Latest News

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.

Backseat Gaming

Hub88 integrates Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming in double supplier deal

Published

34 minutes ago

July 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

hub88-integrates-backseat-gaming-and-clutch-gaming-in-double-supplier-deal

Aggregator adds high-volatility slots including Hades Harvest, Deep Sea Mafia and Radiate to its operator network.

Hub88 has added Backseat Gaming and sister studio Clutch Gaming to its supplier network via a double integration deal, expanding the content available to operators on its aggregation platform.

The integration makes a number of titles available through Hub88, including Hades Harvest, Deep Sea Mafia and Radiate. Hub88 positioned the move as a way to broaden its catalogue with high-volatility content.

Ollie Castleman, Managing Director at Hub88, said: “Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming bring a level of craft and personality that stands out.

“By choosing both complementary studios run by the same team, our partners gain the flexibility to reach different player preferences. With both brands already making a splash in the industry, we’re sure this content will become an unmissable addition to lobbies.”

Debbie Cooper, Head of Commercial Operations at Backseat Gaming, said: “Partnering with Hub88 marks an exciting next step for Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming as we look to expand our reach across the iGaming industry.

“Hub88’s proven aggregation platform and extensive operator portfolio give us the ideal network to get our content in front of new audiences quickly and efficiently. We’re excited to work alongside their team and bring our game content to their partners.”

The studios said they plan to release one game per week from each provider, with both brands managed by the same team and positioned to target different player tastes.

The post Hub88 integrates Backseat Gaming and Clutch Gaming in double supplier deal appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Africa

Mancala Gaming signs QTech distribution deal for emerging markets

Published

34 minutes ago

July 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

mancala-gaming-signs-qtech-distribution-deal-for-emerging-markets

Mancala Gaming has struck a distribution deal with QTech to roll out its slots and crash games to operators across emerging markets, the companies said on 21 July 2026.

Under the agreement, QTech will add Mancala Gaming’s catalogue to its aggregator platform. Mancala said its current portfolio includes more than 80 games, spanning slots and crash titles such as Panther Legacy, Coin Craze: Supercharged, Diego’s Spicy Truck, Cheese Chase, Beer Halla and Muscle Tussle.

Mancala Gaming CCO Emiliano Sanchez said: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with QTech to boost our reach and relevance across emerging markets, seamlessly offering our premium slots and crash content to a range of previously undiscovered operators. We now look forward to elevating our ambitions through the sprawling reach of QTech’s platform, particularly in Africa and LatAm where the crash-gaming genre is in such high demand. Mobile-first consumption and speed are the consequential keys to success in these two continents where players want instant entertainment, short sessions, and quick results, even when mobile connectivity is not optimal.

QTech CEO Philip Doftvik added: “Mancala Gaming’s content brings a level of gameplay and interactive engagement that keeps players coming back for more, improving retention and dwell-time metrics. Their growing gaming suite of slots, instant-win, and crash games is built for rapid deployment across any market. So, we’re confident that our operator partners will soon see strong performance courtesy of some multi-layered gameplay experiences which appeal to both seasoned and casual players.

The companies did not disclose commercial terms or name operator launch partners.

The post Mancala Gaming signs QTech distribution deal for emerging markets appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Avanti

Avanti Studios names former Evolution executive Steven Tabone as Commercial Director

Published

34 minutes ago

July 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

avanti-studios-names-former-evolution-executive-steven-tabone-as-commercial-director

Tabone joins from Evolution, where he served as Head of Region, as Avanti targets new operator and aggregator partnerships.

Avanti Studios has appointed Steven Tabone as Commercial Director, hiring the former Evolution Head of Region to lead its commercial strategy and partnership growth.

Tabone spent two years at Evolution, where he worked on commercial strategy, sales and account management, and supported operator relationships, according to the company. Avanti said his remit will include building operator and aggregator partnerships and developing a scalable go-to-market strategy focused on international expansion.

The supplier also pointed to recent activity in Spain and Brazil, citing partnerships with Entain and Bet365 as it scales operations in those markets.

Steven Tabone, Commercial Director at Avanti, said: “I firmly believe Avanti is the most exciting thing to have happened to the iGaming industry for a very long time, so I’m obviously delighted to be joining as Commercial Director during what is undoubtedly a pivotal period for the company.

“What drew me to Avanti is having the chance to build something genuinely different. The team has a clear vision that will disrupt the industry with its innovation and quality, and as an operator, you can either jump on the train with us or be left standing at the station. Being able to shape that journey from the very beginning is a huge opportunity, and one that I’m really looking forward to.”

The post Avanti Studios names former Evolution executive Steven Tabone as Commercial Director appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.