Sports betting is a pretty controversial subject all over the world. People often put it in the same category as casino games and poker – when in fact, these three are completely different activities. In poker, chance and skill have an almost equal role. In casino games, luck is pretty much the only thing that matters. And in sports betting, it has the smallest role of them all. This doesn’t mean people can’t spend fortunes or get addicted to betting – this only means that with the right knowledge, people have a much better chance to win a bet at a soccer match than a spin at a slot machine. In addition, sports betting can be a positive force in the world of sports, too – here’s how.
Interest
There are several reports stating that sports betting can boost the interest of viewers in sports broadcasts, growing the TV ratings of the matches and events, thus increasing the ad revenue of various sports leagues. Those who place a bet on the Harambee Stars are more likely to keep one eye on the Betway live sports betting website and one on the screen than those who haven’t. Since all the major football leagues distribute the money they receive for the broadcast rights of the matches among the teams, this increased interest will indirectly increase the revenues of the clubs, thus allowing them to grow, sign talented players, and be more successful in the long run.
Sponsorship
It’s not a surprise that sports betting groups are the biggest sponsors of sporting events and teams. The notorious SportPesa – whose operating license was withdrawn due to its massive tax evasion in Kenya – was one of the key sponsors of the Harambee Stars, Harambee Starlets, the Kenya Sevens Rugby team, and several others.
It’s a self-generating process – betting groups put money in sports in exchange for exposure, helping sports teams grow, and the better the teams become, the more sponsorship money they attract.
Fair play
Sports betting was considered evil for a long while because of its potential to harm the integrity of the sports, through match-fixing and other illegal practices. With licensed and regulated sports betting, in turn, this is no longer an issue (albeit there are still cases of illegal activities through underground betting operators – but that’s a story for another time). The goal of the betting groups is to keep the sports clean, fair, and real – their revenues depend on this. And they will do their best to help the authorities prevent any kind of illegal activity that may hurt the integrity of sports (and their bottom line).
In Europe, the International Betting Integrity Association – whose members are the biggest betting groups in the world – is constantly keeping an eye on the betting patterns to pinpoint any activity that may signal an illegal activity. At the same time, the gambling regulators across all jurisdictions do the same in order to keep the world of sports free of any potentially harmful influence.
All forms of gambling can be controversial at times, and sports betting is not an exception. Still, considering all the money it pours into the world of sports, we can say that it is, overall, a positive force.