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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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EPIC Global Solutions names Chetan Pandya as Managing Director

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Former DAZN executive joins as the safer gambling consultancy scales internationally from Manchester.

EPIC Global Solutions has appointed Chetan Pandya as Managing Director, the company said on 5 May 2026. The Manchester-based gambling-harm prevention consultancy said the hire is part of its next phase of international growth.

Pandya joins from DAZN, where he held senior leadership roles. EPIC said the appointment is intended to help scale operations and expand its role with organisations in “high-risk sectors,” including sport, gambling, and education.

Chetan Pandya, Managing Director at EPIC Global Solutions, said: “EPIC operates in a space that is becoming increasingly critical to the future of global sport and gambling. The opportunity to help shape how organisations approach prevention, responsibility, and long-term sustainability at scale is incredibly compelling. I’m excited to be joining at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey.”

Paul Buck, CEO of EPIC Global Solutions, added: “This is a significant moment for EPIC. Chetan brings the experience, leadership, and global perspective we need as we continue to grow and evolve. Our ambition is clear – to be the trusted partner to the world’s leading organisations in player protection, and this appointment strengthens our ability to deliver on that.”

EPIC said it is expanding its presence in North America and internationally, alongside the development of scalable and digitally-enabled solutions to support organisations across multiple markets.

The post EPIC Global Solutions names Chetan Pandya as Managing Director appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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EPIC Global Solutions names Chetan Pandya as Managing Director

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epic-global-solutions-names-chetan-pandya-as-managing-director

Manchester-based gambling-harm prevention consultancy says the hire supports expansion in North America and other markets.

EPIC Global Solutions has appointed Chetan Pandya as Managing Director, the Manchester-based gambling-harm prevention consultancy said on 5 May 2026.

Pandya joins from DAZN, where he held senior leadership roles. EPIC said the appointment is intended to support its next phase of international growth and to scale its operations as regulatory scrutiny increases and operators expand into new markets.

“EPIC operates in a space that is becoming increasingly critical to the future of global sport and gambling. The opportunity to help shape how organisations approach prevention, responsibility, and long-term sustainability at scale is incredibly compelling. I’m excited to be joining at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey,” Pandya said.

CEO Paul Buck said the hire strengthens EPIC’s leadership as it expands its presence in North America and develops “scalable and digitally-enabled solutions” to support partners across multiple jurisdictions. “This is a significant moment for EPIC. Chetan brings the experience, leadership, and global perspective we need as we continue to grow and evolve. Our ambition is clear – to be the trusted partner to the world’s leading organisations in player protection, and this appointment strengthens our ability to deliver on that,” Buck added.

 

The post EPIC Global Solutions names Chetan Pandya as Managing Director appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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StreamRollers names Top 100 casino influencers after Las Vegas awards gala

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Inaugural StreamRollers Top 100 Casino Influencer Awards were held May 2 at SAHARA Las Vegas and livestreamed globally.

StreamRollers has announced its Top 100 Casino Influencers of 2026 following the inaugural StreamRollers Top 100 Casino Influencer Awards, held May 2 at SAHARA Las Vegas in Nevada. The company said the event brought together casino content creators, gaming executives and media for a formal gala.

Former Nevada State Attorney General George Chanos presented the awards. “Nevada continues to lead in gaming and innovation,” said Chanos. “This new wave of creators represents the next evolution of how audiences engage with Las Vegas and gambling entertainment.”

StreamRollers listed its top 10 ranked influencers as:

  • Raja Richter (The Big Jackpot),
  • Vegas Matt,
  • Lady Luck HQ,
  • Brian Christopher Slots,
  • NG Slot,
  • D Lucky Experience,
  • Mr. Hand Pay,
  • Pompsie,
  • Xposed
  • and PokerMetarb.

The company said the full Top 100 list has been published on its Instagram account.

The company positioned the awards as a marker of the growing creator economy around casino content, which it said spans platforms including YouTube, Twitch and Instagram. StreamRollers said the awards event was livestreamed via StreamRollers.com and noted its platform is currently in beta with an official launch planned.

David Wang, Founder of StreamRollers, commented: “Casino influencers aren’t just playing games—they’re redefining how millions experience Las Vegas and gambling entertainment from their screens. This event is about recognizing the creators leading that transformation.”

The post StreamRollers names Top 100 casino influencers after Las Vegas awards gala appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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