Latest News

Lack of governance of football friendly (non-competitive) matches exploited by match-fixers

Published

4 years ago

December 1, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Football friendly matches are wide open for match-fixing due to a lack of regulation according to new research, with more than 250 friendlies involving European clubs showing signs of suspicious activity during 2016-20. The results come from a three-year study funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme and led by the University of Nicosia Research Foundation.

A survey of 700 players in Cyprus, Greece and Malta conducted by the project also found that:

More than a quarter of players (26.5%) had played in a club friendly they suspected had been manipulated.
More than a quarter (26.3%) of approaches to fix a friendly match were made by club officials and 15% by other players.
Club officials were the instigators in 19% of approaches to manipulate friendlies and were the main beneficiaries in 26.3% of approaches.

The research study found that international and national football federations have been slow to establish where responsibility lies for friendlies, particularly when clubs from different countries are involved in non-competitive matches played in a third country. Some European football federations do not track where clubs go on pre-season and mid-winter tours.

This lack of sporting governance and regulation, combined with the availability of these games on betting markets around the world, notably with poorly or unregulated betting operators in jurisdictions such as Curaçao and the Philippines, who may themselves have links to criminality, leaves these games at greater risk of potential exploitation by match-fixers.

To address this, the report, Combating Match Fixing in Club Football Non-Competitive Friendlies, proposes:

That UEFA enforces regulation of friendlies on all 55 member associations
That match agents are barred from owning or controlling clubs, just as players agents are
The formation of a body to represent match agents in future negotiations with international bodies such as FIFA and UEFA on regulation
Establishing data standards that prevent the sale of live match data to poorly and unregulated betting operators

Unlike competitive matches, which are usually covered by agreements between data companies and competition organisers, friendlies are a free-for-all.

Data from these games is being collected and sold to poorly and unregulated betting operators, which do not report signs of suspicious activity, which is often a licensing requirement for well-regulated operators. This sporting event data collation and sale for betting does not currently fall within the scope of regulation, leaving a potential ‘blind spot’ in terms of market and consumer protection.

Lead investigator, Professor Nicos Kartakoullis, President of the Council, University of Nicosia, comments:

“The combination of a lack of regulation, oversight and information makes these matches easier to manipulate than competitive matches.

“This research shows that in terms of governance, friendly matches need to be considered just like competitive matches.

“With the data for 4,000 friendly matches being offered for betting purposes around the world each year, it is also vital that the betting companies receiving that data are operating from well-regulated jurisdictions and report suspicious betting to protect the integrity of those events.”

The research was led by the University of Nicosia Research Foundation and included the International Betting Integrity Association, EU Athletes, CIES and the football players unions of Cyprus, Greece and Malta as project partners.

Latest News

Meet HELL Partners—Direct Brands, Real Flexibility, Zero Runaround

Published

2 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Master Editor

When a program calls itself HELL, it’s either extremely confident or extremely honest. In this case, it’s both.

The iGaming affiliate space is crowded with programs that all say roughly the same things: great commissions, fast payments, dedicated support. After a while, the language blurs together. HELL Partners doesn’t spend much time on that kind of noise. Instead, the program lets its structure do the talking—and the structure is genuinely worth paying attention to.

Here’s what it actually is, and why it’s worth your time.

The Brands Behind the Program

HELL Partners is a direct advertiser, not an intermediary. That distinction matters more than it might initially seem—it means no middlemen, no inflated EPC claims, and no awkward chain of communication between you and the people who actually control the offers.

The program runs three in-house brands: SlotsGem, IviBet, and HellSpin. SlotsGem is a casino-focused product built around slots and live games. IviBet and HellSpin go further—both carry a sportsbook alongside the casino offering, which means affiliates working in betting verticals have real options without having to patch together multiple programs to cover their traffic.

Three brands, with one more coming soon (Q2 2026). Two verticals. One team to talk to. It’s a cleaner setup than most.

Geography and Traffic: Fewer Walls Than You’d Expect

HELL Partners operates across 20+ GEOs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 markets, with worldwide reach available depending on the brand and offer. For affiliates, that kind of geographic flexibility is genuinely useful rather than just a bullet point on a landing page.

On the traffic side, the program accepts nearly all major sources—SEO, PPC, social, influencer, email, native, display. The list of restrictions is short, which in practice means you spend less time checking compliance and more time actually running campaigns.

The Commercial Model: Built Around Flexibility

This is where HELL Partners tends to distinguish itself most clearly. Rather than locking everyone into a single commission structure and calling it competitive, the program takes a more considered approach.

Revenue share, CPA, and hybrid deals are all on the table. More importantly, the terms are negotiated based on what you’re actually bringing—your GEOs, your traffic volumes, your source mix. If you have something specific to offer, the team will work with it rather than shoe-horn it into a standard tier.

For experienced affiliates and media buyers who already know their numbers, that flexibility isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between a deal that works and one that doesn’t.

What the Technical Side Looks Like

For webmasters who want the detail: tracking is reliable, the reporting dashboard gives you what you need to optimize in real time, and postback integration is straightforward. Payments go out on schedule. The support team is reachable and, more relevantly, useful—the kind of people who can actually move things rather than just pass messages along.

None of this is glamorous to describe, but affiliate programs live or die on exactly these mechanics. HELL Partners has them in order.

