Switzerland’s Gambling Supervisory Authority (GESPA) has lodged a formal complaint against FIFA’s NFT platform, FIFA Collect, claiming it functions as an unlicensed gambling operation. The regulator stated that the platform’s competitions, which offer rewards akin to airdrop campaigns, involve an element of chance in winning prizes. GESPA claims:

“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.”

This complaint underscores the emerging challenges that Web3 technologies and NFTs face regarding legality and regulation. GESPA is scrutinizing these aspects as it looks into FIFA Collect’s offerings, which partly resemble lotteries and sports betting.

GESPA’s Complaint Against FIFA Collect

Source: GESPA

Recently, GESPA has been investigating FIFA Collect due to its NFTs that grant supporters rights to reserve tickets for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. The NFTs are priced at $999 and have sold out for key matches among top teams such as Argentina, Spain, and Brazil.