The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has confirmed 63 suspicious betting cases across Q1 of 2025, with soccer and tennis events the most susceptible to match-fixing.
Across the first three months of the year, the number of cases reflects a 3% drop compared to the final quarter of 2024, but an 11% jump on the year-on-year figure (57).
The IBIA cited incidents across six different sports in 23 countries and five continents, with the findings already shared with the relevant sports authorities.
With soccer and tennis showing to be the most prominent areas of concern this quarter, they contributed a combined 40 cases to the report.
A further breakdown shows alerts raised in Europe and North America made up just over half (51%) of all the incidents, with the 32 concerns recording a reduced number from the 45 in Q4 2024.
Table tennis was also noted as a continued target for illicit activity, with nine cases raised in Q1. This was a 53% drop compared to the 21 suspicious reports collated in the last quarter.
IBA CEO Khalid Ali commented on the findings: “The first quarter of 2025 was relatively consistent with the previous quarter and the comparable period last year. Football and tennis remain the most reported sports, albeit their combined Q1 2025 number was down 14% on Q4 2024.
“This quarter-on-quarter reduction was primarily due to a fall in tennis alerts, which have shown a welcome reduction in recent years,” he added.
A number of new integrity partnerships
Ali continued, “The Q4 2024 increase in table tennis alerts has not continued into Q1 2025 and has fallen back to previous levels. IBIA has taken increased precautions regarding this sport and agreed a number of new integrity partnerships and protocols in Q1 with the aim of detecting and sanctioning corrupt betting activity.”
The IBIA is responsible for the oversight of more than $300 billion in annual betting turnover generated across the world by more than 80 of its member operators, representing over 140 sportsbook brands.
In related news, darts player Andy Jenkins has been hit with an 11-year ban from all Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) events after being found guilty of match fixing.
Image credit: IBIA
