A total of 114 players and club officials placed more than 1,000 bets on Finnish floorball matches between 2021 and 2025, a probe revealed.
A total of 114 players and club officials placed more than 1,000 bets on Finnish floorball matches between 2021 and 2025, according to an investigation by the Finnish Sports Ethics Centre (SUEK).
The report, submitted yesterday (2 October) to the Finnish Floorball Federation’s disciplinary department, details “extensive and long-lasting” violations of betting rules.
The investigation found that just 10 individuals, including players, sports directors, managers, assistant coaches and guardians, were responsible for around 80% of the violations.
Bets were sometimes placed on their own teams, including wagers against themselves.
One individual placed 184 bets worth over €8,600, marking the largest single case uncovered.
Another player is suspected of using both his own account and that of a close contact to wager “a significant amount,” but SUEK said it lacked the powers to fully investigate.
“The large number of people who placed bets and the large number of bets placed indicate that the illegal activities have been extensive and long-lasting,” said SUEK’s head of investigation Jouko Ikonen.
Insider information cases
SUEK also examined suspicions of insider information being used in two matches: Finland–Norway at the 2024 World Cup in December last year and the Classic–SPV semi-final in the F-League in April.
In the World Cup case, abnormal betting patterns emerged before team lineups were officially published.
Veikkaus, the state betting operator, flagged the activity.
SUEK interviewed those involved, who denied passing on or using inside knowledge, but said its powers do not allow access to phones or communications that might clarify suspicions.
In the Classic–SPV case, Classic issued a members-only press release on the eve of the game revealing lineup difficulties due to illness.
SUEK concluded the early disclosure was a “human error” rather than deliberate sharing of inside information.
No match-fixing, but widespread breaches
SUEK stressed that no evidence of match-fixing was found, meaning police will not be contacted.
However, the case exposed gaps in insider information rules, which the Finnish Olympic Committee is now reviewing as part of a broader reform of sports discipline.
The Finnish Floorball Federation will decide on sanctions for domestic matches, while the International Floorball Federation may take up the World Cup case.
Floorball is an indoor team sport, similar to ice hockey but played on foot with lightweight plastic sticks and a small plastic ball.