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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.

b2b partnerships

Dynabit Gaming goes live on BetB2B aggregation platform

Published

2 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

dynabit-gaming-goes-live-on-betb2b-aggregation-platform

The supplier says its cross-platform games are now rolling out to operators connected to BetB2B.

Dynabit Gaming has gone live on BetB2B, with the supplier saying its content is already rolling out to operators connected via the platform.

The announcement positions the integration as a distribution step for Dynabit Gaming’s cross-platform games, extending reach through BetB2B’s operator network.

Vika Prudnyk, Chief Commercial Officer at Dynabit Gaming, said: “We’re really happy to be partnering with BETB2B. They bring great energy, strong expertise, and a platform that fits perfectly with where we want to go next.”

No further commercial or technical details were disclosed, including which operators are first to launch, which titles are included, or timelines for broader rollout.

The post Dynabit Gaming goes live on BetB2B aggregation platform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

affiliate marketing

Hub Affiliations wins iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 campaign prize

Published

3 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

hub-affiliations-wins-igb-affiliate-awards-2026-campaign-prize

Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout takes Programme/Network Campaign of the Year; company also Highly Commended for Best Affiliate Network.

Hub Affiliations has won Programme/Network Campaign of the Year at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 in London, taking the prize for its Creator-Powered Live Streaming Rollout campaign. The company was also Highly Commended in the Best Affiliate Network category.

The iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 ceremony was hosted at The Shard and recognises performance across affiliate marketing and iGaming. Hub Affiliations said the winning campaign combined sports audiences, live streaming, creator distribution, editorial publishing, AI-supported optimisation, affiliate technology and performance marketing.

The company linked the result to the role of Sporticos within its wider media network, positioning it as the distribution and live engagement layer for major sports moments. Hub Affiliations said its media network recorded more than 500,000 visitors in a single day during the FIFA World Cup.

Hub Affiliations also shared internal performance metrics, stating it averages more than 20,000 FTDs per month, works with over 1,600 registered affiliates and reaches audiences in 187 countries. It added it has logged 51 international finalist placements and 12 international awards.

Commenting on the approach, Charles Herisson said: “The strongest affiliate companies will be the ones that can build audiences, not only buy traffic. Our goal with Hub Affiliations is to connect media, technology, creators and performance into one model.” Francesco Maddalena added: “Sporticos and live streaming allow us to reach sports fans when their attention is highest. The challenge is not only generating traffic, but creating a better user journey before conversion.”

The post Hub Affiliations wins iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 campaign prize appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGB L!VE 2026

N1 Partners at iGB L!VE 2026: Bringing Together Affiliates, Art and Innovation

Published

3 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

n1-partners-at-igb-l!ve-2026:-bringing-together-affiliates,-art-and-innovation

N1 Partners team has wrapped up its participation at iGB L!VE London 2026. Over the course of the two-day conference, the company unveiled its new N1 Duality booth concept, presented exclusive art collaborations as part of a capsule collection created with fashion illustrator Clym Evernden, launched the first drop of custom designer toys in collaboration with Yoomoota, and introduced the limited-edition SPLIT: London merch collection.

Special attention was also given to N1 Sport Promo — a campaign for affiliates working with sports traffic and the Prediction Markets vertical.

Over the two days, the conference served as a platform for hundreds of meetings with partners, conversations with industry media, and presentations of new opportunities for scaling affiliate businesses.

N1 Duality: When Art Becomes a Part of Networking

Throughout both days, N1 Partners’ booth remained one of the busiest destinations at iGB L!VE London. N1 Duality concept brought together business networking, contemporary art, and interactive experiences, transforming it into a space for meetings, new connections, and discussions of future collaborations.

The experience centrepiece was a live art performance by British artist Clym Evernden, who has collaborated with global luxury brands including Hermès, Prada, Tiffany, Diptyque, and others. Throughout the exhibition, he created a large-scale artwork directly on the booth walls using his signature continuous-line illustration technique.

Visitors were able to watch the creative process unfold in real time, receive original sketches, signed postcards, and exclusive merchandise from the capsule collection designed specifically for N1 Partners by the artist, including a tote bag, T-shirt, scarf, socks, and scented candles.

Another major premiere was the collaboration with designer and creator Yoomoota, whose works have been exhibited at PAD London, Art Miami, and the Red Dot Museum and featured in Forbes, Hypebeast, Vice, Elle Decor, and Designboom.

Exclusively for the conference, Yoomoota created a collectible designer toy that became part of N1 Partners’ limited-edition gift collection and quickly turned into one of the most talked-about pieces of the brand’s exclusive drop.

And this is only the beginning — new exclusive designer toys created by N1 Partners and Yoomoota are already in development for SBC Summit Lisbon and SiGMA Europe Rome.

The interactive DICES game, branded giveaways, and an atmosphere of open communication made the booth a natural meeting point for affiliates, clients, and industry professionals throughout the event.

iGB L!VE London 2026 Highlights

iGB L!VE London provided an excellent opportunity to reconnect with existing partners, meet new industry professionals, and discuss future cooperation opportunities.

Among the key outcomes of the conference for the N1 Partners team:

Presentation of the N1 Duality concept and the new SPLIT: London merchandise collection;
Exclusive art collaborations with British fashion illustrator Clym Evernden for the capsule collection and designer Yoomoota for the custom collectible toy series;
Presentation of N1 Sport Promo for affiliates working with sports traffic and the Prediction Markets vertical;
300+ meetings with existing and prospective partners;
10+ interviews and media productions with leading industry publications;
More than 2,400 pieces of exclusive merchandise and branded gifts distributed by N1 Partners.

“iGB L!VE London 2026 has been one of the most exciting and productive exhibitions of the year for us. We held dozens of meetings with partners, explored new opportunities for business growth, and received an outstanding response to N1 Sport Promo.

I’d also like to highlight our creative collaborations with designers Clym Evernden, who developed our exclusive capsule collection, and Yoomoota, who created our custom collectible toys. Together, we succeeded in bringing affiliate business, art, and creativity into one shared experience.

We’re grateful to all our partners for the productive meetings we had during this event in London. Face-to-face communication is what lays the foundation for new projects, stronger partnerships, and long-term growth,” said Alexa Bond, Head of Affiliates at N1 Partners.