1. Having regard to the objectives of the ALA Members in respect of public order, the public interest, and in particular the integrity of sport;
2. Considering that organized crime affects world society and is now interfering with sport, due to the growing involvement of financial investment in sport and the development of illegal sports betting;
3. Considering that organized crime has been gradually infiltrating the field of sports betting, including for money laundering;
4. Considering that the integrity of the sports sector is a sine qua non for the protection of society and public order, because of the importance of sport at social, educational and health levels, for the population of the world and particularly in Africa;
5. Considering that the main objective of ALA sports betting operators is to direct the play offer in the cause of general interest;
6. Considering that a lasting funding of amateur sport remains of the utmost importance for ALA Members;
7. Considering that ALA Members work to share the same ethical values and therefore seek to bring together current different regulations and laws in the form of a single Standard Code of Conduct;
8. Considering that ALA Members who are sports betting operators are united with regard to the following six fundamental elements :
- strict control of their play offer;
- strict control by public authorities and other regulatory authorities;
- respect for the players;
- respect for the values and integrity of sport;
- the good reputation of stakeholders and their contribution to good causes and causes of general interest.
9. Considering that there is a need for enhanced cooperation at the global level to ensure the integrity of sport and sports betting activities;
By means of this document, the ALA members present in Casablanca for the sports betting seminar:
1. Reaffirm that the fight to preserve the integrity of sport is an essential element of their individual and common policies;
2. Affirm that the increase in the number of match-fixing and money-laundering practices in sport is unacceptable and that these scourges must be combated;
3. Affirm that they need to maintain a common framework of action to improve the protection of the integrity of sport;
4. Affirm the support for the International Convention (adopted by the Council of Europe) against the manipulation of sporting competitions and to promote this convention with the national public authorities;
5. Declare that they will do their utmost to stress with national authorities :
- the importance of creating national monitoring platforms to fight in a coordinated way against sports fraud;
- making sports fraud a national criminal offence or a disciplinary offence, with an appropriate level of punishment, and to help enforce the law that supports it;
6. Agree to adopt a code of conduct by the end of 2018 based on the following elements:
- Establish collaboration between ALA Members and the sports establishment regarding the exchange of expertise and diverse experiences;
- b. Establish a triangular collaboration between, first, ALA and its Members, secondly, regulatory authorities and thirdly, sports federations and organizations, including using the Global Lotteries Monitoring System (GLMS) implemented by WLA and EL, its two founding members; this in order to monitor the global sports betting market and to alert the various stakeholders above in cases of suspicion of rigging of sports competitions;
- Only make reasonable sports betting offers, if possible certified by the sporting establishment, so as not to create additional risks to the integrity of the sport;
- Make sure to only make sports betting offers that do not increase the existing risks of money laundering, in particular through proper identification of players or winners, bank accounts, as well as limiting methods of anonymous payment;
- e. Adopt measures to avoid any conflict of interest between betting operators and sports teams, for example, refraining from controlling a sports club or active sportsman on which they offer bets, not influencing the decisions of a sponsored team, not allowing employees of a sport betting operator to bet;
- Reflect on the establishment of a common education and communication program to raise awareness among all stakeholders of the risks affecting the integrity of sport.
