Starlizard Integrity Services (SIS) recently conducted a study on global betting activities and monitored 74,386 football matches held in 2024.
According to the survey results, SIS found that 159 matches held throughout the year showed "signs of potential manipulation".
However, this result has decreased by 12 compared to last year.
Of all the suspicious matches found, 139 matches last year "were conducted in domestic leagues and cup competitions".
Affy Sheikh, head of Starlizard Integrity Services, said while discussing the recent results: "The survey results of the 2024 report are encouraging, showing a slight decrease in the number and proportion of suspicious football matches compared to the previous year.
"The decrease in the number of suspicious matches is welcome, as it may indicate that efforts to improve the fairness of football are having a positive impact."
However, Sheikh pointed out that there are some "ongoing concerns" in the report, including the sample transfer to South America. The study found that 67 suspicious matches came from South America.
SIS stated in its study: "This is the region with the highest percentage of suspicious matches, higher than the global average of 0.21%."
Sheikh commented: "This point, along with the continued surge in suspicious betting in the first half of the market and the ongoing presence of suspicious activities in friendly matches, highlights the necessity of maintaining vigilance and taking strong measures to combat match manipulation.
"Starlizard Integrity Services will continue to work with global partners to ensure the fairness of football matches at all levels, especially through our Komodo anti-match-fixing platform, which is available for free to sports governing bodies and law enforcement agencies."
