Council of Europe Calls for Stronger Sports Integrity

Europe.- 21 July 2026 www.zonadeazar.com The Council of Europe has called for a new phase of international work to strengthen sports integrity following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The organisation raised concerns about the expansion of betting on individual match actions and the growing visibility of prediction markets within sport.

News Details

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset warned that sports betting has moved beyond final results towards individual events such as passes, cards, corners and actions produced by a single player.

This development increases the number of sporting moments that can become betting markets and, according to the organisation, may create additional risks of fraud and manipulation.

The Council of Europe also highlighted the integration of prediction markets into the commercial environment surrounding the World Cup. During the tournament, Gibraltar-licensed platform ADI Predictstreet, built on ADI Chain infrastructure, was present as an official partner.

ADI Predictstreet’s subsequent partnership with Kalshi also gave the US company visibility inside stadiums. The expansion of these businesses has intensified debate around advertising, regulation and the integrity of contracts linked to sporting events.

Industry Context

The Council of Europe already plays an important role in combating sports manipulation through the Macolin Convention, adopted in 2019. The agreement establishes cooperation mechanisms between governments, regulators, sporting bodies and betting operators to prevent match-fixing and protect competitions.

The convention has been adopted by 43 states and is regarded as one of the leading international frameworks for preventing the manipulation of sporting events.

The concerns also reflect the regulatory growth of prediction markets. Gibraltar has licensed ADI Predictstreet and WagerWire and has become the first jurisdiction to introduce a dedicated regulatory regime for the sector.

Statements

Alain Berset described the transformation of sports betting:

“Betting has moved from the result of a match to moments a single player can produce without changing the score.”

Discussing the risks surrounding the sector, he said:

“It is an open door to fraud. And this World Cup has opened the door wider. For the first time, FIFA welcomed a prediction market as an official partner, inside the stadiums themselves.”

Berset called on FIFA to begin a “third half” following the tournament and added:

“We must build the integrity framework of the 2030 World Cup before it is played.”

He also called for stakeholders to:

“Open the third half and begin the urgent work of strengthening the integrity of sport.”

Next Steps or Impact

The Council of Europe is expected to pursue further discussions with FIFA, national authorities and regulatory stakeholders on the risks linked to sports betting and prediction markets.

The objective will be to develop a strengthened framework ahead of the 2030 World Cup that reflects technological change, advertising inside competitions and the emergence of new event-based contracts.

Edited by: @_fonta