Switzerland's gambling regulator, GESPA, has filed a formal complaint and initiated legal action against FIFA's NFT platform, FIFA Collect. The authority alleges that the platform's competitions, which offer rewards based on chance and require monetary stakes, constitute unlicensed gambling under Swiss law. This move highlights the ongoing challenges in regulating emerging digital assets within existing legal frameworks.
Key Takeaways
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The Swiss Gambling Supervisory Authority (GESPA) has filed a complaint against FIFA's NFT platform, FIFA Collect.
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GESPA alleges that the platform's competitions constitute unlicensed gambling due to elements of chance and monetary stakes.
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The complaint focuses on "competitions" and "challenges" offering user rewards, which GESPA deems similar to lotteries and sports betting.
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FIFA Collect previously offered "Right to Buy" NFTs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, priced up to $999.
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FIFA Collect has migrated its NFT infrastructure from Algorand to Polygon and plans to launch its own "FIFA Blockchain" on Avalanche.
Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies
GESPA announced its complaint on Friday, asserting that FIFA Collect's "competitions," which include airdrop campaigns and challenges, are in violation of Swiss gambling regulations. According to GESPA, participation in these competitions requires a monetary stake, with the possibility of winning monetary benefits, and the outcome often depends on random draws or similar chance-based procedures. The regulator stated, "From a gambling law perspective, the offers in question are partly lotteries and partly sports betting."
Switzerland currently permits only two nationwide regulated sports gambling providers: Sporttip and Jouez Sport. GESPA's investigation into FIFA Collect began in October, focusing on its "Right to Buy" NFTs. These NFTs granted holders the right, but not the obligation, to purchase 2026 FIFA World Cup tickets at face value, aiming to prevent secondary market price gouging. Some of these NFTs, associated with popular teams like Argentina, Spain, France, England, and Brazil, were priced at $999 and have reportedly sold out.
FIFA's NFT Evolution and Future Plans
Launched in 2022 on the Algorand layer-1 blockchain, FIFA Collect has released several NFT collections. FIFA has since announced plans to migrate its NFT operations to its own blockchain, referred to as "FIFA Blockchain," which will be a layer-1 subnet on the Avalanche network. This move aims to consolidate its digital collectible ecosystem and enhance functionality for its community.
The regulatory action underscores the complex legal landscape surrounding NFTs and Web3 platforms, as authorities grapple with how these new digital economy developments fit within established legal structures. FIFA and Modex, the Web3 service provider powering FIFA Collect, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Sources
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Swiss Regulator GESPA Files Complaint Against FIFA NFT Platform, Cointelegraph.
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Swiss regulator GESPA takes aim at FIFA’s NFT platform in formal complaint — TradingView News, TradingView.
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Swiss regulator takes legal action against FIFA's NFT platform, Bitget.
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FIFA World Cup NFTs Slammed With Criminal Charges, BeInCrypto.
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Swiss Regulator Probes FIFA’s 2026 World Cup Token Sales, CryptoRank.
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