Overseas television revenues are becoming an increasingly important part of overall Premier League revenues. A big share of these revenues comes from Asia which also has the greatest growth potential, not least in China. One reason for the popularity of the Premier League there is that in most East Asian countries gambling is very popular. Premier League matches are seen as reliable events not susceptible to fixing.
Overseas television revenues are becoming an increasingly important part of overall Premier League revenues. A big share of these revenues comes from Asia which also has the greatest growth potential, not least in China. One reason for the popularity of the Premier League there is that in most East Asian countries gambling is very popular. Premier League matches are seen as reliable events not susceptible to fixing.
This point is underlined by events in South Korea where prosecutors have charged 46 professional footballers with match fixing in a spiralling scandal that threatens to destroy the country’s domestic football league. Prosecutors also said they would charge 17 alleged members of violent organised crime gangs with running gambling syndicates linked to match rigging.
The prosecutors also said they were charging one unnamed former member of the national team with involvement in throwing a match, saying he received $375,000 on a bet related to the game. Two professional footballers have committed suicide as the scandal unfolded.
The culture ministry which is responsible for sport said that teams would be expelled from the domestic league if players were found to be throwing matches. In the worst case scenario the whole league would be shut down, reflecting President Lee Myung-bak’s crusade to purge rampant corruption from Korean society.