Last year saw a “notable” reduction in instances of suspected match-fixing, according to sports betting data specialist Sportradar. However, in North America, there was actually an increase.
In its 2024 Integrity in Action report, Sportradar Integrity Services found that the number of suspicious sporting events identified across the world last year fell 17% from 2023. In total, 1,108 potentially suspicious matches were flagged across 12 sports in 95 countries.
Of those, 43 were in North America, an increase of nearly 23% upon last year’s 35. That’s a fairly small number compared to some regions.
Europe continues to be the region with the most instances, although that continent’s rate fell 34% year over year to 439 suspicious matches. Africa also saw a similar decrease of 36% to 69 matches, while Asia also rose by eight matches, like North America. In South America, the issue appears to be getting worse, with a rise of 27 matches detected.
Operator data more useful than ever
In the report, Sportradar praised betting operators for playing a larger role in helping to uncover suspicious activity in 2024 than in past years.
Account-level betting data contributed to the identification of 55% of the suspicious matches detected, up from 51% in 2023. Sportradar said its Sportradar Integrity Exchange (SIE) helped to confirm 291 suspicious matches using operator-provided data, a record for a single year.
The SIE now works with 117 betting operators, which the company said aided a 88% increase in operator-flagged matches compared to 2023.
Sportradar added that its data, reports and investigative support played a crucial role in helping to bring about 104 sanctions against those
compromising sport integrity, down from 147 last year. Four of those 104 instances came in North America.
Match-fixing still a “persistent issue”
However, Sportradar’s report stressed that despite the overall reduction in the number of suspicious matches detected, “match-fixing remains a persistent issue worldwide.”
“Our investment in innovation combined with data insights into the betting industry and continued education on integrity are at the forefront of keeping pace with the ever-evolving global sports integrity landscape,” said Andreas Krannich, Sportradar’s executive vice president of integrity, rights protection and regulatory services.
“While the notable reduction in suspicious matches in 2024 gives us reason to be optimistic, it also signals the need for continued vigilance and innovation, given that the number remains significant.”
The results were based on Sportradar’s monitoring of over 850,000 matches across 70 sports through its Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS), which uses AI technology and expert analysis.
