Key points:
- Mark King was suspended for five years for match-fixing related to a match with Joe Perry
- WPBSA conducted an investigation with support from Sportradar and the Gambling Commission
- King was ordered to pay £68,299.50 in costs and banned from all WPBSA activities
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has suspended professional player Mark King for five years after an independent disciplinary committee found him guilty of match-fixing and providing inside information for betting purposes.
King has also been ordered to pay £68,299.50 ($86,216) in costs.
The investigation was prompted by suspicious betting patterns reported on King’s match against Joe Perry on 13 February 2023.
Supported by Sportradar and the Gambling Commission’s Sports Betting Intelligence Unit, the WPBSA found evidence that King had fixed the outcome of the Perry match and provided betting-related inside information.
His case was heard in May 2024 by an Independent Disciplinary Committee chaired by Graeme McPherson KC, with both King and the WPBSA represented by legal counsel.
After submissions on sanctions, the final decision was released, confirming King’s breach of WPBSA regulations.
The ruling bans King from participating in WPBSA-recognised activities – including playing, coaching and administration – from 18 March 2023 to 17 March 2028. King retains the right to appeal by 28 November 2024.
Good to know: The case also involved allegations concerning a December 2022 match against John Higgins, but those charges were dismissed
Commenting on the findings, WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson stated: “The global expansion of this sport brings with it great responsibility, both for our players, and for the WPBSA as the sport’s world governing body.
“I have known Mark King since he was very young, he is a very experienced player who has enjoyed great success, and I am deeply saddened to read the finding in this case. However, the integrity of this sport will always be our number one priority."
The Gambling Commission, which provided betting data for the investigation, also acknowledged the importance of the development, with the Commission’s Enforcement Director, John Pierce, stating: “Today’s announcement should send a clear message that betting-related corruption in sport will not be tolerated.”
