TOGETHER AGAINST
MATCH-FIXING

Football should be fair, attractive, honest and exciting but football can only be exciting if nobody knows in advance what will happen in the 90 or more minutes of a match. Only if this condition is fulfilled football can continue to thrill millions of people week after week in the stadiums, on sports grounds and on the screens. The influenceability of the game and the unpredictability of its course and outcome are therefore the core of sporting competition, which must be protected at all costs. Match-fixing jeopardizes the integrity of competition and undermines the credibility of the sport, the players and the referees. They destroy fair sporting competition.

Back in 2012, DFL und DFB bundled their prevention measures and placed them on four different pillars with the launch of the project ‘Together Against Gambling Manipulation - don't fix the game!’. The objective of this project is to inform all those active in the domain of football early on about the dangers emanating from match-fixing and gambling addiction, then to take preventative measures. Help and information on dealing with gambling addiction can be found in the ‘contacts section’ and on the pages of the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA).

While the communication of information and education were focused on youth players at the start, since the 2018-19 season the obligation to attend prevention workshops has been extended to the licensed, i.e. professional teams of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. Since the 2020-21 season the teams of the 3. Liga, the Google Pixel women's league and 2^nd women's league and the players of the Virtual Bundesliga Club Championship by WOW are obliged to attend prevention workshops.

For information regarding the preventive measures in connection with the eFootball competitions of DFL and DFB please click here.

Match-Fixing

Fundamentally, two types of match-fixing exist: sports-related and betting-related manipulation.

Sports-related match-fixing

Sports-related manipulation is about influencing the progression and outcome of a professional sports match in such a way as to adversely influence fair competition in favour of the opponents and could be in order to either gain an advantage for players or for a third party. Exceptions to this are actions which are exclusively aimed at securing a sport-related advantage (e.g. intentional foul play). Actions such as these could still be sanctioned in accordance with the Legal and Procedural Regulations of the DFB. The reasons for an instance of pure sports-related manipulation could be of a sporting nature (e.g. to secure a promotion, avoid relegation, qualify to take part in an international competition, in order to have an easier opponent for the next match as a result of a match lost intentionally) or they could be of a financial nature. However, there is no connection between sports-related manipulation and the placing of bets. A sports-related manipulation is not only sanctionable in accordance with the regulations of the DFB, it could constitute a criminal offence in accordance with § 265d of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch). Further information about the relevant legal basis can be found here.

Betting-related match-fixing

Sports-related manipulation does not present the biggest danger. The danger which is by far the most significant does not originate within the world of football but rather from networks of organised criminals from outside the world of football. These people try to get players, referees, coaches or club officials to manipulate matches with the intention of making large profits on the world betting market. These criminals target all those who either directly or indirectly could influence the match and put these people under considerable pressure. One such influence on the progression and result of a match with the intention of winning and cashing-in on the proceeds of the associated bets is termed betting-related match-fixing and is punishable in accordance with § 265c of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch).

Basically, any type of sport and any league can be affected. Considering that by far the most sporting bets are placed on football matches, this is where special care is required. That is why the prevention of the manipulation of matches is taken most seriously by the DFB and DFL who act together in the interests of German football.

Sports Betting

Sports betting companies make use of the world-wide popularity of football as the basis of their businesses. The market for sports betting has grown continuously during recent years and has already reached a value worth billions. Betting on football is particularly popular. The current world-wide turnover of bets on German football is around €40 billion.

It is important to know that according to § 1 no. 2 and 3 of the Legal and Procedural Rules of the DFB; players, coaches, officials and referees are prohibited from betting on games of their own team or on games of competitions in which the own team participates. This also applies to bets on games or competitions in which other teams of the same club participate (for example youth teams, second teams). In addition, third parties (such as family, friends or acquaintances) must not be asked to place such bets themselves. Furthermore, according to the Youth Protection Act (Jugendschutzgesetz) and the State Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag), (sports) betting (and all other types of gambling) is prohibited for anyone under the age of 18.

Gambling addiction

You could well ask what the connection between gambling addiction and the manipulation of matches is. People who take part in gambling do not immediately become addicted. However, it can happen that after a first win, an individual could think that they have luck on their side, particularly if they have special knowledge and capabilities, such as a footballer betting on football matches for example. This phenomenon is known as the so-called ‘control illusion’. Scientific studies proved that having special knowledge and capabilities as a (professional) player do not influence the success in betting on football matches. The betting on football matches and on sport in general is gambling and will remain so. Having lost money once, there is a danger of placing higher bets and gambling more often, possibly with money which has been borrowed. The use of apps from various betting operators and placing live bets intensify this effect since a bet can be placed very easily at any time and in any place. In this way, debts and dependencies can occur.

