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Soccer Federation eyes betting money
May 06, 2005
One might think that the leaders of the German Soccer Federation
are tired of hearing the word ”betting” after being confronted by the
scandal over manipulated games. But a plan adopted by a federation
convention on April 28 guarantees that the organization will continue
talking about the issue for some time.
The proposal involves an attempt by the federation to enter the
lucrative sports betting arena. ”It's about a market of up to €3 billion
($3.8 billion) per year that is generated to a large part from German
soccer games,” federation Co-President Theo Zwanziger told the news
service Spiegel Online.
The federation, however, cannot simply move into the sports betting
field overnight. Sports betting is still one of the last state-run
monopolies in Germany. Aside from four independent operations, betting
is controlled by 16 Totto-Lotto blocks organized at the state level.
As a result, the federation has approached the Toto-Lotto subsidiary
Oddset to try to broker a deal. Faced with the possibility of losing
revenues, Oddset has been reluctant to negotiate. Most recently, Oddset
pulled out of a meeting scheduled for May 17 with the soccer federation
and the independent betting organizations.
Although adoption of the plan was decided with an overwhelming majority,
there are signs of dissension in the federation's ranks. Manfred Amerell,
spokesman for the federation's referees, told the ZDF public television
station that in light of the betting scandal ”there are critical voices
and clear criticism” among game officials about the plan. But Amerell
would not elaborate.
Wolfgang Holzhäuser, one league official, said he considered it
questionable ”when the organizer of the games is simultaneously in
charge of betting.”
A court case before the Federal Constitutional Court that challenges the
constitutionality of the state-run betting system could help move things
along. A ruling is expected during the summer.
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