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

Published

5 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.

Baltics

Endorphina Confirms Spelet.lv Partnership

Published

36 minutes ago

June 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

endorphina-confirms-spelet.lv-partnership

Endorphina has announced that its new partnership with Spelet.lv, successfully completes the company’s expansion across the Latvian market.

This milestone now confirms Endorphina as officially live with all key partners in the region.

Ticking the final box with Spelet.lv represents a major strategic achievement, reinforcing Endorphina’s strong presence in Latvia and highlighting its commitment to delivering high-quality gaming content across regulated markets.

“We’re very proud to partner with Spelet.lv, especially as it represents the final step in completing our presence in Latvia. Being live across all key partners in the market is a significant achievement for us, and it reflects the strong relationships we’ve built in the region. We’re excited to continue growing and delivering great results together,” said Inga Kadyrova, Partnership Manager at Endorphina.

The new partners also fully endorsed the collaboration.

“At Spelet, we build our ecosystem around quality, trust, and strong content, working only with partners who set the standards of the industry rather than follow them. Our partnership with Endorphina represents a strategic enhancement of our portfolio and another step towards a product where every game combines distinctive design, well-crafted mathematics, and a high level of execution. Strong partners create strong products,” said Milena Konstantinova, Head of Casino at Spelet.lv.

By focusing on comprehensive online leisure entertainment, modern new casino games and sports betting, Spelet.lv has already established itself as a serious player and a significant competitor to other Latvian online casinos, with the brand now able to add exceptional Endorphina games like 3 Witch Pots, Hell Hot 100 and Joker Stoker to their offering.

With this partnership, Endorphina completely strengthens its position in Latvia, setting a solid foundation for future growth while continuing to provide engaging and innovative gaming experiences to players across the market.

The post Endorphina Confirms Spelet.lv Partnership appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

EGT wins SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 for Best Land-Based Game Feature

Published

36 minutes ago

June 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

egt-wins-sigma-asia-awards-2026-for-best-land-based-game-feature

EGT has won the Best Land-Based Game Feature category at the SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 for the second consecutive year. The award was presented at a ceremony on 01 June, with EGT recognized for its multi-level progressive jackpot Sheng Sheng Bu Xi.

According to the company, Sheng Sheng Bu Xi is part of its Asian-themed products portfolio and is available in two titles: Bonus Boom and Bonus Craze. EGT said the feature runs across four jackpot levels with bonus mechanics including free spins and multipliers.

EGT said the feature is powered by its Exciter IV platform and is compatible with its Supreme, General and Phoenix Series slot cabinets. The company added that Sheng Sheng Bu Xi is deployed in “numerous gaming establishments globally.”

Mariana Manchina, Director of EGT Philippines Corp., said: “It is an honor to us to be acknowledged by the SiGMA Asia Awards again. Following the success of Zhao Cai Shuang Yu last year, the prize for Sheng Sheng Bu Xi is eloquent proof that our Asian-themed products are widely accepted by players, operators, and the professional gaming community as a whole. I would like to thank our customers, partners and friends for their continuous support and recognition, as well as our team, without whose creativity, talent and passion for innovation we would not have been able to have these remarkable achievements.”

The post EGT wins SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 for Best Land-Based Game Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Balkans

Expanse Studios Signs Content Distribution Agreement with MaxBet

Published

36 minutes ago

June 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

expanse-studios-signs-content-distribution-agreement-with-maxbet

Meridian Holdings Inc. announced that the Company’s subsidiary, Expanse Studios, a leading B2B iGaming content provider, has signed a strategic distribution agreement with MaxBet, one of Serbia’s leading omni-channel gaming operators and a subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment. The agreement will enable Expanse to further expand the reach of its proprietary gaming portfolio across the Serbian market

By integrating with MaxBet’s established infrastructure, Expanse Studios gains expanded distribution through one of the region’s dominant operators. The partnership is already in full effect, with Expanse Studios’ suite of titles currently live and accessible to players.

“This agreement offers Expanse and Meridian direct access to Flutter’s increased global scale and capitalizes on the rising demand for our localized, high-performing content. With this collaboration, our focus remains on driving B2B growth through quality distribution and scalable partnerships with market-leading operators in regulated territories,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios.

According to Statista, Serbia’s online gambling revenue is projected to grow to $186 million by 2029. MaxBet maintains an estimated 15-20% online market share in the country, making the firm a strong parter for potential increased revenue generation in one of Southeast Europe’s most dynamic regulated markets.

With more than 1500 B2B operator partnerships globally and a portfolio of over 70 proprietary titles, Expanse continues building distribution infrastructure in regulated markets where licensed operators require certified, compliant gaming content from established providers.

The post Expanse Studios Signs Content Distribution Agreement with MaxBet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.