Abstract

The game of cricket now stands tarnished by betting and fixing match outcomes through corrupt practices. Star players and club officials are involved and there is evidence of major matches, even during the World Cup being compromised. The spread of illegal betting in cricket has expanded with the advent of technology. Internet based betting sites coupled with unregulated nature of betting in Asian economies, particularly India, has facilitated growth of illegal gambling. This has encouraged the entry of underworld crime syndicates to manipulate games and outcomes for massive gambling profits. The result has been major corruption scandals and questions about the sports itself. This paper describes the betting phenomenon and some major incidents associated with the growing corruption in cricket. The policy responses of major cricket playing nations are presented, along with suggestions for strategies to be adopted to curb corruption in cricket.