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.
Powered by WPeMatico
1spin4win
1spin4win partners with Alea to extend its classic portfolio reach
1spin4win, an established classic online slot provider, teams up with Alea, an award-winning casino game aggregator.
With this deal, 1spin4win is further cementing its reputation as a recognized iGaming studio and expanding its client network, which now features over 1,000 global partnerships.
The collaboration also marks another important step for the provider in strengthening its international presence. As a result of the agreement, 1spin4win’s classic portfolio of over 190 online slots will be added to Alea’s extensive library of more than 17,000 titles.
Players worldwide will be able to enjoy both existing hits and a steady stream of fresh releases, as the provider regularly launches four to five new titles each month. These include classic fruit hits, thrilling adventures, no-line slots, and a vast lineup of seasonal games tied to various international holidays, including Saint Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Christmas, to name a few.
The studio’s newly formed partner, Alea, is an acknowledged game aggregator that bridges the gap between providers and online casinos. With its single API integration, operators gain access to thousands of titles from over 250 global content studios without additional technical work.
Jaime Carvajal, Business Development Manager at 1spin4win, commented, “Collaborations like this are key to our long-term global growth strategy. Alea has built a strong platform connecting studios and operators, and we’re excited to see our games reach new audiences through this partnership.”
“1spin4win has built a solid reputation for delivering classic slot experiences backed by strong mathematics and transparent mechanics,” says Eduard Verdaguer, Partnerships Manager at Alea. “Welcoming their portfolio to our platform gives our operators access to a distinctive style of content that continues to resonate with players across multiple markets.”
About 1spin4win
1spin4win is a trusted game provider founded in May 2021 by ambitious developers with over 15 years of experience in the gambling industry. Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include over 190 classic online slots, all characterized by quality mathematics, transparent mechanics, and well-balanced gameplay — key factors that drive strong player retention. The studio aims to release an average of four new games each month in 2026 and offers effective promotional tools for casino operators to help them enhance player loyalty.
The post 1spin4win partners with Alea to extend its classic portfolio reach appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
1spin4win
1spin4win partners with Alea to extend its classic portfolio reach
1spin4win, an established classic online slot provider, teams up with Alea, an award-winning casino game aggregator.
With this deal, 1spin4win is further cementing its reputation as a recognized iGaming studio and expanding its client network, which now features over 1,000 global partnerships.
The collaboration also marks another important step for the provider in strengthening its international presence. As a result of the agreement, 1spin4win’s classic portfolio of over 190 online slots will be added to Alea’s extensive library of more than 17,000 titles.
Players worldwide will be able to enjoy both existing hits and a steady stream of fresh releases, as the provider regularly launches four to five new titles each month. These include classic fruit hits, thrilling adventures, no-line slots, and a vast lineup of seasonal games tied to various international holidays, including Saint Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Oktoberfest, Halloween, and Christmas, to name a few.
The studio’s newly formed partner, Alea, is an acknowledged game aggregator that bridges the gap between providers and online casinos. With its single API integration, operators gain access to thousands of titles from over 250 global content studios without additional technical work.
Jaime Carvajal, Business Development Manager at 1spin4win, commented, “Collaborations like this are key to our long-term global growth strategy. Alea has built a strong platform connecting studios and operators, and we’re excited to see our games reach new audiences through this partnership.”
“1spin4win has built a solid reputation for delivering classic slot experiences backed by strong mathematics and transparent mechanics,” says Eduard Verdaguer, Partnerships Manager at Alea. “Welcoming their portfolio to our platform gives our operators access to a distinctive style of content that continues to resonate with players across multiple markets.”
About 1spin4win
1spin4win is a trusted game provider founded in May 2021 by ambitious developers with over 15 years of experience in the gambling industry. Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include over 190 classic online slots, all characterized by quality mathematics, transparent mechanics, and well-balanced gameplay — key factors that drive strong player retention. The studio aims to release an average of four new games each month in 2026 and offers effective promotional tools for casino operators to help them enhance player loyalty.
The post 1spin4win partners with Alea to extend its classic portfolio reach appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Blockchain
SCCG Management Partners with Coinspaid to Support the Expansion of Blockchain Payment Infrastructure for Gaming Businesses
SCCG Management, a global advisory firm serving the gaming industry, has entered into a strategic partnership with Coinspaid Solutions, a blockchain payments infrastructure provider, to support go-to-market efforts for crypto-enabled payment solutions across selected gaming markets.
Under the partnership, SCCG will support Coinspaid’s business development, strategic introductions and commercial expansion across gaming operators, platforms and technology providers. SCCG states that it works across iGaming, sports betting, tribal gaming and broader gaming technology, drawing on more than 30 years of industry experience.
Coinspaid’s infrastructure enables businesses to accept more than 20 stablecoins & other cryptocurrencies, automate conversion into 40+ fiat currencies, and manage payouts and treasury operations through a single infrastructure layer with API and plugin-based integrations. The company also states that it builds compliance into onboarding and payment flows, including AML/KYC/KYB controls, on-chain monitoring, MLRO oversight, ISO/IEC 27001 certification and independent audits.
The partnership will focus on helping licensed gaming businesses evaluate where crypto payments can improve settlement speed, expand payment optionality for cross-border audiences, and streamline payout workflows, subject to jurisdictional review, onboarding and applicable regulatory requirements in each market. Coinspaid also highlights rate lock at checkout, automatic fiat conversion and final settlement on eligible crypto payment flows.
“As gaming businesses continue to expand across markets, the demand for payment infrastructure that is both commercially effective and operationally resilient is only increasing,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management. “Coinspaid Solutions brings together payments, payouts and compliance in a way that aligns with how many operators are thinking about growth today. We are pleased to support their expansion through our network across gaming and gaming technology.”
“At Coinspaid, we see sustainable growth in gaming as a combination of product capability, operational reliability and a compliance-first approach,” said Max Krupyshev, Co-founder of Coinspaid. “Our partnership with SCCG is designed to help businesses assess where stablecoin payments can add real value from player deposits and payouts to treasury operations, while keeping regulatory and risk considerations central to implementation.”
The partnership will also include coordinated business development and educational initiatives, including executive introductions, and educational content for operators and technology partners exploring blockchain payment infrastructure.
The post SCCG Management Partners with Coinspaid to Support the Expansion of Blockchain Payment Infrastructure for Gaming Businesses appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
-
AdmiralBet7 days agoSYNOT Games Announces Strategic Partnership with Admiralbet
-
B2B gaming providers6 days agoExpanse Studios Partners with Stake to Expand Global iGaming Distribution
-
Anthony Dalla-Giacoma Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt7 days agoLucky Jimmy’s Pots & Pearls — A Swintt Clover Quest
-
Acquisitions/Merger7 days agoBetsson to Acquire Rhino Entertainment Group’s B2C Business in Canada
-
Curacao6 days agoNovatech Unregisters In Curacao Amid European Heat
-
Cod of Thunder Dream Drop4 days agoPrime Casino Rolls Out Exclusive Slot Developed by Relax Gaming
-
Africa4 days agoEGT Digital Announces New Partnership with Sunbet
-
Canada6 days agoFewer Canadians gamble than 20 years ago. So why is Canada’s market still growing?



