HUNAN, CHINA - Chinese police have traced three criminal groups connected with football betting via the internet in the province of Hunan.Twenty-two suspects have been arrested by authorities after about six months of investigation into the growing incidences of match-fixing involving football clubs, players and even referees.
According to reports, more than US$88 million have been wagered online on football in China since 2007.
The three arrested -- Feng Bifei, Wang Chao, and Guo Yanting -- all work as agents for offshore gambling companies who in turn recruit lower-level agents all for the purpose of creating a pool of players who bet on football games online.
According to the police, Feng's network had recorded the highest bet made at about US$ 24,900. IN a week, almost US$ 3 million in bets are collected by the gambling operations.
Chinese officials have been stepping up their drive against illegal gambling in the mainland after local football was hit by several game-fixing incidents.
Authorities point to offshore gaming companies as culprits in these incidents. According to Xiangtan police officer Yang Zhihai:
"The real dealers are foreign companies, and they can bribe players or a team to get the result they want."
Reports also point out that the disparity in salaries between football players play a role in the problem.
According to football commentator He Xinping a poorly paid football player easily succumbs to bribery when the money offered is simply irresistible.
He added that in China, one just needs about US$ 15,000 to bribe a referee and about US$ 73,000 to ask a team to rig the match.
