Switzerland’s gambling watchdog says FIFA+ Collect blockchain tickets look like lotteries and sports bets. If prosecutors agree, sales in Switzerland could be halted, and the Web3-sports playbook will need a rewrite.
TL;DR
- Switzerland’s gambling regulator GESPA has filed a criminal complaint against FIFA over its FIFA+ Collect “Right-to-Buy” (RTB) tokens tied to 2026 World Cup tickets.
- GESPA argues the offers are “partly lotteries and partly sports betting” (e.g., Right to Final), and constitute unlicensed gambling in Switzerland.
- RTB tokens grant a chance to purchase a ticket if conditions are met (e.g., your team reaches a round), they don’t include the ticket itself.
- Pricing and access have drawn fan backlash; critics say many tokens become worthless if teams don’t progress, and redeemed seats skew to pricier categories.
‘Partly Lotteries’
On 17 October 2025, Switzerland’s Gambling Supervisory Authority (GESPA) said it had filed a criminal complaint with local prosecutors against FIFA over sales of blockchain-based RTB tokens on the FIFA+ Collect platform. In GESPA’s words, the offers are “partly lotteries and partly sports betting,” meaning they require a stake and depend on chance events (team progression). That, the regulator says, falls under Swiss gambling law and requires a licence FIFA doesn’t hold.
Industry reports confirm the complaint follows a preliminary probe; GESPA can also order providers to halt unlawful offers pending proceedings.
What RTB tokens actually are
Per FIFA’s own explainer, a Right-to-Buy (RTB) is a digital asset that grants permission to purchase tickets during a reserved sales window, separate from the ticket price. For certain products like Right to Final, redemption depends on your chosen team reaching that match. If they don’t, there’s no ticket to buy and the RTB’s utility expires.
Recent coverage shows RTB pricing varies with team odds (favourites cost more; long shots less). For World Cup 26, “Right to Final” tokens have been listed in the $299–$999 range depending on the team.
Why GESPA says it’s gambling
Under Swiss law, gambling involves staking value for a chance-based outcome that yields a benefit. GESPA’s view is that buyers pay upfront for a token whose redeemability hinges on uncertain sports results. Categorising parts of the offer as a lottery and other parts as sports betting aligns with that analysis.
What could happen next
A criminal complaint triggers prosecutorial review. GESPA can report violations and is empowered to order a stop to unlicensed gambling offers in Switzerland. If authorities side with GESPA, FIFA may need to suspend or reconfigure RTB sales for Swiss users or seek appropriate licensing/structural changes.
The money and fan-experience angle
Beyond legal risk, the commercial design has drawn heat. Reporting and fan accounts describe high price points, uncertain utility, and access skewed to costly seating categories, fuelling claims that many buyers could be left with non-redeemable digital assets post-event. Broader ticketing coverage highlights dynamic pricing and resale frictions that have inflamed fan sentiment around FIFA’s 2026 model.
Web3 in sport
- Precedent risk – If prosecutors back GESPA, other regulators may scrutinise chance-contingent digital rights (loot-box-like drops, bracket tokens, predictor NFTs) as gambling unless licensed.
- Design pivots – Expect platforms to favour deterministic utilities (e.g., guaranteed seat categories, transparent fulfilment) over conditional rights tied to match outcomes. (Inference based on GESPA’s theory.)
- Compliance first – Rights-linked tokens will need jurisdictional geofencing, age/ID checks, and clear disclosures on redemption odds, seat categories, and refunds.
Practical tips for fans (not financial or legal advice)
- Read the fine print – Confirm whether your token guarantees a ticket or merely a window to buy, and which seat categories apply.
- Model the downside – Assume zero redemption if your team falls short; treat any secondary-market value as speculative. (Inferred from RTB mechanics and reporting.)
- Watch jurisdictional changes – Swiss outcomes could trigger access changes for local users; check official communications before purchasing.
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Who filed the complaint?
GESPA, Switzerland’s gambling regulator, filed a criminal complaint against FIFA regarding the FIFA+ Collect RTB token offers
What’s GESPA’s legal argument?
GESPA says parts of the offer are lotteries and parts are sports betting (e.g., Right to Final), making them unlicensed gambling under Swiss law.
What exactly does an RTB token give me?
An RTB grants permission to purchase a specified match ticket during a dedicated window; it does not include the ticket price and may expire unused if conditions aren’t met.
What could happen to sales in Switzerland?
GESPA can seek to halt the offers domestically and has referred the matter to prosecutors for further action.
