IBIA 2025 report reveals rise in suspicious sports betting alerts

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has released its 2025 Sports Betting Integrity Report, showing a notable increase in suspicious betting alerts across regulated markets globally. The report provides an in-depth assessment of alert trends by sport and region and evaluates how these insights support integrity enforcement and investigative frameworks across the sports and betting sectors.

In 2025, 300 suspicious betting alerts were submitted to relevant authorities, representing the highest annual total ever recorded by IBIA. This figure indicates a significant increase compared with previous years and reflects both expanded monitoring coverage and enhanced analytical capabilities. The rise in alerts highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining integrity in increasingly complex and widespread betting markets. While not all alerts represent confirmed manipulation, they serve as a crucial early warning mechanism for regulators, sports governing bodies and law enforcement agencies.

Improved detection and rising alert volumes

IBIA clarifies that the increase in alerts does not necessarily indicate higher levels of corruption but largely reflects improvements in detection methods and broader operator engagement. Enhanced analytical tools, coupled with greater participation from betting operators, have allowed irregular betting patterns to be identified earlier and more accurately than in previous years.

Alerts are generated based on detailed analysis of betting activity rather than confirmed cases of match fixing or corruption. Their primary function is to flag markets and events that warrant further scrutiny. Each alert serves as a trigger for additional investigation by integrity units and sports authorities, forming a critical part of modern monitoring systems.

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, explained: “Our 2025 data highlights a familiar integrity risk pattern with football and tennis continuing to account for most suspicious betting activity. At the same time, the greater scale and reach of our Global Monitoring & Alert Platform means our ability to detect assess and support investigations across markets and sports has increased.”

Football and tennis remain most affected

Football and tennis continued to dominate the landscape of suspicious betting activity in 2025. Together, these two sports accounted for more than 60 percent of all alerts submitted. Football generated the highest number of alerts, followed closely by tennis. Other sports, including table tennis, esports and basketball, were also represented in the alerts, while a total of sixteen different sporting disciplines recorded suspicious activity throughout the year.

This distribution shows that integrity risks are not limited to high-profile sports. Smaller competitions and emerging sports markets can also exhibit irregular betting patterns, highlighting the importance of comprehensive monitoring across all disciplines, not just the most visible.

Regional trends in betting alerts

Europe recorded the largest share of alerts, accounting for just over one third of the global total. This prominence reflects both the size of the regulated betting market in Europe and the maturity of integrity monitoring frameworks in multiple European jurisdictions. High data coverage and detailed scrutiny of betting markets make it more likely that irregular patterns are detected and reported.

North America and South America also contributed significant numbers of alerts, reflecting the growth of regulated betting markets and the increasing adoption of monitoring protocols by operators and regulators. Asia and Africa reported smaller but steadily growing shares of total alerts, aligning with the expansion of regulated betting markets and the development of local oversight frameworks.

IBIA stresses that regional alert comparisons should be interpreted carefully. Differences in volumes often reflect the scale of regulated markets and the extent of operator participation rather than suggesting higher levels of corruption in a specific region.

Role of alerts in enforcement

Data derived from betting alerts contributed to the confirmation of 54 corrupted sporting events in 2025. These cases resulted in disciplinary action against players, officials and teams across several sports. Football and tennis accounted for the majority of enforcement outcomes, reflecting both the popularity of these sports in global betting markets and the level of attention dedicated to monitoring them.

While alerts do not themselves prove wrongdoing, they provide critical intelligence that guides regulatory and investigative actions. By flagging anomalies early, IBIA’s monitoring enables integrity units and sports governing bodies to prioritise investigations and allocate resources efficiently. This structured flow of information ensures that suspicious activity is evaluated promptly, reducing the risk of prolonged manipulation going undetected.

Collaboration and intelligence sharing

IBIA’s approach goes beyond monitoring and alert generation. The association plays a central role in facilitating structured intelligence exchange among betting operators, sports governing bodies and law enforcement agencies. By consolidating information on irregular betting patterns, IBIA creates a centralised repository that stakeholders can access to detect, investigate and prevent integrity breaches.

The report emphasizes that sustained cooperation is essential for safeguarding sports integrity. Operators, regulators and sports organisations must maintain open channels for data sharing to respond quickly and effectively to emerging risks. Khalid Ali commented: “Through collective action and information sharing with our partners, we can improve detection and prevention of betting related corruption across all levels of sport.”

Emerging sports and new challenges

The 2025 report highlights that emerging areas such as esports are becoming more prominent in integrity monitoring. As betting markets expand into digital and unconventional competition formats, integrity monitoring systems must adapt to the unique challenges of these environments. Esports, in particular, is experiencing rapid growth and regulators face the task of developing appropriate oversight mechanisms.

Other smaller sports, including darts and mixed martial arts, also appeared in the alert data. The presence of alerts across a wide range of sports underscores the need for monitoring systems that are flexible and capable of analyzing diverse betting patterns across multiple markets.

Future outlook and ongoing challenges

Rising alert volumes present both operational challenges and strategic opportunities. While higher alert numbers demand additional investigative resources, they also reflect improvements in detection and reporting capabilities. As betting products and technologies evolve, IBIA notes the importance of continuously enhancing analytical tools and data sharing protocols to maintain effective oversight.

The association identifies key factors for future success: expanding operator participation, strengthening cross-border cooperation and investing in advanced analytical technology. These measures are essential to ensure that the integrity of regulated sports betting markets is preserved as the industry grows.

Conclusion

The 2025 IBIA Sports Betting Integrity Report provides a detailed and comprehensive view of suspicious betting activity across regulated markets worldwide. Rising alert numbers reflect enhanced detection capabilities and the critical role of collaborative intelligence sharing in addressing integrity risks. Football and tennis remain the sports most affected, but irregular betting patterns were recorded across a broad spectrum of disciplines, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance.

IBIA’s commitment to structured cooperation between operators, regulators and sports governing bodies demonstrates the importance of collective action in safeguarding the fairness of competition. Continued investment in monitoring systems, data sharing and investigative tools is essential for maintaining the credibility of sports and ensuring that integrity standards keep pace with the evolving global betting landscape.

FAQs

What is the IBIA 2025 Sports Betting Integrity Report about?
The report analyzes suspicious betting alerts recorded in 2025 and identifies trends by sport and region in regulated markets.

How many suspicious betting alerts were recorded in 2025?
A total of 300 alerts were recorded and submitted to relevant authorities during 2025.

Does a suspicious betting alert indicate confirmed manipulation?
No. Alerts signal irregular betting patterns and require further investigation but do not confirm match manipulation.

Which sports recorded the highest number of alerts?
Football and tennis accounted for the majority of alerts, exceeding 60 percent of the total.

Why did alert numbers rise in 2025?
Improved detection tools, expanded monitoring coverage and increased operator participation contributed to the rise.

How does IBIA support investigations?
IBIA shares structured intelligence with sports governing bodies, regulators and law enforcement to facilitate investigations.

Are alerts distributed evenly across regions?
No. Europe recorded the largest share, with significant activity in the Americas and smaller but growing shares in Asia and Africa.

Does IBIA monitor niche and emerging sports?
Yes. Alerts were identified in sixteen sporting disciplines, including esports and table tennis.

Can alerts lead to disciplinary action?
Yes. Alerts contributed to enforcement actions against players, officials and teams in multiple sports.

Why is collaboration important for sports integrity?
Collaboration between operators, regulators and sports bodies enables timely detection and effective response to irregular betting patterns.