Every week, many German amateur matches surface on international betting platforms, despite the prohibition on betting on such events within Germany. The ARD report “Attack on Amateur Football” highlights the DFB’s ignorance and the involvement of so-called data scouts.
Advertising for sports betting has been pervasive in football for a long time—on television, in stadiums, or on social media. Recent investigations by BR and ARD-Radio-Recherche Sport reveal that even clubs outside of professional football are part of this billion-dollar industry.
The investigation featured in the ARD story “Attack on Amateur Football – The Greed of the Betting Industry” exposes the underlying system facilitating live betting on German amateur football games. The documentary will be available on the ARD Mediathek starting Wednesday (August 14, 2024) and will air on Das Erste at 11:15 p.m. following the DFB Cup broadcast on August 19.
ARD story exposes betting industry system
What will be the next goal? How many goals will be scored before half-time? Will one team win by multiple goals? These are the types of bets available in lower division games, including options for live betting with frequently changing odds.
Numerous betting providers offer German amateur games online through international betting sites. This includes both unlicensed operators and those with a German license, such as Betano, which is an advertising partner for the 2024 European Championship.
Betting on amateur sports is illegal in Germany as per the State Treaty on Gambling. Licensed betting providers in Germany do not offer any amateur games below the third league, but those events appear on their international sites.
Clubs often unaware
The Kirchheimer Sportclub is one of 24,000 amateur football clubs in Germany and competed in the Bavarian League last season, with international betting options available for its matches. On a single match day, a home game for Kirchheim appeared on over 40 international betting platforms.
“It’s absurd that a business is being made out of a leisure activity,” said club chairman Ludwig Boche upon learning about the bets placed on his club. His father, Christian Boche, head of the football department at Kirchheimer SC, expressed his disappointment that someone profits from their games. Ludwig Boche mentioned that the players receive only a small allowance.
Sportradar sends data scouts
Live betting is made possible because bookmakers receive real-time information about the games, including those from Bayernliga matches like in Kirchheim.
A BR reporting team analyzed the data exchange between sports fields and the betting industry. The information from amateur games is gathered on-site by data scouts who use smartphones to document the events on the football field.
This information is transmitted to betting providers through one of the largest sports data suppliers: Sportradar.
During the 2023/24 season, Sportradar deployed data scouts to at least 2,700 German amateur games, according to a BR analysis.
The Switzerland-based group supplies live data from German amateur games to numerous betting providers. The tech company has been publicly traded on the US Nasdaq stock exchange since 2021. Notably, basketball legend Michael Jordan is one of its investors.
A club defends itself against the betting industry
In Kirchheim, club officials, along with BR reporters, identified Sportradar data scouts and confronted them. The officials aim to stop anyone from relaying live data from their sports fields to betting providers and are utilizing their house rules for this purpose: they have posted a notice prohibiting commercial data collection.
When asked, Sportradar stated that it provides data and contractually binds the betting providers to adhere to the laws of their respective countries. The company did not address inquiries regarding data scouts operating in German amateur leagues.
Risk of match-fixing
Betting on amateur football is banned in Germany due to the risk it poses to the sport’s integrity. The lower the wages of the players, the higher the likelihood of manipulation, according to the Joint Gambling Authority of the States.
Inquiries directed to various investigative authorities have revealed multiple suspected incidents and investigations into match-fixing within German amateur football over the past few years.
In response to a survey of the 26 state and regional football associations, two associations reported being aware of a suspected match-fixing case each. The Bremen public prosecutor’s office indicated that there have been suspicions of match-fixing in six Bremen League games since 2018; however, the Bremen Football Association is not informed of these suspected cases, according to the press spokesperson.
DFB Vice-President Zimmermann “Unaware of the situation”
When BR reporters presented their findings to DFB Vice President Ronny Zimmermann, he remarked that he had been previously unaware of the international betting offers on German amateur games. “I have been attending amateur matches every weekend for years and have never heard of this,” said Zimmermann, who is responsible for amateur football in the DFB executive committee.