The few persons who misuse football and football betting to their advantage by manipulating a sporting event know only too well what they are doing. Betting dishonestly always requires the use of someone within the world of football who can be exploited in order to achieve a desired result. In return, money may be offered or gambling debts written-off. The opportunity may seem enticing but anyone succumbing to this temptation becomes the object of the game themselves and ultimately loses. It develops into a vicious circle which can only be broken with help from outside.

In 2012 the DFB and DFL joined forces regarding the early detection and prevention of match-fixing and other irregularities in the operation of football matches to work together on the project “Together Against Match-Fixing – don’t fix the game!” and have developed this project continuously since then. The emphasis of this project is to inform not only players but also coaches, referees, club officials, management, and everyone associated with these about the dangers emanating from gambling addiction and from match-fixing and to take appropriate preventative measures.

The preventative measures of “Together Against Match-Fixing” have been packaged and grouped into four pillars of activities:

• Prevention workshops
• Rules and regulations
• Ombudsman
• Monitoring

Prevention Workshops

The DFB and DFL have developed a comprehensive programme of prevention workshops which initially concentrated primarily on youth players. Since the 2014-15 season all certified youth academies (of Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2, 3. Liga and Regional Leagues) have committed themselves, starting from the U16 up to U23 age group, to holding annual workshops on the prevention of gambling addiction and match-fixing, and to provide proof to the DFL or below Bundesliga 2 to the DFB that these have been carried out.

Since the start of the 2018-19 season the licensed, i.e. professional, teams of all 36 clubs of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 have committed themselves to participating once per season in a workshop on the prevention of match-fixing. As is the case for the youth academies, participation in these workshops is a pre-condition for the issue of a licence to compete in the respective leagues. The workshops for the licensed teams are conducted uniformly by the Association of Contract Soccer Players (Vereinigung der Vertragsfußballspieler, VDV) on behalf of the DFL.

The DFL Integrity App and an e-learning tutorial have been developed to supplement the workshops. Via the DFL Integrity App messages to report irregularities can be sent directly to the Ombudsman. The app is free and available in the App Stores, while the e-learning tutorial is reserved for the players of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 licensed teams and those in all accredited youth academies. It is only accessible via a log-in. In the e-learning tutorial details of the most important rules of behaviour and legal conditions are explained, as well as possible consequences.

In addition, since the 2020-21 season the DFB has been educating its leagues with a newly developed program which - similar to the measures of the DFL - includes an e-learning tutorial in addition to workshops. While the workshops are carried out by the long-time partner Association of contract soccer players (Vereinigung der Vertragsfußballspieler, VDV), the e-learning tutorial is part of a special online learning environment (edubreak®), which is also used for coaches’ training and development. Supported by in-house developed videos, the focus is on sustainable knowledge input and wide-ranging education on the topic of (betting- and sports-related) match-fixing.

In addition to the workshops for the 3. Liga, Google Pixel Women's League and 2nd Women's League, the DFB also makes its training materials (presentation and short film) available to the five regional and 21 state associations and offers the possibility of conducting prevention workshops on-site.

Rules and Regulations

The DFB and DFL have incorporated a range of rules in their regulations and contract documents which form a regulatory basis for combating match-fixing. On the one hand, this concerns the requirements for licensing (e.g. the obligation to participate in workshops) and on the other hand the prohibitions and obligations (e.g. the prohibition of match-fixing, prohibition of betting, prohibition of disclosure of inside information and the obligation to report, all of which are entrenched in the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations). The DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations relevant to match-fixing are also incorporated in the licensing and employment contracts for professional and contract players as well as the promotion contracts for youth players. Further information about the relevant legal basis can be found here.

Ombudsman

One of the first and most important preventative measures was the appointment of an ombudsman in 2011. The joint Ombudsman for the DFB and DFL, lawyer Dr Carsten Thiel von Herff, is an external and independent contact person. He is available as a confidential contact person for players, coaches, team staff, club officials and referees. His most important role is the recipient of information on (planned or actual) match-fixing or other irregularities in football and eFootball. In addition, he provides advice to everyone involved in football and eFootball on how to manage possible hazardous situations or suspicious circumstances.

