New Zealand's ability to allow crowds back into sporting events has had an undesirable side-effect for some codes.
Alongside genuine fans, several people working for illegal offshore bookmakers have also made their way into stadiums in Auckland.
Sports administrators know they are there and are working to crackdown on the activity.
Three times people have been caught transmitting games to Asia from the Auckland Netball Centre in the opening few rounds of the ANZ Premiership.
These people are called "courtsiders" and they feed point-by-point commentary to underground gambling syndicates - in real-time - to get an edge on the betting market fluctuations.
Netball New Zealand's head of events and international Kate Agnew says this is the first time this type of activity has been identified at a netball game in New Zealand.
"We'd anticipated this, because we knew we were one of the few live sports that were allowing audiences in, so this was a possibility that this would occur, so we did keep our eyes open for it," Agnew says.
The offenders have been trespassed from the venue and Agnew says the information was passed on to Sport New Zealand, as well as the police.
While not a criminal offence, courtsiding is a breach of conditions of entry to the stadium.
"I think the police are interested because there is often a correlation between this kind of activity and maybe other activities that might fall more under their jurisdiction."
Removing spot betting from sport is a team effort and basketball's NBL Showdown general manager Justin Nelson says intel is shared between codes, so there is a sector-wide crackdown on the activity.
"Thankfully, the sports work really well together," Nelson says. "We advise each other when we do have any courtsiders at games or working a certain region.
"Across the world, we have a very thorough integrity unit for sport and, certainly for the NBL Showdown, we are receiving regular wager reports from right across the world. I'm pleased to report that so far so good, but it's something we are very mindful of and keep working on - as do all sports."
Nelson says identifying spectators engaging in courtsiding can be tricky for the uninitiated.
"Certainly, when you've had years of experience seeing how they operate, it becomes a lot easier to spot. I dare say people who are new to courtsiding and the practices of courtsiders at games probably take a bit more time to spot them, but when you've had experience, they stand out pretty easily."
When someone is suspected of courtsiding, Nelson says organisers follow a straightforward process, backed by stadium security staff.
Before removing someone from the stadium, Nelson says their details, including a photo id, is recorded.
"From the outset, when a couple were found discovered at our game, I'm pleased to say that the message certainly got out there very, very quickly that we were onto it and thankfully we just haven't seen it progress any further."
Agnew says the determination to stop courtsiders is related to fairness for those legitimately betting on games.
"This is not anti-betting, but this is about the fairness and the equity of the conditions under which betting takes place. If people have courtsiders in venues who have an advantage of 30 seconds to a minute of activity over people who are placing bets in another location, who don't have that same information, that's not a level playing field," Agnew says.
Agnew also wants to protect athletes and officials from the other element of betting - match-fixing.
"It is about safety for athletes and officials. We want them to be able to feel comfortable, and know that they won't come under undue pressure or slightly less desirable elements of the sport."
Sport New Zealand chief executive Peter Miskimmin says anything that manipulates the outcome of the game is concerning for the government organisation and courtsiding was frowned upon.
But he does praise how the effected organisations deal with it.
"What is concerning is that it happened," he says. "What is pleasing is that it was identified, recognised and dealt with at that time.
"Well done to netball and basketball officials who fixed that, but it is a clear message for our sector that we have to remain vigilant at all times to ensure that our sport is done fairly and is not brought into disrepute because of the behaviour of some."
