Швейцарские власти могут привлечь ФИФА к ответственности за незаконные азартные игры с NFT Translation: Swiss authorities may hold FIFA accountable for illegal gambling with NFTs.

The Swiss Gambling Supervision Authority (GESPA) has submitted a request to the prosecutor’s office to initiate a criminal case against the NFT platform of the International Football Federation (FIFA).

According to the press release, following an investigation that began in early October, the regulator discovered that the FIFA Collect online platform conducts various competitions utilizing «non-fungible tokens.» Participation in these events requires placing bets, and winners can receive cash prizes. Outcomes are determined by a lottery or similar processes.

Under current legislation, GESPA has classified these offerings partially as lotteries and partially as betting. Such activities in the country necessitate a license, which is why FIFA Collect has been operating illegally.

The authority stated that it is obligated to report violations to law enforcement agencies, which will determine whether criminal charges should be pursued.

In September 2022, the football federation announced the launch of a series of collectible tokens related to the upcoming World Cup. The assets made their debut on the Algorand blockchain, with which a partnership was established in May.

«Just like with sports memorabilia and stickers, this is an accessible way for fans worldwide to connect with their favorite players, relive exciting moments, and much more on new platforms,» commented FIFA’s business development director, Romi Gai.

In December, the organization announced the release of a limited collection of 100 NFTs on the Layer 2 solution Polygon. Some of the tokens available through FIFA Collect offered a chance to win a ticket to the final of the next World Cup in 2026.

In total, the plan was to release 900 digital collectible items on the Polygon network. The assets were slated to be sold on the OpenSea marketplace.

In April 2025, FIFA announced the creation of its own EVM-compatible blockchain. This network is intended to replace Algorand and Polygon as the foundation for FIFA Collect.

By May, the organization decided that its blockchain would be based on the Avalanche platform.

It is worth noting that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has entertained the idea of the association launching a native token to engage with its global base of football fans.