Monitoring

A further key component of the preventative measures being taken by the DFB and DFL is ensuring comprehensive monitoring of betting markets.

The associations have been working with monitoring service providers since 2005, who support the DFL (Sportradar AG) and DFB (Genius Sports Ltd.) in the detection and analysis of possible betting-related match-fixing. Both providers record the sports betting offers and odds of over 600 relevant bookmakers worldwide and analyse conspicuous betting patterns and changes in odds. Comparable co-operations exist with numerous national and international sports associations, including FIFA, UEFA and other leagues.

On behalf of both associations (DFL und DFB), all matches from the Bundesliga to the Oberliga are thus monitored by the above-mentioned monitoring service providers.

The legal basis from which the code of conduct and punishments is derived is entrenched in the DFB Statutes and Regulations as well as in the National Law.

• DFB Statutes and Regulations
• National Law
• Contractual Requirements

DFB Statutes and Regulations

The regulations derived from DFB of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations are entrenched in the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations. Aspects regulated in these are the prohibition of match-fixing (§ 6a of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations), prohibition of betting (§ 1 No 2 and 3 of DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations), prohibition of disclosure of inside information (§ 1 No 2 and 3 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations) and also reporting obligations (§ 1 No 2 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations).

Breaches of these rules constitute unsportsmanlike conduct and will be sanctioned in accordance with § 44 of the DFB Statutes. Possible sanctions are suspension and fines.

In addition, the unsportsmanlike conduct of just one person can have consequences for the whole team. If it becomes known that a match was manipulated, the opponent can lodge an objection against the result of the match. This could lead to a replay of the match or the result of the match could be re-evaluated in favour of the opposing team (§§ 17, 17a of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations).

Irrespective of the sanctions applied to individual players or to the team, match-fixing can have far-reaching consequences for the club because the club will be remembered for a long time as having been involved in match-fixing. This damages the reputation of the club for a long period and discourages sponsors, thereby damaging the club’s finances. Spectators and fans could turn away from the club if they know that matches were fixed and a fair and unpredictable competition is no longer guaranteed.

Prohibition of Match-Fixing

§ 6a of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations stipulates the following: Whosoever in particular as a player, referee, coach or club official takes action to influence the course and/or the result of a football match and/or sporting competition by knowingly making false decisions or by some other unauthorised influence with the intention of gaining an advantage either for himself/herself or for a third party is guilty of match-fixing.

This does not apply to players who attempt to gain an exclusively match-related sporting advantage during a match by the infringement of a football rule; however, such players will still be subject to punishment for unsportsmanlike conduct in accordance with § 1 no 4 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations (sporting offence), which remains unaffected.

The result of a match, or the game itself must therefore never intentionally be influenced in any way contrary to good sportsmanship for the purpose of gaining an advantage for a person or for any third party.

Prohibition of Betting

According to § 1 No 2 and 3 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations, players, coaches, club officials and referees are forbidden from placing bets on matches of their own teams and on matches in competitions in which their own teams are taking part. This also applies to bets on matches or competitions in which other teams of their clubs are participating (e.g. youth teams and second teams). Furthermore, they are not permitted to ask third parties (e.g. family, friends or acquaintances) to place such bets on their behalf.

Prohibition of Disclosure of Inside Information

In accordance with § 1 no 2 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations players, coaches, club officials and referees are obliged not to disclose any sports betting-related information which is not accessible to the general public, or their specialist knowledge to any third parties.

The term ‘inside information’ means any information to which a person has access as a result of his function as player, coach, referee, club official etc. and which is not generally known. Examples of such inside information would be the information that a regular player in the team will not be chosen to play or any information at all about the team, strategies, the state of club finances or who the referee will be.

Such inside information must not be made accessible to third parties. Absolute confidentiality must therefore be maintained in particular on social networks but also in conversations with family and friends.

Reporting Obligation

Players, coaches, club officials and referees are obliged to immediately report any money or other benefit offered by third parties or by another club to fix matches (§ 1 no 2 and 3 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations). This applies irrespective of whether the player, coach, club official or referee received or did not receive money or a benefit, i.e. irrespective of whether he agreed or did not agree to manipulate the match.