The betting providers offering German amateur games on their international platforms include two DFB sponsors: bwin and Interwetten. “I believe this is legitimate as long as a partner in another market follows the regulations there,” stated Ronny Zimmermann. Only bwin responded to inquiries, indicating that in Germany, bets are placed in accordance with the regulations.
Every week, numerous German amateur games appear on international betting sites – even though betting on them is prohibited in Germany. The ARD story “Attack on Amateur Football” shows the DFB’s ignorance and the role played by so-called data scouts.
Advertising for sports betting has long been omnipresent in football – on television, in the stadium, or on social media. Now research by BR and ARD-Radio-Recherche Sport shows that even clubs not in the spotlight of professional football are part of the billion-dollar business.
The research as part of the ARD story “Attack on Amateur Football – The Greed of the Betting Industry” reveals the system behind live betting on German amateur football matches. The documentary can be viewed in the ARD Mediathek and will be broadcast on Das Erste on August 19, 2024, after the DFB Cup.
ARD Story Reveals Betting Industry System
Who will score the next goal, how many goals will be scored before half-time, will a team win by many goals? You can bet on these aspects in fourth and fifth division games, among others – even live with constantly changing odds.
Dozens of betting providers offer German amateur games online on betting sites abroad. This includes providers without official permission, as well as bookmakers with a German license, such as Betano, advertising partner of the 2024 European Championship.
Betting on amateur sports is illegal in Germany according to the State Treaty on Gambling. The German offerings of licensed betting providers do not include any amateur games below the third league, but on their international sites there are numerous opportunities.
Clubs Often Unaware
The Kirchheimer Sportclub, one of 24,000 amateur football clubs in Germany, could see their games bet upon on over 40 international betting providers in one match day alone.
“It’s absurd that a business is being made out of a leisure activity,” said club chairman Ludwig Boche. His father, Christian Boche, head of the football department, expressed frustration at the exploitation of their games when their players only receive a small allowance.
Sportradar Sends Data Scouts
Live betting is feasible because bookmakers receive real-time updates about the match, including those from Bayernliga games like Kirchheim.
A BR reporter team successfully monitored the data transmission between the sports fields and the betting industry. Data scouts record live statistics using smartphones, which are then sent to one of the largest sports data retailers: Sportradar.
According to BR analysis, Sportradar deployed data scouts to at least 2,700 German amateur games in the 2023/24 season. This company, based in Switzerland, supplies numerous betting providers with live data from these games. Sportradar has been publicly traded on Nasdaq since 2021, with one of its investors being basketball legend Michael Jordan.
An Association Defends Against the Betting Industry
In Kirchheim, club officials, alongside BR reporters, confronted Sportradar data scouts found on their premises. They are taking measures to prevent anyone from transmitting live data from their grounds to betting providers by enforcing house rules against commercial data collection.
When asked, Sportradar claimed it provides data and contractually obliges betting providers to comply with the laws of their respective countries but dodged questions about their data scouts in German amateur leagues.
Danger from Match-fixing
Betting on amateur football is prohibited in Germany because it threatens the sport’s integrity. With lower player wages, players are more susceptible to manipulation, according to the Joint Gambling Authority of the States.
Various investigative authorities have revealed suspicious cases and investigations related to match-fixing in German amateur football over recent years.
A survey of 26 state and regional football associations indicated awareness of at least one case of suspected match-fixing by two associations. The Bremen public prosecutor’s office confirmed that six Bremen League games have been under suspicion since 2018, although the Bremen Football Association was unaware of these cases, according to their press spokesman.
DFB Vice-President Zimmermann “Didn’t Know About It”
When BR reporters presented their research to DFB Vice President Ronny Zimmermann, he claimed to have been oblivious to the international betting offers on German amateur matches. “I have spent years at amateur fields every weekend and have never heard of it,” said Zimmermann, who oversees amateur football in the DFB executive committee.
Notably, two DFB sponsors, bwin and Interwetten, are among the betting providers offering German amateur games on international platforms. “I believe that’s legitimate as long as a partner in another market complies with the regulations there,” asserted Ronny Zimmermann. bwin responded to inquiries stating, “In Germany, bets are offered in accordance with the regulations.”
