There were 53 fewer cases in Brazilian football detected by the Sportradar monitoring system, according to the report. The total considered suspicious was 57, four of which were in competitions organized by the CBF.
Brazil therefore leaves the world leadership after finishing first in this ranking in 2022 and 2023, with 152 (139 in football) and 110 cases, respectively. There was a 29% reduction from one year to the next, but the country remained in the global lead. Now, it was 48%.
This drop in 2024 was also identified by the CBF, which received fewer reports of suspicious games. The confederation, state federations, clubs and betting companies have adopted different practices to prevent and combat manipulation in recent months.
A suspicious game is any game that shows "conclusive evidence" of match-fixing or with credible indications of manipulation. In the case of Brazil, most cases occurred in football. These games are concentrated in regional competitions, in the second division or lower, organized by state federations.
However, many players in the national football elite are unaware of the restrictions on involvement in sports betting or are not careful about privileged information passed on to third parties.
Sports sees overall drop in match-fixing
And there has been an overall decrease in match-fixing across all sports worldwide. Sportradar detected a total of 1,108 suspicious matches worldwide in 2024, across 12 sports. A 17% reduction compared to 2023.
These more than a thousand suspicious matches were identified in 95 different countries, across six continents. According to Sportradar, 99.5% of sporting events on the planet remain "untainted by match-fixing".
Football remains the global leader in the sport with the most suspicious matches: 721. There was a reduction of 160 cases in football compared to 2023. Sportradar data supported 104 integrity-related sanctions across seven sports, in 15 countries, in 2024. The company monitored more than 850,000 sporting events last year.
Sportradar uses advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to monitor competitions and identify irregular betting patterns through its Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS).
AI is responsible for detecting unusual activity, such as large bets on unlikely outcomes, while the company’s team of experts plays a key role in confirming cases of manipulation and referring them for further investigation.
Andreas Krannich, Executive Vice President of Integrity, Rights Protection and Regulatory Services at Sportradar, said: “While the significant reduction in suspicious matches in 2024 gives us reason for optimism, it also highlights the need for continued vigilance and innovation, as the number remains significant.”
“Our investments in innovation, combined with betting market data analysis and integrity education initiatives, are at the forefront of tackling the growing challenges facing global sports integrity. We will continue to improve our technologies and work together with the sports and betting industries to promote fair play and protect the integrity of sport around the world,” said Krannich.
Source: GMB
