What is Match-Fixing?

Match-fixing (also referred to as “competition manipulation”) refers to the intentional manipulation of the outcome or specific elements of a sports contest, such as a player’s performance or in-game statistics, for betting or bribery. This conduct can occur in several forms:

• Match-level fixing: Deliberately influencing the outcome of a game or contest against the rules of sport (i.e., a team intentionally loses a game)
• Spot-fixing: Manipulating a specific part or moment of a game, often tied to a prop bet, without affecting the overall result (i.e., a baseball pitcher deliberately throwing a walk during a specific inning at a prearranged time)
• Proposition (“Prop”) Bet: A wager on a specific event or statistic within a game rather than the final outcome (i.e., betting on whether a basketball team will score more or less than 100 points in a game)
• Insider information misuse: leaking non-public data, such as injuries, lineups, or tactical plans, to create asymmetric betting opportunities for individuals who possess this information.

Match-fixing undermines the integrity of sport, breaking public trust and threatening fan engagement

Is Match-Fixing Illegal?

Yes. Match-fixing is illegal under sports regulations and, in many jurisdictions, it is also a criminal offence. The legality of match-fixing varies by jurisdiction, but the conduct is widely recognized as both a breach of sports regulations and a criminal offence.

Canada does not have a dedicated “match-fixing” offence in its Criminal Code. However, individuals involved in match-fixing schemes can face consequences through other existing offences. These may include:

• Fraud (s.380): Anyone who uses “deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means” is guilty of an offence.
• Secret commissions (s.426): Applies when an agent (i.e., player or official) accepts rewards to act against a principal’s (i.e., club or league) interests.
• Bribery of public officials (s.119): Applies in rare instances where public officers are paid to manipulate sports outcomes.
• Organized crime (s.467): If the match-fixing involves a criminal network (i.e., illegal gambling syndicates), these sections target participation in or contribution to the activities of a criminal organization.

Enforcement and Monitoring

Despite the lack of a specific anti-match-fixing law in Canada, provincial regulators have attempted to put measures in place to prevent match-fixing.

In Ontario:

• The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) require licensed operators to contract with independent integrity monitors, report suspicious activity, and cooperate with law enforcement.
• The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Investigation & Enforcement Bureau is embedded within the AGCO, enabling coordinated investigations alongside regulatory oversight. However, experts argue that the absence of a dedicated match-fixing statute leaves enforcement inconsistent and may undermine deterrence.

There are also many modern sport’s governing mechanisms put in place to detect, prevent, and respond to match-fixing threats:

• Major sports bodies like FIFA, the NBA, and the NFL have established specific internal departments or integrity units to oversee all efforts related to fair play and the prevention of corruption.
• Leagues (i.e., the Canadian Football League) partner with independent integrity monitors (Genius Sports, Sportradar, IBIA) who use advanced analytics to track global betting markets in real-time. These systems flag anomalies or unusual betting patterns to the relevant sport governing body and law enforcement.
• The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) has rolled out programs to prevent competition manipulation, focusing on education, risk mitigation, and standardized response protocols.
• Internationally, major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship now deploy multi-stakeholder integrity task forces. These include real-time market monitoring, venue surveillance, and cross-border information-sharing among law enforcement, sports bodies, and betting operators. INTERPOL’s SOGA operations, in cooperation with national authorities, routinely dismantle illegal betting networks, seizing millions of dollars and rescuing trafficking victims.

Penalties and Sanctions

The penalties imposed upon someone involved in match-fixing depend on the offence they are found guilty of. In addition to criminal sanctions, the sporting bodies involved may also impose penalties. Leagues and federations can impose lifetime bans, multi-year suspensions, voiding of results, and loss of eligibility for offenders. Clubs and sponsors may terminate contracts for cause, seek damages, and enforce provisions. Integrity covenants and disciplinary clauses are increasingly standard in player and agent agreements and may be acted on in a case of match-fixing.

								
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