments or advantages intended to influence match results; • fraud by false representation (Fraud Act 2006, Sec - tion 2) – capturing deceptive conduct for financial gain, including fixing matches to benefit betting outcomes; or • conspiracy offences (Criminal Law Act 1977 or common law conspiracy to defraud) – involving co- ordinated corrupt conduct. These provisions form the foundation of criminal enforcement but operate alongside NGB disciplinary systems. In practice, disciplinary routes are far more frequently engaged than criminal prosecution. Regulatory Measures Taken by NGBs NGBs remain the primary regulators of integrity mat - ters, exercising jurisdiction over athletes, coaches, officials and other participants through contractual obligations attached to membership, licensing or participation. To protect competition integrity, some sports have established bodies devoted to anti- corruption (such as the International Tennis Integrity Agency or ITIA) but, in either case, NGBs or independ - ent agencies typically adopt a multi-layered model, including: • intelligence gathering, through whistle-blowing channels, mandatory reporting and either inde - pendently funded integrity agencies or specialist internal anti-corruption units; • investigations, with powers requiring participants to provide documents, communications and co- operation as a condition of participation; • information-sharing with betting operators and integrity monitoring bodies, and where necessary, obtaining High Court disclosure orders against third parties; and • education and prevention, including mandatory training on betting rules, anti-corruption duties and athlete conduct expectations. Recent Sanctions Recent cases demonstrate strong sanctions and increased international co-ordination:
• Basketball (2022–23) – Five former Surrey Scorch - ers players received substantial fines and bans, including lifetime suspensions, for match manipula - tion and failing to report corrupt approaches. • Athletics (2025) – Two disciplinary panels upheld serious misconduct findings against endurance coach Andrew Young. • Football (2025) – The FA had sought sanctions for potential breaches of FA Rule E5 (spot-fixing) and FA Rule F3 (non co-operation), which would have resulted in a potential life ban from the sport for Lucas Paquetá. While the player succeeded in his defence on the facts, this case serves as a barom - eter of the severity of sanction typically sought in match-fixing cases. 1.3 Betting-Related Offences Legislative Framework Betting is legal in the UK when conducted by Gam - bling Commission licensed operators. The sector is regulated under the Gambling Act 2005, which sets licensing objectives such as preventing crime, ensur - ing fairness, and protecting children and vulnerable people. It also grants the Commission broad enforce - ment powers. In 2025, the regulatory framework shift - ed significantly with new gambling levies, online slot stake limits, and revised rules on safety and consumer choice. These reforms reflect the Commission’s aim to strengthen protections while supporting safer use of betting platforms. NGB Regulation of Betting Although betting is lawful for the public, many sports bar participants from betting on their sport to safe - guard integrity. Key examples include: • Football – since 2014, the Football Association (FA) has imposed a worldwide betting ban on profes - sional and most semi-professional participants, covering all football events and related markets, including transfers, team selection and insider information. • Horse racing – jockeys are prohibited from betting on any race globally and from receiving betting proceeds; owners, trainers and stable staff face role-specific “no betting” or “no laying” controls.
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