The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has published its latest integrity report, revealing 63 alerts of suspicious betting activity during the first quarter of 2025. The figure is slightly down from the 65 alerts recorded in Q4 2024 and a little ahead of the revised total of 57 alerts from Q1 2024.

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IBIA’s global monitoring network, which provides sports-integrity monitoring for over $300 billion in global betting turnover annually, flagged suspicious betting activity across six sports in 23 countries, spanning five continents during Q1. With more than 80 members and 140 sports betting brands under its watch, IBIA continues to serve as a leading force in safeguarding the integrity of the regulated sports-betting industry.

ibia report geographical breakdown locations

Key Q1 2025 Highlights:

  • Football and Tennis Dominate Alerts: These two sports accounted for 64 percent of all alerts (40 in total), marking a 14 percent rise from the 35 reported in Q4 2024.
  • Regional Breakdown: Europe and North America combined accounted for 32 alerts (51 percent of the total), reflecting a 29 percent drop from the 45 reported in Q4 2024.
  • Table Tennis Decline: The sport saw a notable reduction in alerts from 21 reported in Q4 2024 to nine reported in Q1 2025, representing a 53 percent quarter-on-quarter fall.
    Speaking to Sports Betting Operator, Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, commented, “The first quarter of 2025 was relatively consistent with both the previous quarter and Q1 last year. Football and tennis remain the sports with the highest number of reported alerts, although the slight decrease compared to Q4 2024 was largely due to fewer tennis-related alerts. Notably, the increase in table tennis alerts we saw at the end of 2024 did not continue into 2025, dropping back to earlier levels.”

ibia report total alterts

He also highlighted IBIA’s proactive steps in response to past alerts. “We have intensified our monitoring and established new integrity partnerships focused on high-risk sports such as table tennis. These initiatives are designed to better detect and sanction corruption in betting markets,” said Ali.

The report underscores the value of IBIA’s global-monitoring network as a cornerstone in the fight against betting-related match-fixing. That network is a highly effective anti-corruption tool, detecting and reporting suspicious activity in regulated betting markets using transactional activity linked to individual customer accounts, which is only available to IBIA and its members.

khalid ali, ceo of the international betting integrity association

Image: Khalid Ali, CEO of the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)

In late 2024, IBIA implemented a major upgrade to its technology framework, significantly enhancing its ability to monitor for suspicious betting patterns, improve data analysis and deliver actionable insights to key stakeholders. The upgraded system allows for faster, more-precise detection and response, underpinned by real-time, granular account-level data.

This includes tailored data streams for critical partners — such as gambling regulatory authorities — thereby strengthening operational cooperation and supporting investigatory actions with greater efficiency.

Ali reports that, “The upgrade allows us to provide a technological platform that keeps pace with the integrity requirements of our growing membership, and the scope and scale of the market data we receive across our wider intelligence network. It will be a key pillar in our ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of sporting events and regulated sports betting markets globally.”

This enhanced collaboration reinforces trust in the integrity of global betting markets and plays a pivotal role in safeguarding fair competition. As the sports betting industry continues to grow, maintaining robust integrity protocols remains critical. IBIA’s principal goal is to protect its members, consumers and partners – including sports governing bodies – from the threat posed by the manipulation of sporting events. The Q1 integrity report offers both reassurance and a timely reminder that sustained vigilance, backed by data-led monitoring and cross-sector collaboration, is essential to upholding fair play and trust in regulated betting markets.

*** This article was originally published in May 2025 edition Sports Betting Operator Magazine***