The International Betting Integrity Association has traditionally been a European-facing group. But with the growing markets in North America, it was only a matter of time that the group moved across the pond. Already most of the major brands in the US market are members of this watchdog group, and the IBIA monitors 60% of this market through its association with these members,
In 2019, the IBIA rebranded to reflect a more global focus, and its push into North America was a natural part of this rebranding process.
The chief executive of IBIA, Khalid Ali said that the group had big plans in 2020, but the global pandemic changed many things.
“There was a lot of momentum and of course you have to remember that in 2018, there weren’t that many states that had opened up,” he recalls. “Now there’s a lot more states that offer legal sports betting.”
According to Ali, the association offers a unique set of skills that is currently missing in the US.
He says that the IBIA has been recording issues of integrity for 15 years and has built a reputation and credibility in the sports betting ecosystem, with sports groups and regulators alike.
“More importantly, we have a global dataset that we can really bring to the US,” he says. “The US is really the missing piece with our members now moving there and entering that market.”