Swedish gambling operator Svenska Spel has partnered with creative studio Kit, as it strives to raise the awareness of match-fixing, and its consequences, through the production of three specialist educational films.
Having worked in close cooperation with a variety of sporting and legal stakeholders for a number of years, the first production features interviews with Frederick Gårdare, detective chief inspector and head of the police task force on sport criminality, and the Swedish Football Association Secretary General Hakan Lakeshore.
Sofia Stenseth, head of creative production at Kit, explained: “We have made three documentary films with different angles of the topic match-fixing. The first film portrays those who encounter the phenomenon in their profession and passion to fight it.
“Svenska Spel has given us opportunities to work freely with the question, which is fashioned as there are voices raised against the game of football itself.
“But to deal with a problem you have to dare to lift all stones, and that is exactly what Svenska Spel and we can do together.”
Svenska Spel also details that as part of its wider strategy it does not offer “gambling on youth sports, games in the lower divisions or the easily manipulated game types, such as red cards and the first throw-in,” in a bid to protect the sport and athletes from pressure and criminal threats.
Fredrik Wastenson, CEO and business area manager for Svenska Spel sports and casino, commented: “Games in the youth games and games of a lower division team is often the gateway to larger match fixing, and should therefore not be allowed.
“Therefore, it is natural for us not to offer it and instead do everything we can to limit the risk of tampering. Protecting Swedish sports and healthy gaming is more important than short-term maximising revenue.”
Adding: “We call on more gambling companies to join in the fight against match-fixing, for example, by cleaning up its game selection. Svenska Spel is one of the biggest Swedish sports sponsors, and we will never give up the fight against match-fixing.”
