Betfair to Sponsor British Athlete’s Commission

Submitted by Beth on Sat, 2010-07-17 at 13:00

British Athlete's Commission Popular online gambling operator Betfair has just announced that it will be the new official sponsor for the British Athlete’s Commission. This is a landmark moment in the online gambling world, as operators and affiliates were previously barred from sponsoring professional sports leagues or teams.

Betfair and the British Athlete’s Commission aim to raise awareness about the illegal activities taking place in professional sports leagues, including inside betting by athletes. Together, they will teach athletes involved in all major sporting events about the dangers of engaging in illegal sportsbetting. Betfair has stated that it hopes to young athletes will learn that making the right decisions has an impact on the entire industry.

“I am delighted that the BAC will be working with Betfair to educate British athletes in how they can prevent corruption and protect the integrity of the sport”, says Karen Pickering, a chairperson for the BAC.

With the 2012 Olympics in London coming up, the British Athlete’s Commission believes this is an opportune time to launch this program. Many young British athletes are likely to be put in difficult situations regarding illegal sportsbetting in the years leading up to the games, and Betfair believes that it can make a difference by reaching out to the group of athletes that are most likely to be persuaded to taking part in illegal betting activities.