Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- European soccer's ruling body UEFA signed an agreement with Betfair, the U.K.'s biggest betting exchange, to monitor soccer gambling in an effort to combat corruption in the sport.

The accord comes amid a widening investigation into match- fixing in Germany, a year before the World Cup is due to be held there, after a referee said he had helped to fix matches on which he had bet.

UEFA said it signed a ``memorandum of understanding'' with London-based Betfair that will allow it to request information on betting patterns to help identify individuals behind suspicious gambling activity.

``This is an important step forward in ensuring the continued integrity of our competitions,'' UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson said in an e-mailed statement. ``This is in line with our permanent efforts to protect the game from match- fixing and will facilitate the gathering of information in the case of suspicious results.''

The German probe follows statements made by former referee Robert Hoyzer, who said last month that he helped fix matches.

Theo Zwanziger, the president of the German Football Association, today confirmed prosecutors have evidence that four matches officiated by Hoyzer were manipulated: Wuppertaler SV versus Werder Bremen's amateur team, Eintracht Braunschweig vs FC St. Pauli, LR Ahlen vs Wacker Burghausen and SC Paderborn vs SV Hamburg. Zwanziger was speaking at a press conference in Frankfurt broadcast by television channel N-TV.

Referees

Four referees, including Hoyzer, are among 25 suspects named by Berlin prosecutors in the match-fixing probe, following raids on homes in several cities yesterday. Fourteen players from six clubs are among those being investigated in connection with at least 10 matches, prosecutors said yesterday.

The match-rigging was committed to help two brothers win bets, prosecutors said. They were arrested and about 2.44 million euros ($3.16 million) was confiscated.

Betfair, founded in 2000, matches wagers between bettors over the Internet and by phone, unlike traditional bookmakers that set their own prices.

``We are delighted to be able to add this agreement to those we already have with the governing bodies of sport,'' Betfair Chief Executive Stephen Hill said of the accord with UEFA. ``Working closely with sporting regulators, and allowing them access to the information we have, is the best way to ensure that sport is kept free of crime.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan Mills in London at at rmills5@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: February 3, 2005 09:43 EST