Furthermore, just the knowledge of the existence of an infringement of the requirement to prohibit match-fixing and prohibit unlawful betting, or knowledge of the disclosure of inside information is subject to the reporting obligation – even when the player, coach, club official or referee him/herself has nothing to do with the infringement.

The reporting obligation can be fulfilled by making immediate contact with the DFB or the Ombudsman. There are several channels to report an incident.

National Law

National law stipulates that the manipulation of matches constitutes a criminal offence, irrespective of whether betting was involved or not.

The criminal offence of sport betting fraud is defined in § 265c of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch). This defines that athletes, coaches or persons who are considered comparable to these are guilty of an offence if either for themselves or for third parties they request, are promised or accept a benefit to influence the course or result of a match, resulting in a financial advantage which arises from public sports betting on this competition. Whether or not a regulation is actually violated is not relevant. In this way players can, for example, make themselves indictable just by promising to give an advantage by performing significantly below their capabilities, e.g. assisting the opposing team to score a goal by providing a weak defence.

In accordance with § 265d of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch) sports-related match-fixing fulfils the requirement for a criminal offence even if there is no connection to any sport betting. By contrast to the legal prerequisites for sport betting fraud, § 265d requires that there be an anti-competitive influence on the course or the result of a match. As a result, attempted ‘competitive-intrinsic’ advantages, or in other words: attempted competitive advantages of a typically sporting nature do not fulfil the legal requirements of § 265d. Moreover, a prerequisite is that it concerns only professional sports competitions.

‘Sports betting fraud’ or the ‘manipulation of professional sports competitions’ could lead to a fine or a term of imprisonment of up to three years, depending on the actual misconduct involved. Particularly serious cases § 265e German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch) could result in a term of imprisonment of up to five years.

Contractual Requirements

Regulations of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations in the area of match-fixing are also part of the licensing and employment contracts for professional and contract players, as well as for the promotion contracts for youth players. This means that in addition to the consequences under association law and the Criminal Code, the player's labour relations may also be affected.

Since 2011, the DFB and DFL have had an external Ombudsman to protect the integrity of sporting competition. Since the 2020-21 season the Ombudsman is also the point of contact for all players of the VBL Club Championship by WOW (VBL CC).

In his function as Ombudsman, Dr. Carsten Thiel von Herff is available as an independent contact person for anyone who can provide information of either planned or arranged match-fixing. In addition, he provides advice to everyone involved in football on how to manage possible hazardous situations or suspicious circumstances.

Information can also be provided anonymously, so in this way confidentiality is assured. The Ombudsman examines information of manipulation, passing anything suspicious on to the legal departments of the DFB and DFL and agrees on further action with those responsible.

Dr. Carsten Thiel von Herff is a full-time lawyer for compliance, antitrust and competition law. He is a former referee and coach in the areas of junior and amateur football and is also Ombudsman for other organisations. He has many years of experience in the prevention of corruption and match-fixing. In 2018 he was recipient of the award as the best compliance lawyer in Germany.

The Ombudsman is available 24 hours a day via email, phone or via the free hotline 00800-OMBUDSMAN. All you have to do is enter the letters OMBUDSMAN in the telephone keyboard and thereby automatically dial the Ombudsman’s telephone number (00800-662837626) as each letter corresponds to a number in the keyboard. For more information, see the ‘how to report section’.

Background

In order to strengthen the integrity of the Virtual Bundesliga Club Championship by WOW (VBL CC) and the DFB-ePokal powered by ERGO (DFB-ePokal) competitions and also to educate the participating players and clubs about the dangers of match-fixing, gambling addiction and betting, the DFL and the DFB are extending their commitment against match-fixing and the prevention measures against gambling addiction to the VBL CC and the DFB-ePokal starting from the 2020-21 season. As initial preventative measures, prevention workshops for the VBL CC-players were developed and extensive rules and regulations were included in the new Match Rules for the Club Competition of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL-SpO) and the Terms and Conditions of the DFB-ePokal.

Prevention Workshops

Since the 2020-21 season, participation in a prevention workshop is mandatory for all VBL CC-players. This prevention workshop is conducted at the beginning of each season and will sensitises the players of the VBL CC to the dangers of match-fixing, betting and gambling addiction, taking into account the special features of eFootball, in order to also strengthen the integrity of the VBL CC in the long term. 

