World champion Neil Robertson believes every player heading to the Crucible this year will be fearful of stepping out of line after the scandal which cost John Higgins a chunk of his career.
Barry Hearn, chairman of World Snooker, has written to all 32 players in the field for the Betfred.com World Championship to warn they face life bans if they breach betting rules, and he is aware the conspirators outside the sport have become increasingly sophisticated.
Higgins was suspended for six months after the frame-fixing controversy which largely overshadowed last year's final between Robertson and Graeme Dott.
The Scot was found not guilty of agreeing to throw frames for money in future matches, following a newspaper 'sting', but was punished for giving the misleading impression he would be prepared to do so, and for failing to report the approach made to him.
Now Hearn is getting tough, and today, ahead of the start of the World Championship in 10 days' time, reiterated his view that future punishments must be severe - ‘absolutely brutal’, he suggested.
Robertson returned home from the recent China Open to find Hearn's letter waiting for him, and the 29-year-old Australian said: ‘It was basically saying any player that fails to report any approaches would get a lifetime ban from the sport.
‘I think it's fantastic because it keeps all the players on their toes.’
Hearn was having to defend the integrity of snooker in the closing two days of last year's World Championship when he would rather have been focusing on the match between Robertson and Dott.
But he believes the controversy which erupted has already had a positive impact on snooker.
‘We came out of that stronger,’ Hearn said.
‘There's too many sports out there that think 'we don't have a problem'.
‘Let me tell you - everybody has a problem. It's a vicious, horrible world out there.
‘There's hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds at stake that brings out the worst people, so the great thing in our world is we have to understand the villains are always smarter than us.
‘We have to work harder because those villains are smart people now, this is organised.
‘The players know there are lifetime bans. Don't mess with us, because you're out, it doesn't matter what your name is or who you are - you're out.
‘You've got to educate the people involved to make sure they know what's at risk, the types of stunts that people can pull, the type of villains that are out there.
‘Once you've educated them, the other side is punishment.
‘The punishment has to be draconian, it has to be absolutely brutal.
‘They've got to understand, if you decide to go down the wrong path, then everything you value in your life sporting-wise has to be taken away from you.’
Hearn, speaking at the World Championship press launch in London, also addressed Ronnie O'Sullivan's commitment to the sport.
Three-time world champion O'Sullivan has had a miserable run of first-round defeats in major events, starting with the UK Championship and continuing at the Masters, Welsh Open and China Open.
He also pulled out of the German Masters of the eve of the tournament, annoying Hearn.
Hearn says any player with a problem should speak to him, and confirmed he had recently spoken with O'Sullivan but did not details of their talks.
‘Ronnie's having a tough time and also I don't think he's handled himself very well in certain situations,’ Hearn said.
‘Pulling out of a tournament the day before it starts is not what I'm looking for.
‘Everyone makes mistakes, the door's always open, come and talk if you've got problems.
‘I want players who realise they're got a role to play. It's not just take, it's like any relationship. it's got to be take and give.’
