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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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Activity Report 2024/25

Discover how EPIC is shaping the future of safer gambling – our 2024/25 Activity Report

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EPIC Global Solutions has published its first Activity Report 2024/25, a comprehensive review demonstrating how the organisation has advanced safer gambling outcomes across the gambling, sport, education, and high-risk sectors over the past year.

The report captures a pivotal period of growth and global impact for EPIC, with partnerships spanning operators, regulators, professional sports leagues, colleges and universities, and emerging international markets. It charts measurable progress achieved between 2024–2025, alongside insights from more than a decade of EPIC’s leadership in gambling harm prevention.

Speaking on the launch, Paul Buck, CEO and founder of EPIC Global Solutions, said: “Our purpose is clear: to make gambling safer and more sustainable for everyone. This report reflects the tangible progress made alongside our partners over the past year – expanding prevention initiatives, strengthening regulatory alignment, and equipping organisations to protect their players, customers, and communities more effectively.”

Key highlights from the 2024/25 Activity Report include:

  • Expansion of EPIC’s education and prevention programmes across Europe, North America, and newly regulated markets including Brazil and the UAE.
  • Demonstrable increases in awareness and intervention confidence among athletes, students, and industry employees, with multiple programmes achieving above 90% satisfaction and confidence ratings.
  • Continued collaboration with leading global operators, with 18 operators engaging EPIC’s consultancy and training services during 2024–2025.
  • Pioneering research into gambling-related vulnerability in elite women’s sport and the continued development of digital learning tools, including the Know Your Play portal for US college students, developed for ROGA.
  • Growth of lived-experience-led training delivery across sports and entertainment organisations, supporting cultural change and enhancing organisational compliance frameworks.

Driving safer gambling through partnership

The report also showcases testimonials from global partners across gambling, sport, and entertainment, reflecting EPIC’s role in strengthening organisational culture, supporting compliance, and helping teams navigate sensitive customer and player welfare issues.

Looking ahead

As regulators worldwide continue to reshape gambling policy and as technology accelerates player engagement, EPIC’s 2024/25 Activity Report outlines the organisation’s next phase of innovation – including digital learning expansion, new research collaborations, and enhanced global delivery models.

“We are entering a defining moment for safer gambling worldwide,” Buck added.

“This report not only celebrates what has been achieved, but sets out how EPIC will continue supporting organisations to lead responsibly and sustainably in a fast-changing environment.”

The post Discover how EPIC is shaping the future of safer gambling – our 2024/25 Activity Report appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Regulator imposes NOK 25 million fine after Norsk Tipping names 52 incorrect winners

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An error in the super draw on April 19th led to 52 incorrect winners of million-dollar prizes. In September, the Norwegian Lottery Authority announced a fine of up to 25 million, and the fine has now been approved.  

– Players should be able to trust that Norsk Tipping’s draws are correct. This is absolutely fundamental, and therefore this is a serious matter, says Tore Bell, department director at the Norwegian Lottery Authority.  

A technical error caused players who submitted bets at cooperative banks around Christmas and New Year to be deleted, and thus not included in the draw on April 19. This meant that the draw was not carried out with the correct drawing basis, and 52 incorrect winners of million-dollar prizes were drawn.  

In September, the Norwegian Lottery Authority announced a criminal fine of 25 million for the error , and now the fine has been approved.

Norsk Tipping has refunded the bets of the players who were not included in the draw.

The Norwegian Lottery Authority received insurance

The error in the Superdraw on April 19th occurred after several other errors had been discovered.

– It is grossly negligent that Norsk Tipping did not check that all the players who had submitted bets were included in the draw, when they knew that there had been serious errors in the draw basis over a long period of time, says Bell. 

The Norwegian Lottery Authority considered stopping the draw on April 19th, due to suspicions that there might be several errors affecting the draw. However, Norsk Tipping assured that the draw would proceed smoothly.  

– We can stop the game if it is not carried out correctly. We considered that in this case, but we received several guarantees that the draw would go smoothly. Then it is unacceptable that there was still an error in the draw.  

A few days after the draw, Norsk Tipping reported that the super draw had been carried out with the correct drawing basis and correct winning odds.  

Over 100 million in total fees

The fee the Norwegian Lottery Authority has imposed on Norsk Tipping is the fifth in just over a year, and Norsk Tipping has received over 100 million in fees.  

  • Last year, a player was mistakenly paid NOK 25 million from the casino game KongKasino. The Norwegian Lottery Authority imposed a fine of NOK 4.5 million. The Lottery Board reduced the fine to NOK 2.5 million after a complaint from Norsk Tipping. 
  • Players on iPhone/iPad were not allowed to log out of Norsk Tipping’s games for four months last year. This was not discovered until a player reported it. The Norwegian Lottery Authority imposed a fine of NOK 36 million for the violation.
  • Serious drawing errors in the Norwegian million-dollar prize in Eurojackpot and the super draw in Lotto have led to players in cooperatives, cooperative banks and gambling clubs having a greater chance of winning over several years. The error has led to there being the wrong winner in every single draw for several years. The Norwegian Lottery Authority has imposed a fine of NOK 46 million for the violation. 
  • In June, several thousand players were notified of excessive prizes. The Norwegian Lottery Authority imposed a fine of NOK 10 million for the violation .  

The Norwegian Lottery Authority is currently conducting a major inspection of Lotto, Eurojackpot and Vikinglotto.

 

Source: lottstift.no

The post Regulator imposes NOK 25 million fine after Norsk Tipping names 52 incorrect winners appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BetBlocker

BetBlocker Layers Harm Minimisation Support Internationally with New Signposting Feature

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As part of Safer Gambling Week, harm prevention charity BetBlocker today announces the launch of its improved app dashboard.

BetBlocker, which provides blocking software to help people manage or restrict their access to online gambling services, is unique in adopting a charitable model for this type of support, and facilitating users accessing protection both free of charge and anonymously.

The improved dashboard will include signposting for other types of support – a national gambling support phone number, a national gambling self-exclusion register, and a national information resource – for almost 50 countries.

BetBlocker’s Founder and Managing Trustee, Duncan Garvie made the following comments on this upgrade:

“Blocking software is a fantastic tool to support harm minimisation efforts. But it is just one tool, not a complete solution in its own right. Far more significant reductions in harm can be achieved where different types of support are used in conjunction with each other.

The UK has previously led the way in this area with the TalkBanStop campaign. We want to roll out a similar approach to the layering of support in as many countries as possible. So BetBlocker is looking to lead by example, signposting relevant support for our hundreds of thousands of users, wherever appropriate and relevant services exist.”

The new dashboard will also include information on academic research that BetBlocker users can participate in and support. Garvie added:

“The stigma associated with gambling harm can make engaging participants to support crucial research challenging. BetBlocker’s users are exactly the kind of audience that can help researchers better understand how to most effectively reduce harm. BetBlocker is looking to support academic research teams to reach the type of participants that help them expand our understanding of how people interact with gambling.”

The post BetBlocker Layers Harm Minimisation Support Internationally with New Signposting Feature appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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