The meeting addressed key issues including the protection of minors, integrity in sports competitions, the evolution of suspicious betting alerts, and new market trends.
The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), an agency under the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and Agenda 2030, chaired a new meeting on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, of the National Commission against the manipulation of sports competitions and betting fraud (CONFAD). This cooperative body brings together public administrations, law enforcement, sports organizations, and gaming sector representatives to prevent and combat corruption linked to sports betting.
CONFAD serves as the main national coordination space for sports integrity and the fight against competition manipulation, fostering information exchange and joint action among all involved stakeholders. The Commission comprises the DGOJ, the High Council for Sports (CSD), National Security Forces, sports federations, athletes' associations, and gambling operators.
The session was opened by the Director General for the Regulation of Gambling, Mikel Arana, and the Director General for Sports of the High Council for Sports, Fernando Molinero, who co-chair the Commission.
Minors and Fraud Prevention
One of the highlighted topics on the agenda was the presentation of an analysis regarding the participation of minors in online gambling activities, led by Cecilia Pastor, Deputy Director General of Inspection at the DGOJ, who addressed underage access to gambling and the prevention and control measures being implemented to curb it.
Additionally, Eugenio Álvarez, Deputy Director General of Regulation at the DGOJ, outlined the current status of accessions to the Global Betting Market Investigation Service (SIGMA), a unit designed to collaborate in fraud prevention and control, particularly in combating match-fixing, protecting sports integrity, and upholding ethics within sports and betting markets.
Evolution of Alerts and Market Monitoring
The meeting also featured a presentation on the evolution of alerts recorded between 2024 and 2025 under the Global Betting Market Investigation Service framework, alongside several success stories stemming from the actions taken. This presentation was conducted by Fernando García, Head of the Gambling Control Service of the DGOJ's Inspectorate.
Furthermore, the DGOJ shared information regarding monitoring activities carried out in compliance with the Council of Europe's Macolin Convention, the main international instrument for combating the manipulation of sports competitions. Within this context, betting market trends detected during 2025 were analyzed based on the work of the Copenhagen Group, the international network of national platforms.
Exchange of Best Practices
The session also included presentations of various successful case studies by the National Police and Civil Guard, as well as best practices promoted by the High Council for Sports and the Royal Spanish Football Federation, aimed at reinforcing competition integrity and preventing fraudulent behaviors related to sports betting.
Through collaboration among its members, CONFAD continues to solidify its role as a benchmark body for safeguarding sports integrity and preventing betting fraud.
18+ | Juegoseguro.es – Jugarbien.es
