Sweden’s official gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has shared some good news regarding the fight against match-fixing. According to their latest report, there were fewer suspected cases in 2025 than in the years before. This positive trend happened even though there was a major scandal in the esports world recently.
The drop in reported cases is quite noticeable. In 2025, the regulator received only two reports about suspicions of match-fixing. This is a big improvement compared to 2024, which had five reports, and 2023, which had twelve. It shows that efforts to keep the games fair are working.
Samuel Walberg, who coordinates the fight against match-fixing at Spelinspektionen, shared his thoughts on these results. He said, “The work against match-fixing has worked well during the year.” He also mentioned that the cooperation with crime prevention authorities, sports groups, and the gambling industry has been going very smoothly.
However, Walberg remains careful about celebrating too early. He added, “We view the downward trend positively, but the work continues to prevent and detect manipulations.” He warned that match-fixers often use advanced methods, so we cannot be sure that every manipulation will be found.
The Northern Lights Scandal
Even with the overall numbers going down, the esports sector still faces challenges. A recent case involving the Northern Lights team highlights that match-fixing remains a risk in competitive gaming. This team was suspended following a scandal that shocked the community.
The Esports Integrity Commission, known as ESIC, suspended the CS2 team in October. The suspension was due to serious concerns about foul play. Interestingly, all five members of the Northern Lights team are from Sweden.
The suspended players include Axel “axelen” Enholm, Anton “Meinz” Evander, Oscar “Avoy” Dahlkvist, Frank “fraaank” Issal, and Alexander “frigolito” Andersson. The situation became more serious when news of the investigation became public.
After the investigation started, player Frank “fraaank” Issal admitted that the team had been fixing matches. He made a shocking statement, saying, “We used to win/lose depending on what we had decided before the match.” This confession confirmed the suspicions against the team.
Following the suspension of these Swedish players, ESIC released a statement. They said, “ESIC remains committed to safeguarding fair play across esports.” The commission explained that interim measures are vital tools to protect events while due process is followed.
Esports Integrity Issues Remain
The Northern Lights case is not the only recent incident showing that integrity issues are still present in esports. Just last month, another high-profile player faced suspension. Riot Games suspended Korean Valorant star Seungmin “ban” Oh.
This suspension highlights that match-fixing is a global problem affecting many different games. It is not limited to one region or one specific title. Regulators and game developers must stay vigilant to protect the integrity of competitions.
Despite these individual scandals, the overall reduction in reported cases in Sweden is encouraging. It suggests that the measures being taken by regulators and industry partners are having a positive effect on the broader gambling landscape.
Regulators Partnering To Target Fixers
Both Spelinspektionen and the Esports Integrity Commission are actively working to reduce match-fixing. They understand that collaboration is key to tackling this complex issue. Various organizations are joining forces to combat integrity problems.
ESIC has been focusing heavily on reducing match-fixing. Last year, the agency signed up several betting partners to help fight integrity issues. These partners include major names like Stake and Rollbit, who joined the effort in November to support the cause.
Spelinspektionen has also taken strong action. In 2024, they introduced new rules that require licensed betting companies to report any suspicions of match-fixing immediately. This ensures that potential issues are flagged quickly.
Under these new rules, the regulator received four reports of suspicions. However, these four reports were not included in the main figure for 2025. Spelinspektionen explained that they lacked previous figures to make a fair comparison for those specific cases.
One of these cases was actually the same incident reported by an integrity organization. The report did not specify if this was the specific esports case flagged by Swedish Elitserien, the country’s top esports league. The league itself has made its stance very clear.
The Swedish Elitserien league stated that it has “zero tolerance for match-fixing.” They emphasized that they prioritize the integrity of the competition above all else. This strict policy helps ensure that players and teams follow the rules.
Overall, the collaboration between regulators, betting companies, and sports leagues is creating a safer environment. While challenges remain, the downward trend in Sweden offers hope that these combined efforts are making a real difference.