Rules & Regulations

The Regulation on the Club Competition of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL-SpO) and the DFL-Model Player's Contract contain regulations on the prohibition of match-fixing, a betting ban and the prohibition of disclosure of inside information. The Terms and Conditions of the DFB-ePokal do also provide a ban for betting as well as match-fixing. In the event of violations, the DFL or the DFB can impose sanctions (e.g. suspensions, fines, loss of points or exclusion from participation in the competitions of the VBL CC) on the club but also on individual players. Besides this DFB and DFL Regulations, sports- or betting-related manipulation of an eFootball competition can also become a matter of criminal law.

Prohibition of Match-fixing

According to the Regulations on the Club Competition of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL-SpO) and the Terms and Conditions of the DFB-ePokal, any kind of match-fixing is prohibited. Match-fixing can be carried out in the field of eFootball in a similar way as in conventional football. However, match-fixing through deliberate misconduct (e.g. deliberate losing, so-called "throwing") is much easier and more effective to implement, as it is literally in the eFootballer's own hands how a game develops. In addition, unlike in conventional soccer, knowledge of game and programming errors (so-called bugs) or the use of cheats (so-called “cheating”) can be exploited to gain an advantage for oneself or a third party.

The manipulation of the VBL CC or DFB-ePokal could - depending on the legal opinion - be punishable as a ’manipulation of a professional sports competition’ according to § 265d of the Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch)  and be punished with a prison sentence of up to three years (in especially serious cases even up to 5 years, § 265e of the Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch).

Prohibition of Disclosure of Inside Information

According to the Tournament Regulations of the VBL-CC the disclosure of information not generally accessible by the public, that someone gains because of his function as a player, coach, referee, club employee, etc. and which can be used for betting (insider information) is prohibited. This is, for example, knowledge of game errors (so-called bugs), but also information concerning team tactics, team line-up or financial or personal problems that are not publicly known.

This inside information must not be disclosed to third parties. Therefore, absolute confidentiality is required, especially on social media and on gaming platforms (such as Twitch or YouTube), but also in conversations with family and friends.

Prohibition of Betting

For a few years now, the eSports industry has been enjoying enormous growth in popularity, with the consequence that various betting providers have also expanded their offerings to include eSports competitions. In 2023 alone, the global betting turnover on eSports competitions amounted to 2 billion euros. This also leads to eSports becoming the focus of criminals who want to gain betting advantages through match-fixing.

The betting ban in § 74 of the Regulations on the Club competition of the Virtual Bundesliga,(VBL-SpO), which is based on the betting ban of § 1 Nr. 2 and 3 Legal and Procedural Rules of the DFB, prohibits players from betting on their matches, matches of their team or on matches of the competitions in which the player himself/herself or his/her team is participating, or from asking third parties to bet on these matches and competitions.

The Terms and Conditions of the DFB-ePokal impose a general betting ban on the players, especially prohibiting bets on the DFB-ePokal.

The State Treaty on Gambling (Glückspielstaatsvertrag) does not explicitly regulate the handling of bets on eFootball competitions. Furthermore, such bets are increasingly offered on foreign betting markets, so that particular caution is required when participating in betting on eFootball competitions; in case of doubt, refrain from placing a bet. Minors are generally prohibited from participating in betting (and all other types of gambling) under the Youth Protection Act (Jugendschutzgesetz) and the State Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag).

The manipulation of an eFootball competition in order to achieve a betting profit constitutes ‘fraud’ pursuant to § 263 of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch) and could - depending on the legal opinion - constitute a punishable ‘sports betting fraud’ pursuant to § 265c of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch), which can be punished with a prison sentence of up to three 3 years (in especially serious cases up to 5 years, § 265e of the German Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch).

Consequences

A breach of the DFB-ePokal Terms and Conditions or of the Regulations on the Club competition of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL-SpO) may also lead to the following punitive measures: reset of a match to a fair state, awarding of a match in favour of the compliant player/team, warning or suspension of a player, for the respective and further seasons, suspension of a complete team or the obligation to return any prize (money)/winnings.

In addition to the consequences under DFL and DFB Regulations and Criminal Law (e.g. fines, suspensions, imprisonment) match-fixing, betting fraud and the disclosure of inside information can also have far-reaching consequences under civil law for the players, e.g. dismissals of employment and sponsorship or claims for damages.

