Switzerland’s Gambling Supervisory Authority (GESPA) has lodged a formal complaint against FIFA’s non-fungible token (NFT) platform, FIFA Collect, claiming it operates as an unlicensed gambling service.

On Friday, GESPA made public its concerns, arguing that the platform’s competition mechanics—including user rewards similar to airdrop campaigns—fit the criteria of gambling under Swiss law due to the element of chance involved in winning rewards.

GESPA stated:

“Participation in the competitions is only possible in exchange for a monetary stake, with monetary benefits to be won. Whether participants win a prize depends on random draws or similar procedures.”
(Translation: To enter the competitions, users must pay a stake, with the chance to win money; the outcomes rely on random selection.)

The Swiss regulator pointed out that the offerings can be categorized as both lotteries and sports betting, highlighting that only two entities in the country are licensed to provide sports gambling services—Sporttip and Jouez Sport, according to GESPA.

Cointelegraph attempted to contact FIFA and Modex, the company that operates the FIFA Collect platform, but did not receive a response before going to press.

The regulatory move underscores the challenges that new technologies like NFTs face as they navigate unclear legal frameworks amid the evolving digital economy.

GESPA’s Investigation of FIFA Collect

GESPA initiated its probe into FIFA Collect in October related to its “Right to Buy” NFTs, which grant holders ticket reservation rights for the forthcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

These NFTs provide holders the option to purchase tickets at market rates, aiming to mitigate price inflation in secondary markets, a prevalent problem at major sporting events.

The NFTs for finals reservations, for top football teams such as Argentina, Spain, France, England, and Brazil, were priced at $999 and have sold out, as data from FIFA Collect indicates.

Launched in 2022 using the Algorand blockchain, FIFA Collect has introduced various NFT collections. FIFA has plans to transition to its own blockchain called FIFA blockchain, a subnet based on the Avalanche network.