Latest News
Lack of governance of football friendly (non-competitive) matches exploited by match-fixers
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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Antwerp Anchors
BABU88 Announces Sponsorship of Antwerp Anchors in EUT20 Belgium 2026
BABU88, a leading online gaming and sports betting platform, has announced its sponsorship of the Antwerp Anchors (ANA) for this season of EUT20 Belgium 2026. This strategic partnership highlights BABU88’s commitment to sports development and solidifies its presence in the international cricket community.
The highly anticipated season of the EUT20 Belgium kicks off on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Antwerp International Cricket Ground in Belgium. Organised by the Belgian Cricket Federation, this high-energy T20 tournament runs until July 19, 2026, featuring five powerhouse teams: Brussels Tigers, Ghent Gladiators, Liege Lions, Antwerp Anchors and Bruges Batsmen. With action-packed matches scheduled across one thrilling week, the top teams will advance to the knockout rounds, leading to an exciting final on June 14, 2026.
The Antwerp Anchors, one of the most anticipated teams in the league, features a star-studded roster with international and European cricketing talents. The squad is anchored by explosive Belgian all-rounder Saber Zakhil, known for his aggressive batting style and critical bowling variations. Zakhil, who has a massive following among European cricket fans, was secured as a marquee signing ahead of the tournament. His recent stellar performances in continental tournaments reinforce his reputation as a dominant, consistent match-winner.
Joining him are key tactical players and top-tier talent from the international Associate cricket circuit, bringing a wealth of competitive experience. With an aggressive batting depth and a versatile bowling attack, the Antwerp Anchors are well-positioned to captivate fans and make a deep run for the championship title.
The post BABU88 Announces Sponsorship of Antwerp Anchors in EUT20 Belgium 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Amusnet
Weekend Reels | Week 25: Slot Drops & Trends
Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by Eastern European Gaming
Spinomenal has launched Tornado Treasure – Hold & Hit 3×3, adding a new title to its Hold & Hit portfolio. The 3×3 slot uses a 777 Wild (excluding Bonus and Bonus Collect). Two special symbols drive the feature: Bonus symbols can land only on reels one and three, while Bonus Collect appears only on reel two.

Amusnet has released its latest online video slot game, Trophy Rush Triple Boost. Packed with stadium energy, trophy-chasing action and feature-rich gameplay, this football-themed release captures the thrill of competing on the sport’s grandest stage. Set within a roaring arena filled with cheering fans and championship atmosphere, the game unfolds across 5 reels and 40 paylines, where every spin feels like a much-chased goal.

bet365 has partnered with MGA Games to launch Mina de Oro Golden Edition bet365 for customers in Spain. The companies said the release is a reimagined version of Mina de Oro, positioned as an update to one of MGA Games’ long-running titles for the Spanish market.

Evoplay has launched Liberty Fireworks, a new five-reel slot built around a booster-led Bonus game and a US Independence Day theme. The base game includes a Wild symbol that substitutes for all regular symbols except Bonus symbols. It appears on reels 2–5.

Million Games has launched East West Wild, a new feature-led video slot inspired by the historic Silk Route, the supplier said. The game runs on a 5×4 layout with 1,024 ways to win. Million Games said consecutive wins increase a Combo Multiplier within each spin, positioning progression as the core mechanic.

Microgaming has launched Playboy Gems and Desires, the latest addition to its official Playboy-branded games portfolio. The slot uses a reel set featuring Wild stacks that land on reels two, three and four. The game also uses a ways win structure as part of its presentation.

Zingo Bingo has exclusively launched Midnight Marauder ClusterBreaker, the latest action-packed slot from leading supplier Relax Gaming. The neon-fuelled heist adventure is now available to Zingo Bingo players who will embark on a precision operation to plot the ultimate raid to try and crack the vault to unlock those wins.

Inspired Entertainment, Inc. has launched two new online slot titles—Bigger Piggy Bank Super Wheel
and Cops ‘n’ Robbers Smash ‘N’ Grab
—now available across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. The company said Bigger Piggy Bank Super Wheel combines its Bigger Piggy Bank
series with Player Link
and a “Super Wheel” community feature.

