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

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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.

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Andrea Rossi

REEVO Goes Live with Betsson in Brazil

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REEVO has announced that it is now live with Betsson in the Brazil market, marking another important milestone in the companies’ expanding global partnership. This launch represents the next step in REEVO’s rollout across Betsson’s international markets and reinforces the company’s growing presence across Latin America.

As part of the launch, Betsson Brazil now features both REEVO’s aggregation platform and REEVO’s in-house games, delivering a powerful combination of premium third-party content alongside REEVO’s original titles through a single, seamless integration.

Brazil represents one of the most dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets in the region. By going live with Betsson in this market, REEVO continues to strengthen its international distribution network while supporting leading operators with scalable technology, engaging content, and efficient integration.

Karl Grech, Head of Business Development at REEVO, said: “Going live with Betsson in Brazil is a fantastic milestone for REEVO and an important step forward in our expanding partnership. Brazil is one of the most exciting markets in the region, and we are proud to bring both our aggregation platform and our in-house games to Betsson’s players. This launch reflects our commitment to supporting operators with high-quality content, reliable technology, and scalable solutions that help them grow.”

Andrea Rossi, Commercial Director for LatAm at Betsson, said: “The launch of REEVO’s content on our Brazilian platform expands the range of entertainment available to our players in one of the fastest growing markets in the region. Brazil is an important market for Betsson, and partnerships like this allow us to continue strengthening our offering with high quality content that reflects local player preferences. We look forward to working with REEVO as we continue to grow in the newly regulated Brazilian market.”

The post REEVO Goes Live with Betsson in Brazil appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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QCI to Showcase Agentic Platform Capabilities at IGA 2026

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Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of AI-driven operations software for tribal gaming resorts, announced it will showcase its evolving QCI Agentic Platform at the Indian Gaming Association (IGA) Tradeshow & Convention, March 31–April 2, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center (Booth #2735).

The QCI Agentic Platform reflects the continued advancement of the company’s enterprise system, enabling operators to move from real-time insight to real-time action across gaming, marketing, player development, and hotel operations. Designed for on-premise and hybrid environments, the platform supports secure, property-level AI deployment while maintaining full operational control.

Rather than introducing a new system, QCI’s approach extends the capabilities operators already use—bringing analysis and execution closer together within a unified operational environment.

“This is a continuation of the platform our customers already rely on. We’re building on what works and extending it, so operators can act on information faster, without changing the way their business runs,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO of QCI.

The QCI Agentic Platform builds on QCI’s established product suite, including:

• AGI56.1, a major platform release featuring more than 1000 enhancements across operations

• Chatalytics, QCI’s conversational analytics interface for real-time data access

• QCI Dispatch, a new core operational tool supporting real-time coordination and execution

Together, these capabilities enable operators to unify data, streamline workflows, and respond more quickly to changing conditions across the property.

Attendees will experience how QCI connects data, decision-making, and execution within a single operational system.

“We’re focused on practical improvements that help teams do their jobs more effectively. This is about making systems more responsive, more connected, and easier to use in day-to-day operations,” added Thomas.

The post QCI to Showcase Agentic Platform Capabilities at IGA 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Eeze

Eeze signs global partnership with EveryMatrix

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Eeze, the next-generation casino supplier, has announced a comprehensive global distribution agreement with EveryMatrix, extending the reach of its live dealer and upcoming slots portfolio to EveryMatrix’s worldwide partner network.

Under the partnership, Eeze’s full range of live dealer titles, including its recently launched Fusion Roulette, alongside forthcoming slot releases, will be made available across EveryMatrix’s Game Aggregator Network. The deal covers EveryMatrix’s active markets globally, marking a key milestone for the supplier’s international expansion.

Mikko Hoglund, Partnership Manager at Eeze, said:

“Partnering with EveryMatrix is an important moment for us as we look to push our games to a wider network of players than ever before. We have a lot of exciting product releases to come in the next few months, and know that these games, as well as our existing portfolio, will be well received across EveryMatrix’s customer base.”

Bjorn Sjoberg, Chief Commercial Officer at EveryMatrix, added:

“We are very pleased to be adding Eeze’s full product suite to our aggregation offering. With best-in-class live products and an exciting array of RNG games on the roadmap, we’re confident that our customers will enjoy the differentiation these titles bring to market.”

With this partnership, Eeze strengthens its footprint in regulated markets and positions its Fusion Roulette and slot titles for maximum visibility, giving operators a compelling mix of content to offer players worldwide.

The post Eeze signs global partnership with EveryMatrix appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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