The Tennis Community was shocked when it was revealed that Max Hamou, a professional tennis player for Germany, was found guilty in an international betting scandal. Hamou is the only German player mentioned in this list, which extends to 135 athletes worldwide. This gambling crime has prompted investigations from the European Union and the United States, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation taking the lead. They are working with countries like Spain, France, and Belgium to bring these individuals to justice. The FBI confirmed that three ATP Title Holders are connected to this global criminal offence, which will most likely see them stripped of their titles.

Additional details have been provided regarding this illegal gambling offence, with the Belgium Vice Prosecutor noting that this act was committed through the Armenian Betting Mafia Network. Eric Bisschop pointed out that this gambling mafia has moved across several countries in the European Union and has manipulated hundreds of games. It’s anticipated that millions of Euros have been earned through these manipulation efforts, with this mafia organization being strictly structured. It’s known that some maintain the accounts and others that provide security over accumulated funds. Prosecutors across the Union anticipate this mafia to grow to 14 countries by 2020.

The Rise of Gambling Scandals

Gambling scandals have been on the rise since 2015. Expects have seen an increase of 52% over the last four years, with the scandalous industry earning billions worldwide. Throughout 2018, it’s estimated that illegal bets came in around 1.6 Trillion Euros worldwide. Global governments don’t have access to these funds, with criminal syndicates and mafia groups controlling the black market. However, investigation units are working continuously to bring these individuals to justice and return markets to a legalized status. It’s known that the Tennis Integrity Unit has banned twenty players, men and women included, because of this gambling scam. Most of the names haven’t been revealed, with sports analysts expecting the Federal Bureau of Investigations to release the full list in the new year.