Criminal Complaint Against FIFA Collect
The Swiss lottery and gambling authority, known as Gespa, has officially lodged a criminal complaint against FIFA Collect, a blockchain-based collectibles platform operated by FIFA, the governing body of international soccer. This announcement was made publicly on Friday, following an initial inquiry that started earlier this month, which aimed to determine the platform’s compliance with Swiss gambling laws, particularly concerning its non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that grant buyers special ticket purchasing rights.
Investigation Findings
Gespa’s investigation has drawn conclusions that the services provided by collect.fifa.com constitute illegal gambling activities as they are unlicensed in Switzerland. According to the agency, this platform enables users to engage in competitions where monetary participation is mandatory, leading to potential financial rewards derived from random draws or similar outcomes. As detailed in a written statement by Gespa:
“From a gambling law perspective, the offers in question are partly lotteries and partly sports betting.”
They expressed their duty to inform legal authorities whenever violations of the Federal Act on Gambling are identified.
Controversial Offerings
Among the contentious offerings is the “right-to-buy” (RTB) NFT, which offers purchasers priority access to FIFA World Cup tickets for the 2026 event set to take place in North America. Ticket buyers can obtain these collectibles either from special packs or via the secondary marketplace, where prices range significantly. For instance, an RTB ticket for a group match can cost around $98, while a ticket for the opening match at Mexico’s Azteca Stadium may soar to $6,000.
FIFA’s Ticket Sales Strategy
FIFA’s ticket sales strategy involves several phases, and the organization recently reported over 1 million tickets sold during an initial presale for Visa holders. Originally, FIFA launched its blockchain collectibles initiative on Algorand in 2022 but later transitioned to creating its own Avalanche L1 network to better support its platform’s needs.
Legal Proceedings
As the legal proceedings progress, further details about the criminal complaint remain undisclosed, according to Gespa’s Director Manuel Richard, who confirmed that no additional information will be provided at this time. A representative for FIFA has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this matter.