Why It’s Worth a Conversation

The affiliate programs that tend to work long-term share a few qualities: they’re backed by real products with genuine player retention, they’re flexible enough to work with partners at different stages, and they don’t treat every affiliate like a replaceable traffic source. HELL Partners fits that description.

Three proprietary brands across casino and sports. 20+ GEOs. Virtually no traffic source restrictions. Deal structures that actually flex. And a direct line to the people who control the offers.

The team will also be at iGB London soon—if you prefer to have the first conversation in person, that’s an option worth keeping in mind.

Ready to See If It’s a Fit?

The straightforward part: if you have traffic and you’re looking for a program that’s built to work with serious affiliates rather than around them—HELL Partners is worth a proper look.

Register, reach out, and find out what a deal actually looks like for your specific setup.

👉 Your registration/contact link here https://hellpartners.com/register/?aff_id=672417&utm_source=Media&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=HIPTER&utm_term=PR

📩 Get in touch with our manager

▪️Anna Affiliate Manager [email protected]
▪️Max Affiliate Manager [email protected]

ELA Games

ELA Games launches King and Flame slot with Hold and Win coins and Bonus Wheel

Published

3 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-launches-king-and-flame-slot-with-hold-and-win-coins-and-bonus-wheel

The 5×3, 20-payline fantasy title includes expanding wild events, Mystery Chests, Free Spins, and a 5,000x max win.

ELA Games has released a new fantasy-themed slot, King and Flame, built on a 5×3 layout with 20 paylines.

The game includes a Hold and Win-style coin mechanic where coins “paying exactly their visible face value,” according to the company. ELA Games also highlighted “Queen’s Mercy” and “Mystery Chests,” which it said can deliver instant prizes or trigger the Grand Jackpot.

On the feature side, ELA Games said the “Tamed by the Crown” event can turn the Dragon Queen into a full reel wild. A “Bonus Wheel Coin” can also appear to unlock a bonus wheel with extra prizes, jackpots, and Free Spins.

The Free Spins round is triggered by three Scatter symbols. During Free Spins, ELA Games said any coin that lands expands to cover the entire column. The title’s maximum win is capped at 5,000x, with a stated maximum exposure of €250,000.

King and Flame is rated mid volatility (2/5), according to the company.

The post ELA Games launches King and Flame slot with Hold and Win coins and Bonus Wheel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Inside GEO

Inside GEO: Slovenia As the Next Emerging Goldmine

Published

3 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

inside-geo:-slovenia-as-the-next-emerging-goldmine

Slovenia is definitely one of the most promising GEOs for the iGaming niche.

That is why the N1 Partners team has collected insights that will help to work more accurately with the audience, increase ROI and build effective advertising campaigns for the GEO.

Let’s look at the big picture to understand the potential of the region better. Slovenia is a small country in Central Europe with a population of about 2.1 million people and its capital in Ljubljana. The official language is Slovenian, the currency is euro, and the time zone is CET (UTC+1).

With the background of a high living standard and a stable economy, the market creates favorable conditions for online gambling: the iGaming sector is already showing steady growth, and its volume was estimated at about $497 million by 2025.

Reasons to test Slovenia

Slovenia is a promising region, but it often turns out to be underestimated in the iGaming niche.

Top 3 reasons to drive traffic to Slovenia right now:

Low competition.
Slovenia is the country with a low share of online gambling in the market. For partners, this is a signal: with proper localisation and strategy, you can enter a less competitive environment and make a long-term profit.
Solvent players.
The GDP per capita in Slovenia is about $35.3 thousand, which confirms the high level of audience solvency and the potential for stable LTV.
High potential.
Slovenia is not an overheated online market: in European comparison, the share of online gambling in the overall revenue structure remains relatively low. This means that the market has not yet fully realised its digital potential and there’s a room for growth.

Players’ behaviour

Slovenian users are more likely to choose online platforms due to their convenience, wide choice of games and accessibility from mobile devices.

In this region, smartphones account for the majority of iGaming traffic — 86.45%, which requires the adaptation of all funnels to mobile devices.

Gender and age

Men — 63%, average age 31-35 years
Women — 37%, average age 26-30 years

According to N1 Partners, the iGaming market remains predominantly male, which is confirmed by external research: the main audience is men aged 25-44. At the same time, the proportion of women is gradually increasing, expanding the segment’s potential.

Top 10 slots Among N1 Partners Players in Slovenia

N1 Partners team notes that players prefer slots with recognizable series, bonus features and adventure themes — this directly affects retention and LTV.

Legacy of Dead
Book of Dead
Heist Stakes
Book of the Fallen
Gates of Olympus Super Scatter
Lucky Lady’s Charm Deluxe
Magic Apple 2
Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness
Gonzo’s Quest II: Return to El Dorado
More Magic Apple

Conclusion

Slovenia is a GEO with strong and sustainable potential and a high share of mobile traffic, as well as a growing iGaming market, ideal for those working with gambling traffic.

N1 Partners analytics confirms that with the right localisation strategy and taking into account the characteristics of the audience, this market is able to bring stable profits and long-term growth within the framework of iGaming partner programs.

Wanna scale and increase your income? Work with N1 Partners!

N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with high conversion (CR) and Reg2Dep across Tier-1 GEOs.

N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.

Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.

The post Inside GEO: Slovenia As the Next Emerging Goldmine appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.