Commission to monitor betting in sports competitions to be  established in Armenia

ArmInfo.Armenia intends to become a party to the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions. The National Assembly of the  Republic of Armenia's Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Diaspora, Youth, and Sport, at its meeting on March 17, issued a positive opinion on the Council of Europe Convention submitted by the Armenian government for ratification.

Presenting the document, RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture,  and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan noted that the Convention was signed on  September 18, 2014. Armenia signed it on the same day, but did not  proceed to ratification. As of the end of January 2026, 44 states  have signed the document. Essentially, the document aims to combat  the fixing of sports competitions and maintain their  unpredictability, which is essential for fair play and the reputation  of sport. In accordance with the Convention, each Party calls on  sports organizations, sports betting operators, and competition  organizers to establish procedures and rules to combat match-fixing  and, where necessary, to take such legislative or other measures as  are necessary to achieve this goal. Parties to the Convention call on  sports organizations and competition organizers to adopt and  implement rules and principles of good governance aimed at preventing  the manipulation of sports competitions. These include the prevention  of conflicts of interest, prohibition of interested parties involved  in competitions from placing bets, and the abuse of insider  information. They also call on sports organizations to adopt and  implement appropriate measures to ensure effective monitoring of  competitions at risk of manipulation and to promptly report  suspicious activity to the authorities.

To prevent insider trading and conflicts of interest during sporting  events, the Convention establishes provisions regarding the scope of  persons whose participation in sports betting must be limited. The  Convention includes prohibitions on betting by persons involved in  the organization of competitions, including sponsors, owners of  sports organizations, and bookmakers.

Despite government intervention, the Convention recognizes the  autonomy of sport and supports its preservation, ensuring a balanced  approach. The fight against fraud is based on human rights, legality,  proportionality, and the protection of citizens' personal data. The  document defines the types of illegal and suspicious bets, enabling  states to monitor and prevent financial fraud.

The Convention also provides for a range of proportionate, effective,  and dissuasive measures-from fines to bans-with flexibility in the  application of penalties depending on the type of violation. It is  also planned to establish a monitoring commission, consisting of  representatives from sports, law enforcement agencies, and gaming  oversight bodies, to ensure a broad and comprehensive approach. The  commission can submit proposals for specific measures, contributing  to the development of a unified international response.