The Ministry of Consumption has signed an agreement on Tuesday with the General Directorate of Police (DGP) by which it will carry out criminal investigations into possible manipulation of sports competitions and betting fraud detected by the network of entities that participate in the Service Research Center for the Gambling Market (SIGMA).

By virtue of the agreement signed between Consumption and the Interior, the National Police will access the SIGMA database and will analyze and investigate the alerts that occur in the field of sports events and betting.

SIGMA is a technical instrument that is constituted as an interactive cooperation network managed by the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) and accessible, by electronic means, for the entities adhering to the service. Currently, the Higher Sports Council, sports federations, professional leagues and licensed gaming operators are part of the network.

With the adhesion now of the National Police, the fight against fraud in the events market and sports betting is reinforced. In other words, against practices that, as specified in the agreement, “affect the normal development of gaming-related activities” and constitute “one of the greatest threats that hang over sport, since they threaten its essential values ​​and distance their environment to fans and followers”.

In order to analyze the development of the agreement, as well as to adopt the measures that are necessary regarding the criminal investigations that could be initiated, the DGOP and the DGP will constitute, within a period of one month, the Monitoring Commission. The commission will meet ordinarily once a year, although it can be convened extraordinarily at any time if any of the parties so request.

The agreement, which also contemplates the confidentiality of all data shared between the two organizations, is valid for four years.