ABSTRACT
The causes of and influences on match-fixing are complex. 2 Sporting events can be fixed to gain financial advantage or they can be fixed for sporting reasons – that is, to get the desired result. A pervasive culture of cash payments – from referees’ travel expenses to players’ goal bonuses to agents’ transfer fees – reduces misgivings about illegal activity and increases the risk of individuals becoming involved. High wages, abundant free time and exposure to gambling also heighten the vulnerability of professional athletes, while the huge rise of online gambling, in real time and across borders, has led to a sharp increase in activity by organised crime, which sees match-fixing as a low-risk venture with high returns.
