Politicisation and criminalisation of match-fixing and the emergence of the integrity industry

The chapter explains the politicisation and criminalisation of match-fixing, as well as the development of the ‘integrity industry’, through three stages: the emergence of the problem, its consolidation, and its globalisation. These are presented in major international scandals – such as the Hoyzer, Bochum, and Operation VETO cases – and show how the globalisation of the online betting market and the infiltration of organised crime transformed historical match-fixing practices into a transnational security and governance problem. It also examines the evolution of institutional responses, from monitoring systems to the creation of integrity units and educational programmes, framed within an official narrative that emphasises the threat of organised crime while legitimising the normalisation of sports betting. Particular attention is paid to the emergence of the Council of Europe Convention against the Manipulation of Sports Competitions as a structuring axis for the internationalisation of the phenomenon. The convention, as a legal instrument, guides action against the phenomenon, though supported by political actors and national governments. Nevertheless, critical tensions are highlighted: divergent economic interests (e.g. Malta’s blockade), selectivity in the application of sanctions, and the marginalisation of internal governance issues or the social harms of gambling are shown to detract from its utility.