The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has partnered with the Professional Footballers’ Association Canada (PFA Canada) to design a sports-integrity education program for players and staff in the Canadian Premier League (CPL).

The program will touch on the dangers of sports betting-related match-fixing on the integrity of the league and their careers, as well as the potential to defraud operators and customers.

Approximately 300 players and staff will receive education from across the eight teams in Canada’s top-tier soccer competition. Training will be provided both in person and through online resources.

The program started in May and the agreement also stipulates that the program will also be delivered in 2025 to ensure new players joining the league also receive the education.

“IBIA’s members take their role – as responsible regulated betting operators – in protecting the integrity of sporting competition and of betting markets seriously,” said IBIA CEO Khalid Ali.

“Alongside balanced, efficient and evidenced-based regulation, protecting soccer players, staff and officials from being targeted by criminals is an essential first step to stamping out sports-betting related match-fixing and fraud.”

The CPL’s education program was made possible thanks to a commitment of CA$300,000 over three years from IBIA member operators, bet365, Betway, and FanDuel to create a Canada-wide athlete education program. The scheme is intended to address the potential threat to athletes, sport, and the regulated market from sports betting-related match-fixing and fraud.

“At FanDuel Canada, we recognize the critical role athlete education plays in maintaining sports integrity,” added FanDuel Canada General Manager Dale Hooper.

“We are thrilled to expand our engagement with IBIA through this new partnership helping to build a curriculum that will help athletes understand their role in protecting sport.”

The IBIA’s sports-integrity education program is a global offering and the body says that player education can significantly reduce the threat of sport betting-related match-fixing. Already in 2024, it has trained athletes at the European Boxing Championships in Serbia.

Earlier this week, Soft2Bet confirmed that it had joined the IBIA and activated its membership in Ontario, before implementing it to its other brands worldwide.

In March, the gaming platform provider announced that it had obtained a Certificate of Registration from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Gaining a license to operate was the next step in the process of launching the iGaming brand Tooniebet.com in the province.

Tooniebet.com will now feed into the IBIA’s sports betting integrity monitoring platform, which ensures betting integrity by detecting and reporting suspicious activity.