Connect with us

Latest News

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

Published

on

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.

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Latest News

$1.5 Billion: PokerStars Iconic Spring Championship of Online Poker Hits Historic Milestone in Prizes Awarded to Players

Published

on

$1.5-billion:-pokerstars-iconic-spring-championship-of-online-poker-hits-historic-milestone-in-prizes-awarded-to-players

PokerStars’ prestigious Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) has officially surpassed $1.5 billion in total prize money awarded to players over its 17-year legacy, marking a historic milestone for one of the richest and most iconic championship series in online poker.

Since its inception in 2009, SCOOP has grown into the ultimate proving ground in online tournament poker, where both established stars and rising talents battle for prestige, prize money and a place in the game’s history.

The major $1.5 billion landmark was hit during this year’s SCOOP series, which kicked off on March 1 and runs until March 25, in Event 40-M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO Sunday Million], which saw “nomalice” beat a field of 8,017 players to win $85,597,11 and the coveted SCOOP title.

Prior to the start of the 2026 event, SCOOP had awarded a total of $1,485,704,101 in prizepools, $227,004,607 in first place prizes, and attracted 144,715,424 in total entries across 1,231 events with 3,680 tournaments. Sweden’s Simon “C. Darwin2” Mattsson is the greatest player in SCOOP history having earned 14 titles, followed by the UK’s Benny “RunGodlike” Glaser who now has 12 titles, having earned another SCOOP title last week in Event 12-H: $320 Fenomeno HR Turbo. Benny is the most decorated player in COOP history also having a record-leading 16 World Championship Of Online Poker (WCOOP) titles.

“SCOOP awarding $1.5 billion in total prizes is an incredible moment for online poker,” said  Steve Clarricoats, Associate Director of Poker Operations at PokerStars. “It’s a powerful reminder of the scale, history, and prestige of this series. But the true value of SCOOP isn’t just measured in dollars, it’s measured in players earning their greatness and winning a SCOOP title. Winning a SCOOP title remains one of the biggest ambitions in online poker and we’re excited to see which players join the history books this year.”

This year’s 136-event SCOOP schedule (with a total of 400 tournaments) is awarding over $45 million in guaranteed prizepools, and features low, medium, and high buy-in levels from $5.50 to $15,000. The flagship Main Events will be a schedule highlight and will award a total of $5.5 million across the NLHE Main Events on March 22, and $550,000 across the PLO Main Events on March 23.

Players can qualify through satellites from just $0.55, and the SCOOP Lucky Dip where over $500,000 in SCOOP tickets are up for grabs.

For more information about SCOOP head to the PokerStars Blog.

 

The post $1.5 Billion: PokerStars Iconic Spring Championship of Online Poker Hits Historic Milestone in Prizes Awarded to Players appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Boomerang Partners

The ongoing TIME TO WIN tournament by Boomerang Partners offers affiliates access to rewards connected with AC Milan.

Published

on

the-ongoing-time-to-win-tournament-by-boomerang-partners-offers-affiliates-access-to-rewards-connected-with-ac-milan.

The exclusive TIME TO WIN affiliate tournament, organised by Boomerang Partners – an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan – is gaining momentum, with dozens of affiliate teams from across the globe already competing for valuable prizes and once-in-a-lifetime AC Milan experiences.

The Clock Is Ticking

With the tournament closing on March 31, 2026, every day counts. Affiliates who delay risk losing ground to competitors, as points accumulate quickly and unique experiences, including a behind-the-scenes visit to AC Milan’s Milanello Sports Centre powered by Clivet, will not be available after this activation. The call to action is clear: act now, complete tasks, and accumulate points to qualify for prize draws featuring a range of AC Milan-related rewards.

How Affiliates Earn Points

Participants in the TIME TO WIN tournament complete structured tasks across five key segments. Each task earns a fixed number of points:

  • Generate new sports users for Boomerang’s client portfolio (10 points per qualified action)

  • Complete the survey (25 points)

  • Contribute expert commentary (30 points)

  • Showcase creativity via a dedicated social media challenge (25 points)

  • Leave a review on a selected platform (20 points)

As affiliates reach specific point thresholds, they unlock entry to one of five prize draws. Higher scores give access to more draws, creating a competitive and rewarding environment for active participants.

Exclusive AC Milan Experiences Await

The tournament’s prize structure is designed to reward top-performing affiliates with increasingly prestigious AC Milan experiences:

  • 150 points – Entry to the TIME TO WIN Merch Pack draw (3 sets of 5 kits each)

  • 250 points – Entry to the draw for official AC Milan jerseys signed by players (3 sets of 5 jerseys each)

  • 350 points – Entry to the draw for a trip for five to attend AC Milan vs Cagliari

  • 550 points – Entry to the draw for a trip for five to attend AC Milan vs Juventus, including behind-the-scenes access, pre-match tunnel experience, and pitchside viewing of team warm-ups

  • 750 points – The ultimate tier, granting entry to the draw for a trip to AC Milan’s legendary Milanello Sports Centre powered by Clivet. Two prizes are available for five guests each, offering exclusive behind-the-scenes access, a tour of the facilities, and the opportunity to witness the Men’s First Team training in action – a truly rare and unforgettable experience.

Affiliates Share Their Experience

Participants are actively sharing their enthusiasm. Sports influencer Firo Orakel said:
“Being part of the TIME TO WIN tournament truly means a lot to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate. The prizes are a strong motivator, and I love being able to share them with my community. I promote the campaign on my Discord server and during my streams to keep momentum going.”

