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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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N1 Partners at iGB L!VE 2026: Art Collabs with Clym Evernden and Yoomoota, Exclusive Drops and N1 Sport Promo

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N1 Partners team will participate in iGB L!VE 2026 in London, July 1-2. At booth K50, N1 Partners will present exclusive art collaborations with trendy British illustrator Clym Evernden and designer Yoomoota, a new collection of branded merch drop and the N1 Sport Promo opportunities.

N1 Partners exclusive collaborations at iGB L!VE 2026

One of the main events at the N1 Partners booth on July 1 will be an art performance with the participation of Clym Evernden, a BAFTA Award winner known for his collaboration with fashion brands Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Vogue, Diptyque, and Hermes.

Within the framework of iGB L!VE, the artist will create a large-scale artwork in his signature continuous line technique. Guests of the stand will be able to watch the process in real time as well as receive signed postcards and the author’s sketches.

N1 Partners has also prepared an exclusive limited-edition collection with Clym Evernden, which will be included in a select series of gifts for partners.

Another premiere will be a collectible toy created in collaboration with Yoomoota, an art project by artist and designer Taras Yoom, winner of the A’ Design Award and the Good Design Award. His work has been exhibited at PAD London, Art Miami, and the Red Dot Museum and has been featured in Forbes, Hypebeast, Vice, Elle Decor, and Designboom.

Scale sports traffic with N1 Sport Promo

One of the key business topics of the conference will be N1 Sport Promo, which runs from June 10 to July 20.

The promo was created for partners working with sports and Prediction Markets traffic, and is timed to coincide with one of the busiest sports seasons of the year. The FIFA World Cup 2026, UFC, Formula 1, Wimbledon, and other major sporting events open up additional opportunities for scaling campaigns and increasing traffic profitability.

The campaign participants receive additional bonuses for high-quality sports and prediction traffic, which allows them to increase payouts during the period of maximum demand.

N1 Duality: booth concept and activities 

At iGB L!VE 2026, N1 Partners will present a new creative concept, N1 Duality, exploring the intersection of opposites: strategy and intuition, technology and creativity, business and art. It is at this juncture that new ideas, partnerships, and growth opportunities are born.

The concept will be reflected in the new limited-edition merch drop SPLIT: London.

The N1 Partners booth will be a visual continuation of N1 Duality. The space will combine business communication, creative activations, and interactive mechanics, reflecting the idea of finding new opportunities through a combination of different approaches and views.

One of the central mechanics will be the interactive DICE game with the opportunity to win instant prizes and limited gifts from N1 Partners.

N1 Partners shortlisted in iGB Affiliate Awards

During iGB L!VE 2026, the results of the iGB Affiliate Awards will be announced. N1 Partners is represented in two categories at once:

  • Best Affiliate Program;
  • Marketing Campaign of the Year.

Being shortlisted for one of the most prestigious awards in the affiliate industry has become a recognition of the company’s achievements in developing an affiliate program and implementing large-scale marketing projects.

Book a meeting with N1 Partners

Guests of the booth at the conference will be able to learn more about working with more than 14 casino and betting brands of the partner program in 10+ Tier-1 GEO with flexible cooperation models for different types of traffic.

Guests can discuss the following with the N1 Partners team:

  • New opportunities for casino, sports and prediction traffic;
  • Individual terms of cooperation;
  • Product updates;
  • Strategies for scaling and increasing traffic profitability.
  • Current promos and special offers from N1 Partners.

N1 Partners invites existing partners and those interested in cooperation to meet at booth K50 at iGB L!VE 2026.

Contact the team in advance to schedule a convenient meeting time:

If you wish to discuss marketing activities, content projects, media placements or other collaboration formats, N1 Partners’ marketing team will be happy to meet you at iGB L!VE 2026.

  • Tatiana – Head of Brand Marketing (B2B & B2C)
  • Maria – Team Lead of PR, Event, Production
  • Oleksandra – Head of SMM & Content

See you at booth K50 in London.

Start working with N1 Partners — become number one!

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HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor

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HLTV will stage the HLTV Awards presented by 1xBet in Belgrade, Serbia on January 9, 2027, returning to the Sava Center. The company said more than 1,000 players, industry professionals, creators, and fans are expected to attend.

HLTV also confirmed Dust2 creator David Johnston will feature as an award announcer. HLTV linked the booking to the 25th anniversary of Dust2.

For 2026, HLTV is updating its Hall of Fame process and eligibility rules. Four players will be inducted again, with “at least two and up to three” slots reserved for players from the Counter-Strike 1.6 and early eras. HLTV also removed the former “neo rule,” allowing players to be inducted for their playing careers even if they remain active in other roles such as coaching.

HLTV is adding a Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be decided by the Hall of Fame Board. The ceremony will also move Community Awards onto the main stage show for the first time, rather than the pre-show segment.

Separately, HLTV will kick off the 2027 Awards season with an invite-only “HLTV Awards by 1xBet Launch Party x GRID” in Cologne during the Major. HLTV said industry members can apply for an invite to the ceremony via its awards page.

The post HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Benjamin Bradtke Co-Founder of ThrillTech

ThrillTech lands Gibraltar B2B supplier licence

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Approval from HM Government of Gibraltar’s Gambling Division lets the supplier serve Gibraltar-licensed iGaming operators.

ThrillTech has been granted a Gambling Services (B2B) Licence by the Gambling Division of HM Government of Gibraltar, allowing the supplier to provide its opt-in jackpot and mystery reward products to regulated iGaming operators licensed in Gibraltar.

The company said the licence supports its international expansion plans and will enable it to deploy its ThrillPots™ product with additional operators in the jurisdiction, which hosts a number of tier-one betting and gaming brands.

Benjamin Bradtke, Co-Founder of ThrillTech, said: “Securing a B2B licence in Gibraltar is an important step for ThrillTech and a testament to our market-leading jackpots technology. Gibraltar is home to some of the industry’s most prestigious operators. This approval not only accelerates our global expansion strategy but now allows us to provide these major operators with new layers of player engagement which generate incremental revenue.”

ThrillTech said it seeks market-specific licences and certifications because its side-bet jackpots operate independently of operators’ core casino games and betting products. The company added that its jackpots are powered by a proprietary, certified RNG and do not alter core game RTP, with funding coming from opt-in player contributions.

According to ThrillTech, its regulated market licences and certifications also include the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, Malta, Peru, and Brazil.

The post ThrillTech lands Gibraltar B2B supplier licence appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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