Almost 200 soccer players in the Canadian Premier League (CPL) have completed a thorough education program on sports betting integrity. The program, which was created by the Professional Footballers’ Association Canada (PFA Canada) and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), sought to teach footballers about upholding sports integrity in the face of the expanding sports betting market. The training blended in-person seminars with online resources, utilizing the IBIA’s 3R’s model: Recognize, Reject, and Report.
The program, spanning teams across Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and British Columbia, was part of a two-year agreement between IBIA and PFA Canada. The first phase, now completed, involved in-person workshops delivered by PFA Canada as part of their “Protecting the Integrity of the Game” sessions. Marco Carducci, President of PFA Canada and Cavalry FC player, highlighted the training’s impact, saying: “The IBIA sports betting integrity training, in partnership with PFA Canada, was an incredibly beneficial experience for our players. Effective and easy-to-understand, it made clear what professional athletes need to know about sports betting integrity and how to report attempted corruption.”
Players learned about the risks of match-fixing, regulations on sports betting, and the advanced monitoring technologies used to detect suspicious activity. Importantly, they were also introduced to the “red button app,” a tool for reporting any corrupt behavior or match-fixing attempts. Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, noted, “We take our responsibility to protect regulated sports betting markets, sports, and athletes seriously. Decades of experience have shown that a combination of efficient regulation, education, and collaboration are essential to safeguarding the sports integrity ecosystem.”
The program, supported by a CA$300,000 fund from IBIA members including Bet365, Betway, and FanDuel, ensures free integrity education for Canadian athletes, further securing the integrity of Canadian sports.