The Rossoneri Hub – Central Platform for Engagement

All tournament activities are coordinated through the Rossoneri Hub, Boomerang Partners’ central platform for AC Milan-related activations. This hub serves as a one-stop destination for affiliates, providing updates, guidance, and resources to maximise performance and engagement.

Strategically Timed During the Peak Sports Season

The tournament’s timing in February–March 2026 is deliberate, coinciding with a peak moment in the football season, including the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds. Boomerang Partners supports affiliates with a detailed guide offering market insights, expected player activity shifts, practical tips, and data-driven strategies to navigate these high-stakes periods effectively. TIME TO WIN is built for moments like this, when the competitive landscape is at its peak.

About Boomerang Partners

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency delivering a wide array of services. As an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan, the agency is uniquely positioned to create sports-focused activations that combine strategy, technology, and engagement. In 2024, it launched the Golden Boomerang Awards, a global tournament for affiliate teams, which saw over 400 teams participate in its 2025 second season.

The agency manages 10+ brands across 40+ regulated markets, offering affiliate and entertainment services with personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support. Between 2024–2025, new product launches from partner brands contributed to a nearly 1.5× increase in product users, highlighting Boomerang’s ability to deliver measurable growth through data-driven affiliate campaigns.

The post The ongoing TIME TO WIN tournament by Boomerang Partners offers affiliates access to rewards connected with AC Milan. appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Boomerang Partners

The ongoing TIME TO WIN tournament by Boomerang Partners offers affiliates access to rewards connected with AC Milan.

Published

on

the-ongoing-time-to-win-tournament-by-boomerang-partners-offers-affiliates-access-to-rewards-connected-with-ac-milan.

The exclusive TIME TO WIN affiliate tournament by Boomerang Partners, an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan, is gaining momentum. Dozens of affiliate teams worldwide have already joined the race to compete for valuable prizes and unique AC Milan-related experiences.

Don’t miss your chance

The clock is winding down. With the tournament closing on March 31, every day you wait is a point a competitor earns. Competition is intensifying, and access to unique experiences – including a behind-the-scenes visit to AC Milan’s training base, Milanello Sports Centre powered by Clivet – will not be available beyond this activation.

The time to act is now. Participants can access the tournament page, complete the tasks, and accumulate points, securing a place for prize draws featuring AC Milan-related experiences.

How affiliates earn points

The TIME TO WIN tournament participants complete clearly structured tasks across five segments. Each completed task brings a fixed number of points:

  • Generate new sports users for brands within Boomerang’s client portfolio (10 points per qualified action)
  • Take the survey (25 points)
  • Share your insights by contributing expert commentary (30 points)
  • Prove your creativity through a dedicated SMM challenge (25 points)
  • Leave a review on a selected platform (20 points)

As soon as affiliates reach specific point thresholds, they unlock access to prize draws. There are five in total, and the higher the score, the more draws a team qualifies for.

Exclusive AC Milan experiences

By reaching specific point thresholds, affiliate teams will gain access to the corresponding prize draws linked to exclusive AC Milan experiences. The structure is clear:

  • 150 points – qualify for the TIME TO WIN Merch Pack draw (3 sets of 5 kits each)
  • 250 points – enter the draw for official AC Milan jerseys signed by players (3 sets of 5 jerseys each)
  • 350 points – secure a place in the draw for a trip for five persons to attend AC Milan v Cagliari
  • 550 points – become eligible for the draw for a trip for five persons to attend AC Milan v Juventus, including exclusive behind-the-scenes access with pre-match access to the tunnel area, and pitchside viewing of the teams’ warm-up.

The ultimate tier requires 750 points and unlocks access to the draw for an exclusive trip to AC Milan’s legendary training base, Milanello Sports Centre powered by Clivet. Reserved for top-performing teams (2 prizes for 5 guests each), this experience offers behind-the-scenes access to the Club’s inner environment, including a tour of the facilities and the opportunity to see the Men First Team training. This is a rare behind-the-scenes experience offering a unique glimpse into AC Milan’s daily routine.

Affiliate teams participating in the TIME TO WIN tournament actively share positive feedback. For example, sports influencer Firo Orakel highlighted his experience: “Being part of the TIME TO WIN tournament truly means a lot to me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate. The prizes are a strong motivator – I want to share them with my community as well, as it gives them a chance to benefit too. I actively support the campaign through my Discord server, where I engage directly with my audience, and I also promote it regularly during my streams to keep the momentum going,” said Firo.

The Rossoneri Hub as the central platform

All activities related to the TIME TO WIN tournament are featured on the Rossoneri Hub portal, the main platform where Boomerang Partners centralizes its AC Milan-related activations. This is a unique web resource that Boomerang Partners launched as an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan.

A strategic moment within the sports season

Boomerang Partners’ decision to hold the TIME TO WIN tournament in February-March 2026 is no coincidence. This period marks one of the peak moments of the sports season, alongside major international competitions and football tournaments, the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds. The company is ready to actively share its sports expertise, including through an exclusive guide which provides affiliates with information on expected shifts in player activity by competition stage, market insights, practical recommendations, and data-driven guidance for navigating the sports peak.

TIME TO WIN was built for moments like this – when the sports calendar is at its peak. Join now and compete for unique AC Milan experiences.

About Boomerang

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards – a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Partners of the Agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.

The agency’s client portfolio contains 10+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.

The post The ongoing TIME TO WIN tournament by Boomerang Partners offers affiliates access to rewards connected with AC Milan. appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania