The Massachusetts Gaming Commission unanimously voted to remove all the International Boxing Association matches from the state’s retail and mobile sportsbooks’ betting options.
IBA KO’ed
The International Boxing Association, or IBA as it is commonly known, is one of the lower-tiered alphabet soup boxing associations behind the more established WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF organizations. Nevertheless, the IBA has its own rankings, champions, and events but the organization has been mired in controversy, not the least of which is because its president is Umar Kremlev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Any sporting events overseen or governed by Russian or Belarussian bodies are outlawed in the Bay State, therefore, it was not surprising that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted 4-0 to strike all current and future events held by the IBA from the state’s sportsbooks.
“The IBA is the last international sports federation still run by a Russian citizen, and the only one to allow athletes from Russia to fight under their flag and play their national anthem,” MGC staff noted in a memo to commissioners. “Additionally, it has been documented that President Kremlev has strong ties and is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
Bettors who have already wagered on an IBA event in Massachusetts will have their money refunded.
Not the First Controversy
This is not the first time the IBA has been shunned. A much more public spat arose when the International Olympic Committee barred the IBA from governing Olympic boxing during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which ultimately took place in July and August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IBA was also at the center of controversy regarding Algerian women’s boxer, Imane Khelif, whom it disqualified from its world championships only days after she defeated a previously undefeated Russian boxer named Azalia Amineva.
“A body that looks into this has already raised substantial questions and removed them,” Massachusetts Gaming Commissioner Eileen O’Brien stated.
Massachusetts Wants Meeting With Operators
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is intent on having a sit-down with the state’s sports betting operators regarding its policies on putting betting limits on its customers. Many believe the state’s books are targeting winning bettors, even those who have historically lost. The concern is that it will drive customers to the unregulated market which would have a chilling effect on revenues.
The MGC called a meeting in May about the very same topic but not one of the active sportsbooks appeared, citing confidentiality and proprietary risk management protocols. Needless to say, that did not go over well with the regulatory body and the commissioners will be calling another meeting in the very near future.
“I’m not interested in having another roundtable just to have the operators come before us to say they can’t talk,” Commissioner Nakisha Skinner said during a meeting earlier this month.
All of the operators got the message that the commissioners were not pleased which has seen them reverse course and agreed to meet when that roundtable is reconvened.
“I expect every operator will engage in this conversation with us,” MGC interim chair Jordan Maynard said on Thursday. “Not hope, expect.”
