European Professional Sports Betting Education

Betting education of EU professional athletes are now under a single code of conduct, as a number of related organizations have joined hands.

One key feature of the new program will have ex-players and top athletes go into sports clubs' dressing rooms for discussions with peer athletes on the relations between sports and betting.

The new campaign is already underway in six European nations - UK, Germany, France and Spain, and targets 8,500 athletes, up from a total of 4,900 athletes reached in more limited programs in 2010.

The program covers athletes in the following sports:

• Basketball
• Handball
• Indoor
• Football
• Cyclists
• Cricket
• Rugby

Organizations involved in this cross-continent program include:

• EU Athletes
• PPF
• ESSA
• EGBA
• RGA

Significance

The decision to adopt a common code and run a unified educational program is believed to help strengthen the message and fight against anyone who tries to harm sporting events by corrupting them.

It is also largely held that "European sport is essentially clean," in the words of Clive Hawkswood, Chief Executive of the RGA. Hawkswood added: "We want it to remain so."

As far as sportsmen and athletes play a vital role in corrupting a sport, as they are the first line, they are also important in keeping sports clean.