AGA's Geoff Freeman supports ATP President Chris Kermode

Kermode sought to distinguish legal, regulated sports betting from the corruption that it helps to prevent.

“Gaming companies provide a mainstream, legal form of entertainment and should be treated like every other business, including with sponsorship opportunities at major events like the Australian Open. Instead of jeopardizing the integrity of sports, legal gaming companies around the globe work closely with sports leagues and law enforcement to crack down on corruption, which runs rampant in the illegal betting market, and enhance the integrity of matches and games. AGA is dedicated to exposing and eliminating widespread, dangerous illegal gambling, and we will continue to educate stakeholders and the public about the important role gaming companies play to help ensure the integrity of tennis and all sports,” Freeman said. 

Late last year, following months of study and deliberation, AGA’s Board of Directors issued a set of recommendations that marked a major shift in the industry’s approach to sports betting. AGA is building a broad coalition that will determine whether a rational alternative to current sports betting law in the United States exists.

Such an alternative could include strict regulation, rigorous consumer protections and robust tools for law enforcement to eliminate illegal sports betting and strengthen the integrity of games.