The Executive Yuan today approved amendments to the Sports Lottery Issuance Act (運動彩券發行條例) to increase penalties for illegal betting and match-fixing, with crimes undermining the fairness of sporting games that lead to the death of an athlete becoming punishable by life imprisonment.
Those who manipulate events linked to the Sports Lottery may now face up to 10 years in prison, while if the crime involves violence, coercion or other illegal actions toward an athlete which results in serious injury, the punishment has been increased to three to 10 years in prison and fines of NT$20 million to NT$50 million (US$609,459 to US$1.52 million).
Furthermore, owners of sports teams, lottery issuers and employees who fail to cooperate with investigations and the judicial process would no longer be punished under the Sports Lottery Issuance Act, but the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法) and the Criminal Code.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
Surplus revenue from sports lottery sales would be used to train athletes and improve the quality of domestic sports, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said, adding that the Cabinet has amended Article 21 and Article 21-1 of the act to ensure that sporting competitions remain fair, and citizens’ gains are protected.
The amendments align with the Sport Industry Development Act (運動產業發展條例), as Taiwan Sports Lottery falls under the larger umbrella of the sports industry, the Ministry of Education’s Sports Administration said.
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