Ombudsman

The Ombudsman, Dr. Carsten Thiel von Herff, also acts on behalf of the VBL CC-players and all persons involved in the VBL CC-competitions. In this function, he is available at any time as an independent contact person for players, coaches, referees, club officials, etc. in case of indications of planned or arranged match-fixing. In addition, he provides comprehensive advice on all issues related to match-fixing and betting. Information on how to contact him can be found here.

Gambling Addiction

In the context of eFootball, too, the prevention of gambling addiction and how to deal with betting and gambling in general are of central importance and thus a cornerstone of prevention workshops. 

Here, the focus is not only on the dangers of gambling addiction in connection with betting on eFootball, but also on the topic of "computer game addiction" itself. The Federal Center for Health Education (BzGA) has developed a "self-test" on this topic: https://www.ins-netz-gehen.de/check-dich-selbst/bin-ich-suechtig.

Experience and knowledge as a professional or ambitious eFootball player do not lead to being able to reliably predict the outcome of competitions and thus increase the chances of winning bets. Betting on eFootball competitions thus remains gambling. Once you have lost money, there is a risk of increasing stakes, playing more often, maybe even with borrowed money. The use of apps from various betting providers and participation in live betting intensifies this effect, as a bet can be placed very easily at any time and in any place. This can create debts and addictions that are exploited by members of criminal organizations by promising money or forgiving gambling debts in return for match-fixing.

Every attempt to encourage a player, coach or club official to influence a match must immediately be reported to the DFB in accordance with § 1 no 2 of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations.

All players and club officials of the DFL and DFB eFootball competitions thus are strongly advised and encouraged to report hazardous situations and suspicions related to match-fixing. For VBL CC players there is an obligation to report according to § 74a of the Match Rules for the Club Competition of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL-SpO). The reporting obligation is fulfilled by immediately contacting the Ombudsman Dr. Carsten Thiel von Herff.

The Ombudsman receives information of planned or completed manipulation or other irregularities in football and eFootball matches and, after initial checks, passes them on to the legal departments of the DFB and DFL. In this way the confidential treatment of information is assured.

Any incident in connection with manipulation of matches can be reported to the Ombudsman 24 hours a day via the free hotline 00800-OMBUDSMAN. This means that all you have to do is enter the letters OMBUDSMAN in the telephone keyboard and thereby automatically dial the Ombudsman’s telephone number (00800-662837626) as each letter corresponds to a number in the keyboard.

Alternatively, the Ombudsman can be reached via post, via email or via his mobile phone. 

Dr. Carsten Thiel von Herff
Thiel von Herff | Rechtsanwälte
Loebellstraße 4 
D-33602 Bielefeld

Phone: +49 521 557333-0
Hotline: 00800-OMBUDSMAN
Mobile: +49 151 58230321
Email: ombudsmann@thielvonherff.de

An incident can confidentially be reported by using the DFL Integrity App which can be downloaded for free via the corresponding App store.

The "Sports Manipulation Reporting Office" set up by the Federal Ministry of the Interior can also be used to confidentially report information and suspicions of match-fixing.

If you have any questions about match-fixing or want to provide information on a match-fixing case, please contact the Ombudsman confidentially at any time.

Dr. Carsten Thiel von Herff
Thiel von Herff | Rechtsanwälte
Loebellstraße 4 
D-33602 Bielefeld

Phone: +49 521 557333-0
Hotline: 00800-OMBUDSMAN
Mobile: +49 151 58230321
Email: ombudsmann@thielvonherff.de

If you have any questions about gambling addiction, please contact the Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (Federal Centre for Health Education).

Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA)
Ostmerheimer Strasse 220
D-51109 Cologne

Phone: +49 221 8992-0
Fax: +49 221 8992-300
www.bzga.de

On www.check-dein-spiel.de you can find information about gambling, its risks, as well as references to the different offers of help. For more information regarding Computer Game Addiction, please visit www.ins-netz-gehen.de/

Reading material, particularly on the risks of sports betting (brochures and flyers in German, English, Turkish, Arabic, Polish and Russian) as well as brochures and flyers about the education on the topic of gambling addiction for the target groups of affected adults, youths and their relatives can be ordered and downloaded here.

For general questions about the project ‘Together Against Match-Fixing’, the preventative measure or the E-Learning please contact:

• DFL [integrity@dfl.de] and
• DFB [integrity@dfb.de]