Online sports betting operator Pinnacle joins integrity body IBIA

Online sports betting brand Pinnacle has joined the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA). Established in 1998, the company —formerly known as Pinnacle Sports— has operating licenses in multiple jurisdictions including Malta, Sweden, and Italy.

Pinnacle will now feed into IBIA's global betting integrity monitoring and alert platform and will join many of the leading regulated sports betting operators in the world in this effort. The association's members account for over $137 billion in global betting turnover per year, and nearly 50% of all regulated commercial operator online betting activity.

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: "The size and scope of Pinnacle's sports betting operation make it a valuable addition to IBIA's global monitoring and alert network. Our growing roster of members is committed to high levels of integrity and to the protection of sporting events and betting products alike. It is pleasing that so many leading operators like Pinnacle have chosen IBIA as their preferred sports betting integrity partner."

Paris Smith, Pinnacle CEO, stated: "Our focus on integrity not only applies to our clients, but also the governing bodies themselves, an area which is increasingly important for responsible gaming operators. We are delighted to become members of the IBIA and look forward to working closely with the organization to combat betting-related corruption and manipulation."
 
Pinnacle's Sports Integrity Manager, Gareth Gray, added: "At Pinnacle, integrity is a priority. Becoming a member of IBIA highlights our focus on sporting integrity and shows our commitment to combatting sporting manipulation and providing our customers a safe and enjoyable environment."

The International Betting Integrity Association's monitoring and alert platform is described as "a highly effective anti-corruption tool that detects and reports suspicious activity on its members' betting markets." The association has longstanding information-sharing partnerships with leading sports and gambling regulators to utilize its data and prosecute corruption. It represents the sector at high-level policy discussion forums such as the IOC, UN, Council of Europe, and European Commission.

Pinnacle describes itself as offering a wide range of sports betting options and as one of the earliest adopters of esports betting markets, which dates back to 2010.

One of the latest previous additions to IBIA was African-focused gambling operator and digital entertainment company BetKing, part of the KingMakers Group, which became a member in May.

IBIA reported 88 cases of suspicious betting to the relevant authorities during the second quarter of 2022, according to a report published earlier this month. The Q2 total is an increase of 110% when compared to 42 cases in Q1, and 130% up from Q2, 2021.