UKGC to engage football betting industry over data accuracy concerns

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is set to convene discussions with key stakeholders in the football betting sector following reports of discrepancies in data used to settle wagers, as reported by the BBC.

Andrew Rhodes, CEO of the UKGC, emphasized the importance of ensuring accuracy and fairness in decisions affecting football betting outcomes. Concerns have been raised by customers who claim to have lost bets due to inaccuracies in data that they are unable to contest.

Instances highlighted include incidents involving Opta, a primary data provider for the Premier League, where shots by players and tackles made during matches were misrecorded. Bookmakers heavily rely on data feeds from providers like Opta to settle bets placed on various statistics during football matches.

The disputes involved allegedly misreported shots made by Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah and tackles made by Sunderland AFC players.

Rhodes intends to meet with representatives from the football betting industry to address these concerns and ensure that correct outcomes are determined.

The BBC received a statement from Stats Perform, reading: “We take the quality, consistency, and accuracy of our sports data incredibly seriously. We work tirelessly and are proud of our data collection people, processes and event definitions that underpin the trust in the B2B services we provide to the club, league, media and betting sectors.”

These discussions come amidst broader regulatory considerations in the UK, including ongoing reviews of the Gambling Act. The creation of a betting ombudsman, proposed as part of the review, aims to provide an independent body to handle customer complaints against operators.

Richard Hayler, Managing Director of the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), noted a significant number of appeals related to football data bets in 2023, comprising around 15% of their dispute resolution workload last year.