Switzerland’s gambling authority Gespa has initiated criminal proceedings against FIFA Collect over its World Cup ticket access system that utilizes NFT vouchers, arguing that the platform’s “right-to-buy” token model constitutes unlicensed gambling activity under Swiss federal law. The investigation began in early October following internal reviews that identified potential violations of the Swiss Federal Act on Gambling, with Gespa subsequently confirming that preliminary suspicions warranted formal legal action. The regulatory challenge centers on NFTs that grant holders access to lottery-style ticket purchase processes, where fans must purchase tokens upfront and depend on chance factors—such as their selected team advancing in competition or their token being randomly selected—to ultimately secure actual match tickets.
The gambling regulator contends that since users pay for tokens whose value depends on uncertain outcomes determined by chance, the system combines characteristics of lotteries and sports betting that require explicit licensing in Switzerland, which FIFA Collect allegedly lacks. Secondary market prices for these right-to-buy tokens demonstrate significant variance, ranging from approximately $98 for group-stage access to as much as $6,000 for premium matches like the Azteca Stadium opening game, suggesting speculative trading behavior beyond simple ticketing functionality. FIFA has sold over 1 million tickets during early presale phases through its platform, which recently migrated from Algorand to a proprietary Avalanche-based layer-1 network to enhance scalability, with the right-to-buy mechanism operated through collaboration with blockchain infrastructure provider Modex Tech Ltd. Media estimates suggest RTB token sales may have generated roughly $15 million, though FIFA has not publicly confirmed these figures.
Gespa director Manuel Richard confirmed that the regulator validated its suspicions under gambling statutes and will refer the case to prosecuting authorities for criminal investigation, placing FIFA in the position of defending whether its token system represents legitimate ticketing innovation or unlicensed gambling operation under Swiss jurisdiction. FIFA has yet to issue formal responses to the allegations, leaving open questions about how the organization will argue that chance-based token access mechanisms differ sufficiently from traditional gambling to avoid regulatory requirements. The legal framework will require courts to determine whether these digital vouchers constitute collectible memorabilia with incidental ticket access or gambling instruments that leverage payment, chance, and prize elements that trigger regulatory oversight.
The precedent established by this case could significantly influence global approaches to blockchain-based ticketing and tokenized event access systems, particularly when platforms incorporate randomization elements, secondary market trading, and speculative pricing dynamics. While blockchain ticketing was initially promoted as fraud reduction and access improvement technology, the convergence of payment requirements, chance-based allocation, and resale markets creates ambiguity about whether such systems function as event management tools or disguised gambling operations. International sports organizations, event promoters, and blockchain ticketing platforms will closely monitor the Swiss legal proceedings, as adverse rulings could prompt regulatory scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions and potentially require fundamental restructuring of how tokenized access rights are designed, marketed, and distributed. The outcome may determine whether NFT-based ticketing can coexist with gambling regulations or whether chance-based allocation mechanisms must be eliminated from blockchain ticketing systems to maintain legal compliance.
