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Lack of governance of football friendly (non-competitive) matches exploited by match-fixers

Published

4 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.

G Gate Awards

Support N1 Partners at the G Gate Awards 4 Nominations, Power Your Vote

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

support-n1-partners-at-the-g-gate-awards-4-nominations,-power-your-vote

N1 Partners has been nominated for the G Gate Awards 2026 in 4 categories — the company is among the market leaders who are changing the industry in several directions at once: from developing the partnership ecosystem and expanding the product portfolio to introducing new marketing approaches, media formats and working with content, including YouTube.

N1 Partners is actively working to create a base for networking and development within its community, which is why partners can participate in the work and directly influence the success of the affiliate program!

Vote for N1 Partners in the following nominations:

- iGaming-advertiser of the year.
  The company offers some of the best conditions for partners: CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, 14+ brands on 10+ Tier-1 GEO are available and the portfolio is constantly being updated. This creates conditions for growth. By the end of 2025, the average number of FTDs per month increased by 150%!

PR campaign of the year.

N1 Puzzle Promo is one of the biggest promotions of 2025, with the main gift of the Robinson R22 helicopter and coverage in 50+ media! The prize fund was €500,000.

Event of the year.
The team also held a big show event at the end of N1 Puzzle Promo as part of the iGB Affiliate in Barcelona. The industry’s interest is confirmed by the numbers: more than 2,000 registrations; and 600+ confirmed guests gathered at this private event to congratulate the finalists and celebrate the end of the campaign.
YouTube project of the year.
N1 Partners YouTube is a media outlet within the affiliate industry with proprietary formats and a focus on real-world market experience. In the first six months, the channel organically gained more than 4,000 subscribers from the field and 70,000 views on all materials; launched 2 permanent formats; and attracted industry leaders from founders to market experts.

How to vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards?

The first stage of voting will be held from April 15 to May 20, and then the finalists can be supported from May 22 to June 22.

Vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards:

Visit the award website;
Choose N1 Partners in four categories;
Click on the “Cast your votes” button;
Enter your phone number;
Confirm your vote through the incoming call (enter the last 4 digits of the number).

Your vote is very important — thank you for the support!

Why work with N1 Partners:

14+ casino and sportsbook brands with high Reg2Dep
10+ Tier-1 GEOs
CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top partners

Be number one with N1!

The post Support N1 Partners at the G Gate Awards 4 Nominations, Power Your Vote appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

G Gate Awards

Support N1 Partners at the G Gate Awards 4 Nominations, Power Your Vote

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Vote for N1 Partners in the following nominations:

- iGaming-advertiser of the year.
  The company offers some of the best conditions for partners: CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, 14+ brands on 10+ Tier-1 GEO are available and the portfolio is constantly being updated. This creates conditions for growth. By the end of 2025, the average number of FTDs per month increased by 150%!

PR campaign of the year.

N1 Puzzle Promo is one of the biggest promotions of 2025, with the main gift of the Robinson R22 helicopter and coverage in 50+ media! The prize fund was €500,000.

Event of the year.
The team also held a big show event at the end of N1 Puzzle Promo as part of the iGB Affiliate in Barcelona. The industry’s interest is confirmed by the numbers: more than 2,000 registrations; and 600+ confirmed guests gathered at this private event to congratulate the finalists and celebrate the end of the campaign.
YouTube project of the year.
N1 Partners YouTube is a media outlet within the affiliate industry with proprietary formats and a focus on real-world market experience. In the first six months, the channel organically gained more than 4,000 subscribers from the field and 70,000 views on all materials; launched 2 permanent formats; and attracted industry leaders from founders to market experts.

How to vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards?

The first stage of voting will be held from April 15 to May 20, and then the finalists can be supported from May 22 to June 22.

Vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards:

Visit the award website;
Choose N1 Partners in four categories;
Click on the “Cast your votes” button;
Enter your phone number;
Confirm your vote through the incoming call (enter the last 4 digits of the number).

Your vote is very important — thank you for the support!

Why work with N1 Partners:

14+ casino and sportsbook brands with high Reg2Dep
10+ Tier-1 GEOs
CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55% + NNCO for top partners

Be number one with N1!

The post Support N1 Partners at the G Gate Awards 4 Nominations, Power Your Vote appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Latest News

Support N1 Partners at the G Gate Awards 4 Nominations, Power Your Vote

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Master Editor

Vote for N1 Partners in the following nominations:

- iGaming-advertiser of the year.
  The company offers some of the best conditions for partners: CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, 14+ brands on 10+ Tier-1 GEO are available and the portfolio is constantly being updated. This creates conditions for growth. By the end of 2025, the average number of FTDs per month increased by 150%!

PR campaign of the year.

N1 Puzzle Promo is one of the biggest promotions of 2025, with the main gift of the Robinson R22 helicopter and coverage in 50+ media! The prize fund was €500,000.

Event of the year.
The team also held a big show event at the end of N1 Puzzle Promo as part of the iGB Affiliate in Barcelona. The industry’s interest is confirmed by the numbers: more than 2,000 registrations; and 600+ confirmed guests gathered at this private event to congratulate the finalists and celebrate the end of the campaign.
YouTube project of the year.
N1 Partners YouTube is a media outlet within the affiliate industry with proprietary formats and a focus on real-world market experience. In the first six months, the channel organically gained more than 4,000 subscribers from the field and 70,000 views on all materials; launched 2 permanent formats; and attracted industry leaders from founders to market experts.

How to vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards?

The first stage of voting will be held from April 15 to May 20, and then the finalists can be supported from May 22 to June 22.

Vote for N1 Partners at G Gate Awards:

Visit the award website;
Choose N1 Partners in four categories;
Click on the “Cast your votes” button;
Enter your phone number;
Confirm your vote through the incoming call (enter the last 4 digits of the number).

Your vote is very important — thank you for the support!

Why work with N1 Partners: