The Competition Commission is investigating a complaint made by Value Plus Ltd, a bookmaker, against Sport Data Feed Ltd. The latter is the local representative of UK-based Football Data Co Ltd and issues licences to bookmakers allowing them to reproduce fixture lists and data owned by the UK’s Premier League, Football League and the Scottish Professional Football League.
Value Plus Ltd avers that from 2011 to 2015, Sport Data Feed Ltd licensed rights to it for the reproduction of fixtures list and results, which it needs to take bets on UK football fixtures and which are very popular with punters locally. However, Value Plus Ltd avers that since the 2016-7 season, Sport Data Feed Ltd has been refusing to renew its license and that it has been forced to stop its football betting business as a result.
The Competition Commission will consider whether the practices imputed to Sport Data Feed Ltd could be affecting competition in any relevant market in breach of the Competition Act 2007. The focus of the investigation will be on the extent to which, if any, the alleged practices may dampen competition between betting shops and between bookmakers to the detriment of punters.
Parties who consider that they hold relevant information are invited to submit such information by email to info@ccm.mu with the reference ‘INV049’ in the subject line no later than Friday 26th July 2019.
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