Participants in the UN Member States Conference highlighted the increasing impact of illegal betting on sports. According to some estimates, the annual volume of underground bets worldwide reaches $1.7 trillion, making illegal betting the primary cause of match-fixing.
The Head of Research at the Asian Racing Federation stated that the rules protecting the integrity of sports are outdated in most UN member countries and need a review. Conference participants also reminded that most illegal betting markets are controlled by criminal groups and, as a result, are part of complex criminal schemes.
The last time the UN addressed the issue of gambling was in connection with hundreds of thousands of Asian slaves forced into online fraud under the guise of Southeast Asian casinos.
