CRIMINAL OFFENCES OF MATCH FIXING NSW
Australians are known to enjoy gambling, with estimates suggesting that each year Australians lose an approximate total of $25 billion on legal forms of gambling. This makes Australia the largest gambling nation in the world in terms of per capita losses. Whilst a portion of these funds are from recreational gamblers who are gambling within their means, and whose gambling is at least partially reinvested back into the economy and community, a significant portion of the total losses are from problem gamblers who have a gambling addiction and lose beyond their means.
This had led to awareness campaigns and legal requirements upon gambling agencies to ensure responsible gambling, a substantial amount of which relies on visual signs and messages encouraging people to gamble responsibly.
One major concern of gambling in Australia that doesn’t see as much light and isn’t promoted to the same extent as the issue of problem gambling is that of the criminal offence of match fixing.
WHAT IS MATCH FIXING?
Match fixing refers to the act of dishonestly playing or officiating a contest to secure a predetermined result, predominately conducted to achieve a financial advantage through gambling on the predetermined outcome. Individuals and syndicates who aren’t officials or players are known to be involved in match fixing by virtue of arranging for the officials or players to predetermine a result for their financial benefit.
Match fixing is a criminal offence under Section 193O of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), which states that a person is guilty of a criminal offence if they facilitate conduct that corrupts a betting outcome of an event, knowing or being reckless as to whether the conduct facilitated corrupts a betting outcome of the event, and with the intention of obtaining a financial advantage, or causing a financial disadvantage, in connection with any betting on the event.
WHAT IS THE PENALTY FOR MATCH FIXING?
The criminal offence of match fixing has serious repercussions. Under Section 193O of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), a person convicted of the criminal offence of match fixing is liable to a maximum term of 10 years imprisonment. If you or someone you know have been accused of match fixing, contact our specialised match fixing criminal lawyers at Criminal Lawyers Group immediately.
NEW TRENDS IN MATCH FIXING
Our award-winning specialised criminal lawyer Mr Steven Mercael has analysed a growing trend of people being charged with match fixing who were alleged to have taken advantage of the increase in diverse and minor sporting markets available for betting. Many agencies offer minor sporting outcomes within matches, such as the occurrences of corners and yellow cards in a soccer match, or the scoring or missing of a conversion in a rugby league match. However, whilst such minor markets may be more vulnerable to potential match fixers compared to the securing of a losing result by a team on an entire match, significant money being placed on minor sporting outcomes raises red flags which have led to people being investigated and charged with match fixing.
FORMER A-LEAGUE CAPTAIN ARRESTED AND CHARGED OVER MATCH FIXING ALLEGATIONS
Former captain of the Macarthur FC A-League team Ulises Davila has been arrested and charged over an alleged match-fixing scheme, in which he and his former teammates Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis stand accused of receiving yellow cards in multiple games at the direction of a man in South America.
Davila’s charges include three counts of facilitating conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event, one count of engaging in conduct that corrupts the betting outcome of an event and one count of knowingly/recklessly directing a criminal group assist crime.
Baccus and Lewis are alleged to have been paid $10,000 each to take part in the scheme. The alleged syndicate were allegedly successful in fixing the outcome of over 3.5 yellow cards in a match against Sydney FC, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars were paid out in bets, with the majority of the funds paid out in South America.
NSW Police investigated the scheme after the United Kingdom Gambling Commission had alerted them to betting abnormalities on Macarthur FC yellow cards.
The trio are on bail and are scheduled to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on 10 April 2025.
CONTACT CRIMINAL LAWYERS GROUP NOW
If you or anyone you know have been accused or charged with match fixing, contact our specialised match fixing criminal lawyers at Criminal Lawyers Group immediately for a free consultation. Our award-winning criminal law experts have proven results in securing the best outcomes for our clients across NSW who have been charged with match fixing.