UK authorities have warned that match-fixing is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with criminal networks expanding their methods across multiple sports while the rapid growth of prediction markets is adding fresh regulatory challenges.
The warning came during a recent House of Lords International Agreements Committee session examining the UK’s approach to sports integrity and its potential ratification of the Macolin Convention, the international treaty aimed at combating the manipulation of sporting competitions. The discussion highlighted growing concerns that betting-related corruption is becoming harder to detect as organised crime adopts more advanced tactics.
Former professional footballer Moses Swaibu, who served a prison sentence for match-fixing before becoming an integrity campaigner, told lawmakers that the problem has expanded well beyond football. He argued that organised criminal groups are increasingly targeting sports with lower player earnings and weaker oversight, making athletes more susceptible to corruption. According to Swaibu, sports such as chess and darts have also become vulnerable to manipulation schemes.
During the hearing, UK officials stressed that betting corruption no longer revolves solely around match outcomes. Criminals are increasingly exploiting highly specific betting opportunities, including spot-betting markets that focus on individual events within a match rather than the final result. This shift has made suspicious activity more difficult to identify and investigate.
The emergence of prediction markets also attracted attention during the committee’s discussions. While these products have grown rapidly in the United States, UK regulators have previously indicated that any commercial prediction market meeting the legal definition of gambling would fall under the country’s gambling laws and require appropriate licensing and regulatory oversight.
The UK Gambling Commission continues to monitor betting integrity through its Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU), which works alongside betting operators, sports governing bodies, law enforcement agencies and international partners. The unit gathers intelligence on suspicious betting activity and coordinates investigations where potential corruption is identified.
Officials also highlighted the importance of stronger international cooperation, noting that betting-related corruption often crosses national borders. Supporters of the Macolin Convention argue that wider adoption of the treaty would improve intelligence sharing and strengthen coordinated action against organised criminal groups seeking to exploit global betting markets.
While authorities said the UK maintains a robust betting integrity framework, they warned that the combination of increasingly complex betting products, technological advances and transnational criminal activity means regulators must continue adapting their approach to protect both sport and consumers.