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

Published

4 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.

AML

BiS Brasília ya tiene definido tema central para el próximo evento

Published

39 minutes ago

May 13, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

bis-brasilia-ya-tiene-definido-tema-central-para-el-proximo-evento

El BiS Brasília ya tiene definido el tema central para la próxima edición y será la gobernanza responsable para el futuro de los juegos y las apuestas en Brasil.

El evento se celebrará los días 2 y 3 de junio en el hotel Royal Tulip Brasília Alvorada.

BiS Brasília está confirmado para los días 2 y 3 de junio, con un enfoque en la gobernanza responsable del futuro del sector de juegos y apuestas en Brasil.

El encuentro reunirá a autoridades, líderes y expertos para debatir las principales novedades del sector.

En su segunda edición, el evento espera un crecimiento del 20% en la asistencia en comparación con el año anterior.

“Llegar a la segunda edición del BiS Brasília representa la consolidación de un espacio esencial para el diálogo entre el sector privado, las autoridades y los especialistas en un momento decisivo para el mercado brasileño.

Brasília es el centro de las grandes discusiones regulatorias del país, y reunir a los principales actores de este ecosistema en la capital federal refuerza el compromiso del evento con la construcción de un entorno cada vez más transparente, responsable y sostenible para la industria”, destacó Alessandro Valente.

Los interesados pueden adquirir sus entradas en: https://brazilianigamingsummit.com/brasilia/

Sobre BiS Brasília

En su segunda edición, BiS Brasília es un encuentro dedicado al ecosistema de iGaming y apuestas, promoviendo el diálogo entre el sector privado, el poder público y la sociedad sobre el desarrollo del mercado regulado de juegos, casinos y loterías en Brasil.

El evento reúne a líderes empresariales, autoridades y expertos para debatir temas estratégicos como regulación brasileña, tributación, integridad, innovación, juego responsable, compliance, AML / prevención de lavado de dinero, licenciamiento, integridad deportiva, relación con el Gobierno, publicidad y CONAR.

BiS SiGMA South America forma parte del portafolio de eventos de SiGMA World, una de las principales plataformas globales de negocios y organización de eventos B2B enfocados en la industria de juegos y apuestas.

The post BiS Brasília ya tiene definido tema central para el próximo evento appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Boomerang Partners

Boomerang Partners reveals first Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 leaders in the race for Wimbledon

Published

2 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

boomerang-partners-reveals-first-golden-boomerang-awards-2026-leaders-in-the-race-for-wimbledon

Boomerang Partners has shared the first leaderboard results from the Kickoff stage of the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026. One month into the tournament’s third season, the first frontrunners have appeared in the race for the stage’s main prize – a trip to the Wimbledon Championships.

The race for Wimbledon starts to take shape

The Kickoff stage has started at a fast pace. After the first month, the leading team has reached 256 points. The rest of the top five currently stand at 218, 156, 142, and 100 points, followed by teams with 93, 62, 30, 26, and 20 points in the top ten.

The early gap is not only about traffic volume. The top teams are also actively using boosts, special tasks, and stage-based opportunities. For the rest of the field, leaving those mechanics unused can quickly turn into lost points.

For now, the top ten are closest to the stage’s main prize – a trip to the Wimbledon Championships, taking place from June 29 to July 12, 2026. But the Kickoff stage runs until June 9, and May leaves enough room for movement. Several major sports events are still ahead, giving active teams more opportunities to earn points before the stage closes.

The Mystery Box draw looks ahead to football summer

Boomerang Partners is also running the first Mystery Box draw during the Kickoff stage of the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026. This mechanic is separate from the leaderboard: five active participants have already been selected at random, with another five to be named by the end of the month. The first Mystery Boxes go to Zitora Agency, AskGamblers & Gentoo Media, alfa:search, Gdc group, and AskBonus.

The Mystery Box is tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026, although Boomerang Partners is not revealing the full contents in advance. For now, the company is only hinting at exclusive football items connected to national teams competing in the tournament.

The next stage of the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 will run during one of the busiest football periods of the year. By then, the Mystery Box will have a direct connection to what many fans will be watching most closely – the FIFA World Cup.

May brings more room to move

May is the busiest part of the Kickoff stage. The month brings the decisive rounds of European football competitions, the NBA and NHL playoffs, Roland Garros, and other events that tend to concentrate audience interest around key match days.

For affiliate teams, this is where planning becomes important. A steady flow of traffic is useful, but the bigger gains are likely to come from choosing the right days to push, completing additional tasks, and using the remaining point-earning opportunities before June 9.

The first month has shown who started strongest. May will show who can keep that pace – and who can use the final stretch to move closer to Wimbledon.

Kristina Shkredova, Affiliate Team Lead at Boomerang Partners, commented: “The first month has shown that teams are treating the Kickoff stage as a real competition, not just a short campaign. The leading positions are already backed by a clear strategy: teams are using boosts, planning around sports peaks, and staying active across different mechanics. But this is exactly why the stage is still open. In May, one well-timed push can change a team’s position quickly, so consistency and timing will matter as much as the current point gap.”

The road to London remains open

The Kickoff stage of the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 continues until June 9. Until then, the leaderboard remains open, with updates on the stage results, the remaining Mystery Box winners, and the race for the main prize in London available on the official Golden Boomerang Awards website.

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 clients’ portfolio contains 10+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide incentive programs and 24/7 multilingual support.

References to Wimbledon, FIFA, and other third-party brands are made for descriptive purposes only. Boomerang Partners is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to these entities in any way.

Boomerang Partners acts as an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. Any experiences related to AC Milan are provided within the scope of this partnership.

The post Boomerang Partners reveals first Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 leaders in the race for Wimbledon appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Alberta

Gaming Corps wins conditional Alberta iGaming supplier licence

Published

2 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

gaming-corps-wins-conditional-alberta-igaming-supplier-licence

Gaming Corps has secured a conditional iGaming supplier licence from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC), clearing the company to manufacture and supply gaming software in the province ahead of Alberta’s regulated market launch on 13 July 2026.

The licence was granted through Gaming Corps’ subsidiary, Gaming Corps Malta Ltd. The company said the approval positions it to enter Alberta’s regulated iGaming market from day one.

Alex Lorimer, COO at Gaming Corps said: “Securing our Alberta licence marks another important step in Gaming Corps’ regulated market expansion strategy. Canada continues to represent a key growth region for us, and we’re excited to bring our expanding portfolio of games and unique mechanics to operators and players in Alberta.”

Alberta is set to become Canada’s second regulated open iGaming market after Ontario, with the AGLC overseeing licensing and compliance requirements for operators and suppliers.

The post Gaming Corps wins conditional Alberta iGaming supplier licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.