The Moroccan Sports Press Association (AMPS) is warning against the rise of illegal sports betting, especially by youth, particularly on applications such as “1XBet,” it said in a statement released Tuesday, Barlaman.com reported.
Describing illegal sports betting as a “cancer” on society that erodes the integrity of national sports, the association said that “1XBet” is one of those apps that are so easily accessible to at-risk groups and minors that it puts vulnerable people at risk and poses significant social and economic dangers.
“Illegal betting undermines the values of sports and violates Moroccan laws,” AMPS stated. Such activities also threaten the financial stability of Morocco and its institutions.
AMPS reiterated Morocco’s commitment to eradicating practices such as match fixing and illegal sports betting in the wake of Morocco’s ratification of the Macolin Convention in 2019.
Officially known as the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Results, the Macolin treaty is intended to prevent matchfixing and ensure the integrity of sports. The treaty was opened for signature in Macolin, Switzerland, in 2014 and came into force in 2019.
It provides a legal framework that encourages member states to implement measures against manipulative practices and fraud in sports. Such measures include the criminalization of match-fixing and establishing laws that allow for effective investigation and prosecution.
AMPS’s warning is a call to action against these practices to prevent the adverse long-term consequences of unsanctioned betting apps.