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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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Sportradar Report | World Cup 2026: Opportunities for the Latin American Sports Betting Market

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With the World Cup set to be the largest edition of the tournament to date, Sportradar has published a new report exploring the opportunities and challenges facing sports betting operators across Latin America.

The report examines how sportsbooks can capitalize on the surge in betting activity expected during the tournament and convert it into long-term customer growth.

Key topics include:

  • The impact of 104 matches across 39 days on betting activity
  • The rise of a new bettor profile seeking personalized and interactive experiences
  • The three pillars of sportsbook success: enhancing the betting experience, fueling fan engagement, and safeguarding market integrity
  • The role of AI in delivering personalized experiences and real-time engagement

Among the report’s findings:

  • An estimated US$50 billion in betting handle globally
  • 60% of consumers plan to bet online or via mobile apps
  • 19% are expected to place their first-ever sports bet during the tournament

We hope you find these insights valuable for soccer’s biggest event.

The report is available here: 

For your reference, here’s the link to our LinkedIn post: linkedin.com/posts/sportradar_sportradarsoccer

The post Sportradar Report | World Cup 2026: Opportunities for the Latin American Sports Betting Market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Gmonitor.ai

Gmonitor llega a Latinoamérica: la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para operadores debuta en seis mercados regulados

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Gmonitor amplía su cobertura a Brasil, México, Colombia, Panamá, Perú y Argentina tras su participación en SBC Summit Americas

Gmonitor.ai, la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para el sector del juego online, anuncia su lanzamiento oficial en los mercados regulados de Latinoamérica. La compañía pone a disposición de los operadores su plataforma en Brasil, México, Colombia, Panamá, Perú y Argentina, llevando a la región la misma inteligencia diaria de mercado, juegos, promociones y competencia que ya utilizan operadores de primer nivel en Europa.

El anuncio se produce tras la participación de Gmonitor en SBC Summit Americas, celebrada en Fort Lauderdale entre el 9 y el 11 de junio, donde la compañía presentó su plataforma a operadores, proveedores y reguladores de toda la región y confirmó el fuerte interés del mercado por herramientas de inteligencia competitiva accionables.

Gmonitor monitoriza a diario los lobbies de los operadores con licencia, sigue la posición y el rendimiento de cada juego, mapea el panorama promocional y consolida datos de mercado en un único panel. El resultado permite a los equipos de marketing, marca, producto, trading y contenido sustituir miles de horas de seguimiento manual por información lista para la toma de decisiones: qué juegos crecen, cómo se mueven los competidores y dónde están las oportunidades de captación y retención.

Latinoamérica es una de las regiones de mayor crecimiento del juego regulado del mundo, pero los operadores siguen tomando decisiones con una visibilidad limitada de lo que ocurre a su alrededor. Llevamos a la región una plataforma ya probada con operadores líderes en Europa.” Hákon Magnússon, COO de Gmonitor

Con cobertura inicial en seis mercados, Gmonitor da servicio tanto a operadores que buscan defender y ganar cuota como a proveedores de juegos que necesitan entender su distribución y posicionamiento frente a la competencia. La compañía tiene previsto seguir ampliando su cobertura a Estados Unidos en las próximas semanas.

 

The post Gmonitor llega a Latinoamérica: la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para operadores debuta en seis mercados regulados appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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André Boesing General Manager for South LatAm at OKTO PAYMENTS

OKTO says Argentina’s provincial rules complicate iGaming payments and operations

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The payments provider points to fragmented licensing and local requirements as operators expand across Argentine jurisdictions in 2026.

OKTO PAYMENTS said the rapid expansion of iGaming across Argentina’s provinces is increasing operational complexity for operators, as each jurisdiction brings distinct regulatory requirements, licensing processes and local commercial dynamics. The company shared its view in a June 2026 statement focused on the country’s multi-jurisdiction framework.

Unlike other Latin American markets with a single national model, Argentina’s provincial approach forces operators to adapt to multiple regulatory environments within one country, OKTO said. The company argued that as the market matures, expectations around transparency, traceability and operational control are also rising.

For years, growth was the industry’s primary objective. Today, the challenge lies in how to scale efficiently in a market where each jurisdiction may present different requirements, expectations, and operational dynamics,” said André Boesing, General Manager for South LatAm at OKTO PAYMENTS.

Boesing added that consumer expectations for consistent user experience can mask the complexity behind the scenes. “Users expect a simple and seamless experience regardless of where they play. But behind that experience lies increasing operational complexity that operators must manage efficiently as they expand into different jurisdictions,” he added.

OKTO said capabilities such as orchestrating deposits and withdrawals, treasury and liquidity management, and efficient settlement processes are becoming more important as operators work with multiple providers and payment methods across provinces. “In many cases, infrastructure goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. However, in highly fragmented markets like Argentina, the ability to manage multiple providers, maintain operational consistency, and adapt quickly to local requirements can become a competitive advantage in itself. At OKTO PAYMENTS, we call this ‘playing a different game’: competing not only through products and services, but also through operational resilience and adaptability,” he explained.

The company concluded that long-term success in Argentina will depend on balancing growth with operational control and adaptability. “The operators best positioned for long-term success will be those capable of combining growth, operational control, and adaptability. Financial infrastructure is no longer simply a technological support layer; it is becoming a strategic advantage in increasingly sophisticated markets,” Boesing concluded.

 

The post OKTO says Argentina’s provincial rules complicate iGaming payments and operations appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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