The University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) School of Law has joined forces with sports data, intelligence and content provider Sportradar, to offer “the first-ever professional certificate in sports wagering and integrity”.
Delivering the US’ “first and only multi-semester law school program dedicated to the law and business of sports wagering and integrity,” the program is the brainchild of prominent gaming attorney Daniel Wallach.
Wallach, the co-founding director and one of the program’s adjunct professors, addressed the idea behind its founding and aims moving forward: “The certificate program will be a pioneer in the transforming subject of sports and wagering integrity in the United States.
“With the repeal of the federal ban on state-authorized sports betting, the focus going forward will be on developing the legal and regulatory environment governing sports wagering.
“The paramount consideration in any future regulatory and legal framework should be on protecting the ‘integrity’ of the sporting events, and ensuring that they remain free of match-fixing and other corruptive influences.
“This program will provide participants with the tools for understanding how the legal and integrity issues intersect.”
“The practice of integrity monitoring is critical in today’s sports wagering environment”
This introduction comes in the aftermath of the removal of PASPA by the US Supreme Court, with the five course certificate to see its first two courses be available in early 2019, followed by the remaining three later in the year.
It will be the only certificated law school program dedicated to the law and business of sports wagering, and will center on the burgeoning regulatory environment that governs sports betting in the United States.
UNH Associate Dean Michael McCann, an expert in the field and the program’s co-founding director, as well as one of its instructors, commented: “The practice of integrity monitoring is critical in today’s sports wagering environment. When successful, it empowers gaming companies, regulators, sports leagues and other affected parties to monitor all aspects of wagers, operators and sports.
“With such monitoring, patterns and trends can be detected and appropriate enforcement steps can be exercised. Our intent is to provide a thorough grounding for professionals in the field, providing them with important skills and insights on the issues and complexities related to sports wagering.”
“As the global leader in safeguarding sports integrity, Sportradar is proud to help pioneer this very important and first-of-its kind program,” added Dr. Laila Mintas, the Deputy President of Sportradar US and one of the lead instructors. “It will help participants get educated and better prepared to participate in a total new industry, and to understand not only the challenges that lie ahead, but also the opportunities available in the fast-developing sports betting market in the US.”
The program will be taught by leading attorneys, regulators and compliance professionals in sports wagering and integrity. It addresses “what happens next?”— the crucial question for law firms, businesses and state and local legislative bodies.
It will explore how the current environment protects the integrity of sporting events, safeguards the privacy and rights of consumers and impacts the interests of professional sports leagues, the NCAA, the gaming industry and governmental entities.
“Our intent is to provide a thorough grounding for professionals in the field”
The certificate will educate students on the legal and regulatory considerations surrounding the sports betting environment, with an emphasis on monitoring, the regulatory oversight of wagers from integrity and compliance perspectives.
The program consists of five courses which will qualify participants for certification. The first two courses, “Introduction to U.S. Sports Betting Law and Regulation” (led by McCann and Wallach, and taught by a “who’s who” of prominent gaming attorneys and regulators), and “Safeguarding Sport Integrity & Advanced Integrity Monitoring” (led by Mintas), will be offered in the Spring of 2019.
