The NY Times published a great article yesterday discussing the growing problem of gambling scandals in sports, and how Betfair has been on the frontlines trying to combat the problem.

Given the subject matter, I have to admit that it was a pretty balanced article as it stayed away from perpetuating the hysteria that generally arises whenever somebody discusses the possibility that sporting matches can be fixed.

Because, let's face it, it happens.

And as an industry fighting for the right to exist, this issue could very well prove to be the most important factor deciding whether or not online gambling ever achieves mainstream acceptance.

For too long, we gamblers have looked at the problem of game-fixing with a wink and a smirk. As if to say, "That's terrible. I wish I had gotten in on the right side of that bet." That's the wrong attitude. Not only did you NOT get in on that bet, but you might have actually been on the wrong side of it without knowing... and you are still not pissed?!?

Instead, we should be looking at these betting scandals as if they were our industry's version of Enron or Tyco. Examples of pure unadulterated greed gone berserk, and they should be rooted out and punished to the fullest extent of the law. That's the only way they are going to stop.

The majority of the people populating this industry still seem to have the attitude that we are existing in some sort of virtual reality version of Deadwood. Since everybody (ie. Americans) is technically breaking the law by gambling online, it's OK when somebody occasionally goes too far and breaks other laws too.

We've come to accept sportsbooks disappearing with customer deposits. We've come to expect online casinos to be rigged. How else could Absolute Poker suffer one of the most egregious examples of rigged betting - only 6 months ago - and yet the site is not only still in business, but it is still thriving. How does THAT situation make our industry look responsible? Actions apparently have no consequences in our isolated world. We forgive the cheats as if they are silly little children - you know that boys will be boys.

This attitude is harming us.

Our lives will all be a lot easier and less stressful if we didn't have to worry about all of the bullshit that comes with trying to simply place a few bets online. We would all benefit if we can get the government to ease up a bit and just let us do our thing.

But I can guarantee you that will never happen as long as these betting scandals keep happening - and our industry keeps laughing them off.

All it takes is a couple of politicians to browse sites like this and others, and see how lackadaisical our attitude really is about these issues. And that does nothing to help convince those politicians that we really are upstanding individuals forced into this underworld by their laws. All it does is convince them that we really are the cowboys and criminals they thought we were, so there is no reason for them to change their stance.

We bring it on ourselves.

The online gambling industry needs more companies like Betfair, who will do anything in their power to root out unethical and illegal behavior and bring it to light.

I'm calling on all online sportsbooks to start analyzing their usage the same way Betfair does. Don't let the bad guys win. It ain't helping the good guys.