Massachusetts Removes IBA Boxing From Sports Betting Catalog

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) announced its decision to remove the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the Bay State’s sports betting catalog. IBA matches are no longer permitted to be wagered on in the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted 4-0 to remove the International Boxing Association from the sports betting catalog

The decision was made after a unanimous vote by the regulator. This means sportsbooks operating within the state are also required to remove the IBA from their betting catalogs. Any outstanding wagers will be canceled and the stakes refunded to bettors.

The IBA’s group leadership’s support for Russia reportedly influenced the MGC’s ruling. In addition to its support for the invasion of Ukraine, the IBA has also faced many accusations of cheating and match-fixing.

It was the culmination of a number of different factors. The IBA is a popular boxing association in the betting community. Fortunately, bettors can still wager on the four major organizations: the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO.

Furthermore, the commission’s policy disallows “wagers on any event or league overseen by a Russian or Belarusian governing body or body headquartered in Russia or Belarus.”

IBA moved most of its operations to Russia following Russian Umar Kremlev’s election victory in 2020

The MGC said the IBA moved most of its operations to Russia following the 2020 election of Russian Umar Kremlev as the governing body’s president. Kremlev was reelected in 2022 to a four-year term as IBA president. This bothered the MGC staff right from the get-go.

“The IBA is the last international sports federation still run by a Russian citizen, and the only one to allow athletes from Russia to fight under their flag and play their national anthem,” the MGC staff informed commissioners.

“Additionally, it has been documented that President Kremlev has strong ties and is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

The IBA also made headlines during the Paris Olympics when the association revealed failed gender tests for two athletes. However, it refused to reveal what the test entailed or the final results. This led to accusations of cheating.

Since 1946, the IBA has governed boxing in all official Olympic activities. Though, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) barred the IBA from overseeing Olympic boxing events four years ago.

Concerns were raised over the boxing association’s governance ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.