Sports betting is currently one of the fastest-growing areas in global sports. For fans, it adds extra excitement and increased engagement in the game. However, for players, coaches, referees, and officials involved in competition, it presents a serious threat to the integrity of the sport. 

For this reason, football federations, both international and national, impose strict bans on participation in betting on matches.

The greatest risk comes from match-fixing, which involves manipulating the outcome or course of events in a match. This can take various forms, ranging from bribing players and referees to deliberately making errors on the field to collusion between teams to achieve a specific result. A major issue is the information advantage held by those closely connected to the teams. A player aware of a key player’s injury or a coach knowing tactical plans can use this knowledge to place unfair bets. 

Such actions not only breach the principles of fair play but also result in serious legal and disciplinary consequences, including financial penalties, long suspensions, and lifetime bans from sports. 

Who can’t bet?

The Polish Football Association (PZPN) prohibits all individuals involved in Polish football, at all levels of competition, from participating in any sports betting activity. This ban applies not only to professional footballers. The following individuals are also subject to disciplinary liability:

• amateur footballers,
• coaches and instructors,
• football referees,
• members of medical staff,
• football agents,
• observers, delegates, and football officials.

The so-called external motivation is also prohibited, which means offering benefits to other clubs to influence the outcome of a match against a league rival.

Consequences of violating the regulations

At the national level, federations are adapting to the standards set by FIFA and UEFA. The Polish Football Association, in compliance with international regulations, explicitly prohibits anyone involved in football from betting on matches.

Pursuant to Article 80 § 1 of the Disciplinary Regulations of the Polish Football Association, the mere participation in bookmaker betting may result in:

1. fines from PLN 1,000,
2. suspension or revocation of a license,
3. removal from the list of judges, delegates, or observers,
4. a temporary ban on participation in all football-related activities,
5. exclusion from the Polish Football Association.

If corruption, match-fixing, or other activities aimed at illegally obtaining benefits are proven, the sanctions are much more severe. They can include substantial fines (up to 10,000 PLN), disqualification, a ban from participating in competitions, or even expulsion from the Polish Football Association (PZPN). In cases of corruption, they can even include a lifetime suspension. The severity of the penalty depends on the nature and gravity of the violation, as well as whether an individual or a club committed it.

According to the FIFA Code of Ethics, indirect participation in betting is also prohibited, including when:

• a third party places a bet under their own name but with the money of a person associated with football, and the profit goes to that person,
• a third party places a bet with their own funds, together with a person associated with football, and the profit is shared,
• a person involved in football provides confidential information not available to the public to a third party, who uses it to place bets on the match.

How does it work in practice?

On paper, the matter seems simple: players, referees, coaches, and officials are prohibited from betting on football matches. However, proving a violation of the ban is a complex process that requires the cooperation of multiple institutions.

The PZPN disciplinary body cannot rely solely on suspicions or observations from the football field; the evidence must be clear and beyond a reasonable doubt, as sanctions can be very severe, including career-ending consequences. Determining whether an A-class player placed a bet for the Champions League is almost impossible without access to data from bookmakers.

Therefore, legal bookmaker operators play a crucial role in the monitoring system. For over a decade, they have been building databases of customers, including those actively involved in football, players, referees, coaches, and officials. This allows them to identify individuals registered in the system as potentially subject to a ban, detect regular betting attempts by members of the football community, and report suspicious transactions to the federation.

The Polish Football Association cooperates not only with bookmakers but also with the police and the prosecutor’s office, which strengthens the effectiveness of the fight against match-fixing.

At the international level, there are specialized systems such as:

1. BFDS (Betting Fraud Detection System), developed by UEFA, monitors betting patterns across hundreds of bookmakers worldwide. Unusual odds movements or high stakes on less popular matches may indicate attempted manipulation.
2. ESSA/IBIA (International Betting Integrity Association) – an industry organization of betting operators that exchanges information with sports federations.
3. FIFA Early Warning System (EWS) – FIFA’s tool for analysing and detecting unusual bets related to international matches.
4. Sportradar UFDS AI – an official partner of FIFA and UEFA, whose reports form the basis for disciplinary actions.

A Polish example

In August 2025, the Polish Football Association suspended the goalkeeper of Sokół Klecz for his involvement in suspicious sports betting. The match against Rekord Bielsko-Biała (2-1) came under scrutiny. In the 45th minute, the player passed the ball to his opponent, which increased the score to 2-0, exactly matching the number of goals bet on in Asian bookmakers’ markets before halftime.

This was no coincidence. The Sportradar UFDS AI system detected a sharp rise in bets on this scenario and found the match to be highly suspicious. The report served as the basis for the player’s suspension, and the case was also referred to law enforcement.

This case shows that bet monitoring systems and collaboration between federations and bookmakers are essential in fighting match-fixing, as they detect when an on-field “error” is not accidental. For now, only the goalkeeper has been suspended; the case is still ongoing.

To conclude

Sports betting in football poses a serious risk to the integrity of the competition. Polish Football Association, FIFA, and UEFA regulations explicitly prohibit betting on matches by anyone involved. Consequences for violating this ban include fines, suspensions, and even lifetime bans from the sport. The case of Sebastian Szabłowski demonstrates that federations, aided by monitoring systems, are becoming increasingly effective in identifying attempts to manipulate match results.

If you are facing disciplinary proceedings related to sports betting or suspected match-fixing, our law firm provides professional representation before the Polish Football Association, FIFA, and UEFA. Protect your rights by contacting us before it’s too late.

Sources:

1. Polish Football Association, PZPN Disciplinary Regulations, 2025.
2. FIFA, FIFA Code of Ethics , 2023.
3. Weszło, „Adam Gilarski: nowy regulamin dyscyplinarny PZPN a zakłady bukmacherskie – rozmowa” [ENG: “Adam Gilarski: new disciplinary regulations of the Polish Football Association and bookmakers – an interview”], December 1, 2023, accessed: https://weszlo.com/2023/12/01/adam-gilarski-nowy-regulamin-dyscyplinarny-pzpn-zaklady-bukmacherskie-rozmowa-wywiad/ .
4. UEFA, “Betting Fraud Detection System”, available at: https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0209-0f8870861745-a04ba4677b1b-1000–betting-fraud-detection-system/.
5. International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), access: https://ibia.bet/.
6. SportoweFakty WP, “He was suspended for match-fixing – he issued a statement”, available at: https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/pilka-nozna/1205386/zostal-zawieszony-za-ustawia-meczow-wydal-oswiadczenie .
7. TVP Sport, „Betclic 2. Liga: Sebastian Szabłowski zawieszony przez PZPN. Piłkarz Sokoła Kleczew zabrał głos” [ENG: “Betclic 2. Liga: Sebastian Szabłowski suspended by the Polish Football Association. Sokół Kleczew player spoke out”], available at: https://sport.tvp.pl/88464078/betclic-2-liga-sebastian-szablowski-zawieszony-przez-pzpn-pilkarz-sokola-kleczew-zabral-glos .
8. Sportradar, “UEFA and Sportradar extend and expand partnership to continue providing bettors and fans with unparalleled innovative engagement”, available: https://sportradar.com/content-hub/news/uefa-and-sportradar-extend-and-expand-partnership-to-continue-providing-bettors-and-fans-with-unparalleled-innovative-engagement/.