"It's a widespread, multimillion-dollar industry that has come under scrutiny following U.S. federal indictments of Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz. They are accused of taking bribes from unnamed sports bettors in the Dominican Republic to throw certain pitches and help those bettors win at least $460,000, according to an indictment unsealed Sunday in New York. Ortiz and Clase have both pleaded not guilty. The accusations have dismayed and embarrassed many in the players' native country."
"According to data from the Dominican Association of Sports Betting Shops, there are about 3,500 registered businesses, and countless more illegal ones. Quico Tabar, head of the country's national lottery who was tasked by the president to regulate gambling, recently stated in a public letter that officials have been working for years to regulate betting shops but that circumstances beyond our control have not allowed that to happen."
Sports betting is deeply embedded in the Dominican Republic, where professional athletes, musicians and legislators publicly place wagers. Legal sports betting shops number about 3,500, while officials say countless illegal operations also exist. The industry drew intensified scrutiny after U.S. federal indictments accused Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz of accepting bribes from unnamed Dominican bettors to throw specific pitches and help those bettors win at least $460,000; both players pleaded not guilty. National lottery head Quico Tabar said officials have tried for years to regulate betting shops but could not due to circumstances beyond their control. Some gamblers choose venues based on size and convenience regardless of legality.
Read at www.bostonherald.com
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