Darts Player Prakash Jiwa Banned for Eight Years Over Match-Fixing Scandal

Darts player Prakash Jiwa has been banned from all competitions for eight years after being found to have fixed four matches.

Two months ago, a disciplinary hearing was held regarding four matches in which Jiwa participated as part of the Modus Super Series. The offenses were committed on 16 and 17 February 2023 and 1 June 2023.

Jiwa was also accused of placing bets on darts matches, including his own, and failing to cooperate with the investigation by deleting relevant messages.

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) received alerts from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) of suspicious betting activity on 1 June and 5 June. The alerts also mentioned suspicions around matches played against Bates and Hunt in February.

The Key Evidence Linking Jiwa to Suspicious Betting Activity

The suspicious betting activity occurred between two individuals with links to the player in question. The DRA emphasized that neither Bettor 1 nor Bettor 2 were “subject to DRA regulation.”

The DRA also received an email from experienced darts referee and official George Noble, who noticed extraordinary liquidity in Jiwa’s games in the Modus Super Series compared to the other matches.

“With my experience in the darts world and knowing the large sums on Betfair, I unfortunately took the view that all was not what it seemed and in my opinion his performance did not look quite right,” explained Noble.

He continued: “To be on the safe side I made the decision to suspend Prakash, with the thoughts that if something untoward had taken place we would hear from yourself if not then it was just a coincidence. Unfortunately, it now looks it was not purely a coincidence.”

Noble concluded: “When I spoke to Prakash to informing him he was being suspended he said he did not understand gambling and had no idea as to what has happened and it was nothing to do with him, my observation from his tone led me to question this, I would have expected a far stronger response from someone who is completely innocent, I know I would have certainly taken that stance anyway. He accepted the suspension and asked what would happen next, I said I would let him know in due course. I am obviously not party to any betting patterns from bookmakers so cannot say for sure if there is a case to answer. . .”

After further investigation by the regulator UKGC and adjacent authorities, Bettor 1 was found to be Jiwa’s line manager in his regular place of work, and Bettor 2 was a friend of Bettor 1 and lived at the same address. Most of the bets were placed by Bettor 1, with a small number by Bettor 2.

The two placed a total of £2,752 on bets in matches in which Jiwa was involved, compared to only £83 on matches in which he was absent.

WhatsApp messages shown to the authorities during the investigation showed the two bettors referencing “dodgy patterns” and acknowledging betting once Jiwa was suspended. Further, analysis from former professional player Ritchie Gardner showed he played significantly below his ‘expected standard.’

Additionally, Jiwa deleted messages between himself and his manager, later admitting that some messages involved betting conversations.

He denied the charges, claiming he was under the influence of alcohol and playing with ‘new darts,’ which could explain his comparative underperformance.

While criminal proceedings were dropped, Jiwa was found guilty of fixing all four matches and placing bets on darts. The charge of obstructing the investigation was dropped due to a lack of evidence that Jiwa deleted the messages after being informed of the inquiry.

The total punishment was eight years of suspension and a fine of £17,741.

Could Crypto Betting Have Made This Match-Fixing Case Undetectable?

Authorities’ reticence to accept digital currencies as payment methods can, in part, be explained by anonymity. Should bets have been placed with a crypto sportsbook, authorities would unlikely have found the players’ identities, and appropriate enforcement action could have been more difficult.