Playson has released 4 Pots Riches: Super Wheel, adding a new “Super Wheel” mechanic to its 4 Pots Riches slot line-up. The Super Wheel feature triggers when a Super Wheel Symbol is present on the reels at the moment either the Bonus Game with Pot Features or the Mega Bonus Game starts.

Booming Games has launched Greedy for Gold: Hold and Win, the second game in its Greedy for Gold series. The supplier said the slot uses a 5×3 grid with 20 fixed paylines and offers a maximum win potential of 2,000x. The Irish-themed title includes Pot of Gold and Lucky Hat mechanics, plus Free Spins with Jumbo symbols and a Hold and Win feature.

Reflex Gaming has launched Sidewinder Xtra Power, a sequel to its Sidewinder title, with distribution through the Yggdrasil Masters Program. The game uses a 5×3, 20-payline fruit slot format and brings back the Sidewinder Shuffle mechanic. Reflex said the Sidewinder Feature is triggered when five orbs light up above the reels, turning losing spins into winners as the reels shuffle into position.

GAMOMAT released Frooty Troupe – Gold Club, marking the third launch in its Frooty Troupe slot series. The title is a 6×4 slot with 20 paylines. GAMOMAT said Credit Card symbols drive a prize collection mechanic: landing seven or more triggers instant cash prizes as multipliers of the base bet, ranging from 1x to 100x.

Gaming Corps has launched 3 Pigs of Olympus 2: Rise of the DemiHog, a sequel to its 3 Pigs of Olympus title. The new slot runs on six reels, four rows and 4,096 ways to win. Gaming Corps said the sequel introduces upgraded collect mechanics, an evolving progression system and enhanced Free Spins and Bonus Pot features, culminating in the Wheel of Olympus with rewards stated to reach up to 10,000x total bet.

Pragmatic Play has launched Mahjong Wins Triple Pot, a new online slot release, The title introduces “golden reels” and bonus coin symbols with values of up to 100,000x. The game uses a 4-5-5-5-4 grid with tumble mechanics. Pragmatic Play said consecutive tumble wins trigger a progressive multiplier trail that increases payouts by 2x, 3x and 5x until the end of the spin.

The post Weekend Reels | Week 25: Slot Drops & Trends appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Eeze
Eeze partners with Yggdrasil on multi-year slots development deal
Eeze will use Yggdrasil’s Studio in a Box
to build proprietary slot titles, with the first two launches expected toward year-end.
Eeze has signed a multi-year strategic partnership with games publisher Yggdrasil to develop original slot titles using Yggdrasil’s Studio in a Box
production solution.
Under the agreement, Eeze will operate as an independent slot studio within the Yggdrasil ecosystem, using the end-to-end framework covering game design, maths configuration, testing, certification and launch. The companies said the setup is intended to streamline production and speed up time to market.
Eeze said the partnership supports its plans to expand as a “multi-vertical content provider,” adding slots alongside its live casino offering.
The first two Eeze slot titles are expected to launch towards the end of the year. After that, Eeze and Yggdrasil plan a rollout cadence of two multi-region games per month.
Graeme Powrie, Chief Commercial Officer at Eeze, said: “This partnership with Yggdrasil is an important step in accelerating Eeze’s long‑term ambition. Studio in a Box
allows us to scale our slots strategy at pace, extend our reach in the market, and build on the work already done to position Eeze as a dynamic provider. It sets us up strongly for the future as we continue to grow as a multi‑vertical supplier.”
James Curwen, Chief Executive Officer at Yggdrasil, said: “Eeze has a clear vision for where it wants to go as a business, and Studio in a Box
is built to support exactly that type of long‑term growth. This partnership brings a commercially driven studio into our ecosystem, with the tools and structure needed to deliver original, market‑ready slot content at scale.”
The post Eeze partners with Yggdrasil on multi-year slots development deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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