Swiss Regulator Files Criminal Complaint Against FIFA Collect Over Gambling Concerns
Swiss gambling regulator Gespa has lodged a criminal complaint against FIFA’s blockchain-based platform, FIFA Collect.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The regulator alleges the site operates unlawful gambling through chance-based token mechanics.
Gespa says it discovered the platform in early October 2025 and concluded that features such as “drops” and “challenges” – where users pay to participate for a chance at exclusive rewards – meet the legal definition of gambling under the Federal Act on Gambling. The regulator forwarded its findings and supporting documentation to Swiss prosecutors, saying the move was mandatory under national law. Gespa added it could be asked to assist the criminal probe but declined to disclose further details while the case is active.
FIFA Collect, hosted at collect.fifa.com, forms part of FIFA’s broader push to harness blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to deepen fan engagement. The platform enables fans to buy, trade and interact with digital collectibles tied to major football events. Its mechanic mix – paid entries tied to random outcomes and secondary-market tradability – has triggered concern that the platform’s economic incentives resemble those seen in gambling products.
The complaint arrives against the backdrop of FIFA’s “Right to Buy” token program, rolled out in 2024, which granted token holders priority access to purchase 2026 World Cup tickets. Those tokens could be resold on the open market, with secondary prices reported in the hundreds to thousands of dollars. Gespa highlights that the tokens’ speculative value and the uncertain assignment of match tickets can produce results that hinge on chance – an element central to Swiss gambling law.
Swiss prosecutors now hold the authority to determine whether criminal offences were committed. If prosecutors pursue charges, potential legal issues for FIFA or its partners could include operating unlicensed gambling services in Switzerland and failure to implement mandatory player protection and anti-money-laundering safeguards. The complaint also raises practical questions about enforcement when platforms operate across borders and when token trading occurs on decentralized or international marketplaces.
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What This Means for Sports Rights Holders
Legal scrutiny of FIFA Collect underscores a growing regulatory focus on how sports organisations monetise digital fan products. "Regulators are no longer treating blockchain as separate from traditional consumer-facing services. When a product requires payment and awards prizes influenced by chance, national gambling statutes are likely to apply irrespective of the underlying technology. Organisations that ignore that reality risk criminal and administrative consequences.
Industry consultant Marco Bianchi, partner at a European advisory firm, added: "Beyond fines or prosecutions, the more immediate impact is reputational and commercial. Payment processors, platform hosts and secondary marketplaces will re-evaluate exposure to products flagged as gambling. Rights holders who wish to pursue tokenisation need clear legal frameworks and compliance-by-design – age controls, RNG audits, and transparent terms – to avoid regulatory escalation."
For FIFA, the case could force reassessment of product design and distribution channels ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It may also prompt dialogue between sports bodies, regulators and payment networks on acceptable models for tokenised fan experiences. Legal outcomes in Switzerland could influence other jurisdictions watching the intersection of NFTs, tokenised rights and gambling law, including the UK, Germany and parts of North America where regulators have recently scrutinised similar offerings.
Swiss prosecutors have not announced a timeline for any decision. Gespa’s action signals that national gambling authorities intend to apply existing laws to novel digital products, and that sports organisations will need to factor regulatory risk into their digital monetisation strategies.
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