The United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS), the organization that helps state lotteries protect sports integrity, has teamed up with France’s professional soccer league, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP).
The body has signed a new cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening integrity in France’s top football leagues, including Ligue 1 McDonald’s and Ligue 2 BKT.
It said that the new agreement makes it easier for ULIS and the LFP to share important information, helping them stay ahead of any threats to the integrity of football, like match-fixing or other types of competition manipulation. As part of its role, ULIS said it will also carry out integrity checks on clubs and other key players before each season kicks off, making sure everything’s built on a solid, trustworthy foundation.
The LFP, which runs professional football in France under the guidance of the French Football Federation, states that it has always been focused on creating a fair and well-managed environment for clubs to thrive.
Talking about the new partnership, ULIS President Gilles Maillet said: “This partnership reinforces the collective efforts of ULIS and the LFP to ensure that Ligue 1 McDonald’s and Ligue 2 BKT remain synonymous with fair play and ethical excellence.
“It represents an extra instrument to protect the integrity of French football. ULIS has always been committed to ensure the integrity of French sports and we will continue to do so now with the additional support of the LFP.”
Soccer bodies team up to ‘protect integrity’
On Wednesday (Apr. 9), a similar partnership was announced between the Professional Footballers’ Association of Northern Ireland (PFA NI) and the gambling-blocking app, Gamban.
As part of the deal, Gamban is giving PFA NI members free access to its tech, which blocks gambling websites and apps across all their devices. The goal is to help protect players from the risks of gambling addiction and give them the tools they need to take charge of their mental health and overall well-being.
We’ve partnered with the Professional Footballers’ Association of Northern Ireland (@PFA_NI) to help tackle gambling harm in football. Members now get free access to Gamban, protecting players on and off the pitch.
Learn more: https://t.co/SXO1srfjoy pic.twitter.com/kaK6vJEui2— Gamban (@gambanapp) April 10, 2025
“Gambling addiction is a growing issue in football, which impacts mental health, finances, and a player’s performance on the pitch. It also has the potential to impact sports integrity,” Gambling Partnerships Executive Melissa Etherington said.
“It also has the potential to impact sports integrity. We are delighted to partner with PFA NI to raise awareness of Gamban among those most at risk from harms related to online gambling.”
Featured image: Canva
