Alarm: North America match-fixing doubles, despite global drop
While the world experiences a slight improvement in sports integrity, North and Central America recorded an alarming rebound in 2025. Sportradar's annual report reveals a diversification of criminal networks into new markets, with college basketball and prop bets at the center of the conflict.
The landscape of sports integrity is shifting coordinates. According to the latest report from Sportradar, alerts for suspicious matches globally fell by 1% in 2025. However, this apparent stability hides a disturbing reality for our region: North and Central America recorded 84 suspicious matches, almost double the levels seen in 2024.
This figure contrasts with the improvement in regions with a longer tradition in the sector; Europe and South America significantly reduced their match-fixing cases. Sportradar attributes this phenomenon to a "gradual diversification of match-fixing activities," which now seek to exploit the expansion of regulated markets outside their traditional strongholds.
High-profile cases and new fraud modalities
The vulnerability of American sports has been exposed by recent incidents involving major leagues and college sports:
- College Basketball (NCAA): A federal indictment revealed point-shaving schemes that involved 39 players until early 2025.
- NBA and MLB: The report highlights arrests and charges against figures such as Terry Rozier (Miami Heat) and Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, for alleged manipulation of specific plays to favor prop bets.
AI and cooperation: Sportradar's weapons
To counter the increasing sophistication of criminals, Sportradar has intensified the use of its Artificial Intelligence (UFDS AI) system. The system identified 682 suspicious matches last year, demonstrating greater sensitivity in detecting subtle manipulations that previously went unnoticed.
Additionally, in January 2025, the company launched the Integrity Exchange (SIE), a platform that allows operators to share intelligence in real-time to immediately block fraudulent activities.
Emerging threats: Crypto and "Lone Wolves"
The report warns about a change in the modus operandi of match-fixers. Actors dubbed "lone wolves" are emerging, operating through Telegram and cryptocurrencies to make fund tracing difficult. These individuals collaborate opportunistically, creating inconsistent patterns that challenge traditional detection methods.
Football still leads, basketball looms
In terms of volume, football remains the most affected sport with 618 incidents, where 77% of cases involved live betting. However, basketball ranks second with 233 cases, driven by over/under and spread markets, which are precisely the most popular in the United States market.
As betting expands and technology evolves, the pressure on regulators and leagues to stay one step ahead of criminal networks is higher than ever.
Tags: United States, USA, Sportradar Integrity Report, suspicious betting 2025