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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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Relax Gaming Releases its Latest Slot Game “Midnight Marauder – ClusterBreaker”

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Relax Gaming, the unique content provider and aggregator, has released its latest slot game Midnight Marauder – ClusterBreaker, the newest chapter in the popular Midnight Marauder series.

This latest release introduces fresh gameplay centred around a dynamic cluster-based mechanic, combined with high-impact bonus potential. Relax Gaming brings together familiar DNA with a distinctly new experience for both returning fans and new audiences alike.

Midnight Marauder – ClusterBreaker has been produced to engage high value and high volatility players with its “All or Nothing” Free Spins gamble feature, creating moments of heightened anticipation and excitement.

Tony O’Mahony, Chief Product Officer at Relax Gaming, said: “We’ve combined a recognisable brand with a powerful proven mechanic, designed not only to excite players, but to give operators a clear value proposition for their high value players.”

The post Relax Gaming Releases its Latest Slot Game “Midnight Marauder – ClusterBreaker” appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Wazdan schedules three-stage Network Promotion campaign for summer

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The operator-facing series runs 29 June to 13 September and uses Mystery Drop and Mystery Multiplier Drop mechanics.

Wazdan will launch a summer-long Network Promotion series for partner casinos, running from 29th June to 13th September. The campaign is structured in three stages with breaks between each phase.

The promotion will use Wazdan’s Mystery Drop™ and Mystery Multiplier™ Drop mechanics. The supplier said the programme is designed to be easy for operators to activate and will be supported with marketing materials, including promotional assets, brochures and newsletter content for partners to use across their own channels.

Alongside the promotion, Wazdan has a summer content roadmap with three slot releases scheduled: Mighty Hot™: Amazonia (30th June), Magic Fruit$: Cherries (30th July) and Mighty Crown™: Empire of Gold (6th August).

Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wazdan, said: “Summer presents a valuable opportunity for operators to keep engagement levels high, and this promotion has been designed to deliver exactly that through Wazdan’s proven promotional tools.

“Combined with our upcoming game releases, we are excited to offer partners a strong seasonal campaign with plenty of player appeal.”

The post Wazdan schedules three-stage Network Promotion campaign for summer appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative

NCPG Launches Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative

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The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has launched the Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative in order to address potential behavioral risks associated with emerging financial trading platforms and prediction markets.

A donation of $2 million from Kalshi allows NCPG to build national capacity for this initiative in three key areas: building national infrastructure; expanding public awareness and access to support; and advancing research, education and collaboration.

Building National Infrastructure

NCPG will invest in educational resources, industry engagement, dedicated staff, and best-practice development to help ensure that responsible participation and consumer protection efforts evolve in response to emerging financial trading platforms.

This work will also include evaluating NCPG’s existing Internet Compliance Assessment Program (iCAP) for adaptation across the financial services and trading sector. As the nation’s first independent responsible gambling accreditation program for online gambling operators and suppliers, iCAP offers valuable guidance that can inform future responsible participation and consumer protection standards.

Expanding Public Awareness and Access to Support

A significant portion of the initiative will support public education efforts focused on trading-related behavioral risks, screening tools, responsible participation, and increased awareness of available support services, including the National Problem Gambling Helpline.

Advancing Research, Education, and Collaboration

The initiative will support training programs, stakeholder convenings, industry partnerships, and a national summit focused on financial trader health, consumer protections, and emerging financial markets.

The post NCPG Launches Financial Trader Health and Safety Initiative appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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