After 30 years, the World Cup returns to the United States, marking the first time the world's hottest sports event has landed in North America since the PASPA Act ruling in 2018. With the countdown to the event entering 100 days, the addition of 40 matches by 48 teams is expected to generate massive betting demand, but the threat from illegal gambling groups has also escalated. To this end, global regulatory bodies, integrity officers, and law enforcement are fully prepared, with a clear focus on prevention and control at the recent ICE conference, fully safeguarding the event's integrity. Compliance with international event betting and anti-illegal betting cases can be referenced on the PASA official website.
Risk Factors: Event Expansion + Historical Issues Integrity Challenges Escalate
The unique background of the 2026 World Cup has brought increased attention to the risks of illegal gambling:
Event scale expansion: For the first time, the number of teams has increased to 48, with 40 additional matches over a six-week schedule, and new betting groups brought by first-time participating countries are expected to significantly increase betting volumes, providing opportunities for illegal syndicates;
Geographical risks in North America: The three venues on the US West Coast are only a short flight from Las Vegas. During the 2014 World Cup, an illegal betting room appeared at the Caesar's Palace Hotel, which was accused by the US Department of Justice of receiving about $400 million in event bets;
Event integrity cases: Although North America has rarely seen soccer match-fixing, in 2023, Colorado Rapids midfielder Max Alves was suspended by the league for allegedly accepting about $9,000 to deliberately receive a yellow card during a match; in recent years, scandals have been frequent in Europe, with West Ham player Lucas Paqueta cleared of match manipulation charges but penalized for non-cooperation with the betting investigation.
Control Core: Multi-party Coordination to Strengthen Event Integrity Defense
In response to the risks of illegal gambling at the World Cup, international organizations, sports bodies, and law enforcement have introduced multiple control measures:
Actions by International Organizations and Sports Bodies
International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA): Opens the "Global Monitoring and Alert Program" to operators in emerging countries, emphasizing "No integrity, no compliant gambling market";
South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL): Launches preventive actions, educational campaigns, and specialized seminars, establishing a risk analysis monitoring group for the event, which will conduct a final review in May;
League Cooperation: MLS recently partnered with Polymarket as its official prediction market, though critics worry that such event contracts may have integrity loopholes due to lack of adequate safeguards.
Global Law Enforcement Collaboration Upgrade
Special Seminars: Last month, over 90 global integrity officers gathered in Miami to attend the closing seminar of FIFA's Global Integrity Program, with officials from the FBI, Interpol, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Europol participating;
Collaboration Principles: UNODC official Ronan O'Lear emphasizes, "Isolation of systems leads to loss of integrity, and early coordination among sports leagues, police, and prosecutors is key to success," to avoid breakdowns in inter-agency cooperation;
Domestic Actions in the US: Federal prosecutors have recently indicted several athletes from the NBA, college basketball, and MLB for related illegal gambling activities, warming up for World Cup control.
Anti-Money Laundering Focus: Targeting the Illegal Gambling Financial Chain
The link between illegal gambling and money laundering has become a key target for this control effort:
Data Warning: Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn cites UNODC research, stating that approximately $140 billion is laundered annually through illegal and unregulated sports betting worldwide;
Official Appeal: Blackburn urges the US Department of Justice to focus on reviewing the connection between illegal gambling and organized crime during the World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics;
Control Logic: By blocking the channels of illegal gambling funds, the operational capabilities of criminal groups are fundamentally weakened, providing dual protection for event integrity.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
