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Abstract

The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) opened the floodgates for states to permit sports betting. With the expansion of online sportsbooks, individuals can place bets on virtually any sporting event from their smartphone. The legalization of online sports betting is quickly expanding worldwide and has created a multi-billion-dollar industry. The globalization of legal sports betting and lack of uniform regulations poses a threat to the Olympic Games by providing additional incentives for athletes, coaches, and officials to participate in match-fixing and competition manipulation. This Note explores the inevitable consequences of legalized gambling on the integrity of the Olympic Games without effective global regulations. Part I briefly recounts the mythological roots of betting and competition manipulation in ancient Greece. Part II explores the history of match-fixing and competition manipulation in modern-day Olympics and the resulting discipline issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Part III provides insight into past and current measures taken by the IOC, national entities, and sports organizations to impede betting-related cheating. Part IV discusses the primary challenges of enacting and enforcing sports betting laws on a global scale. Part V sets forth possible solutions for circumventing competition manipulation and describes existing, international frameworks by which a potential global agency can successfully implement betting-related, match-fixing regulations. Finally, Part VI concludes by acknowledging that sweeping, international recognition that unregulated betting threatens the integrity of sport is a necessary first step in addressing competition manipulation.

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