A new integrity training programme has been delivered to Canadian Football League (CFL) teams, bringing together the sport, betting operators, data and integrity specialists in a coordinated effort to better protect CFL athletes from match manipulation and fraud. The programme, led by the CFL’s official data partner, Genius Sports, and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), the leading betting integrity monitor in Canada, included face-to-face training.

This format allowed for direct engagement with players and supported more open discussion about the pressures and risks they may encounter. Athletes from all nine CFL teams took part in the training sessions, including teams in Edmonton and Calgary, both in Alberta. This is also due to launch its new licensing model for sports betting and gaming on 13 July. The sessions also included teams in Toronto and Hamilton in Ontario, which was the first Canadian province to open its market to private operators in 2022.

IBIA currently holds integrity monitoring registrations in Ontario and Alberta and works collaboratively with gambling regulators in those jurisdictions on betting integrity matters. The in-person trainings were delivered by IBIA’s Education Ambassador, Jean-François Reymond, former NFL, CFL and EFL player Anthony Mahoungou, Genius Sports’ Head of Integrity Operations, Stephen Emberson, and Special Counsel for Sports Integrity, Natalie St Cyr Clarke.

The sessions were structured around IBIA’s 3Rs approach: Rules, Responsibility, Report. Jean-François, as a former professional athlete, brought direct insight into the realities players face, the situations where integrity can be tested, and the best approach to engaging with athletes. “In-person training reflects a simple reality: integrity measures don’t work on paper alone, they work when athletes understand them, trust them, and use them,” he stated.

The training focused on practical scenarios, helping athletes to identify, resist and report approaches linked to match-fixing, the misuse of inside information and other forms of betting-related corruption. By prioritising prevention through education, the programme aims to address risks before they escalate.

Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA, said: “Sport’s integrity is only as strong as the investment and cooperation behind it. When leagues, athletes, operators and integrity bodies work together, and education truly connects, it moves from theory into action, creating a powerful tool to help athletes to recognise and respond to risks in real situations.”

Stephen Emberson said: “In the fight against betting-related corruption, education is an essential pillar to safeguarding both the participants and the competitions themselves. These workshops provided an invaluable platform to speak directly with the CFL players, demonstrating how individuals may seek to manipulate markets and the exact measures they should take to report anything suspicious.

Having the opportunity to deliver education in person, on topics such as social media risks, and gambling related harm, gave Genius Sports and the IBIA the opportunity to fully engage with the participants and giving them the tools to protect themselves and the league.”

“The integrity of our game is paramount,” said Eric Noivo, the CFL’s Associate Vice President, Health & Safety and Football Operations. “Working with our partners and industry leaders, while delivering in person training, reflects the commitment of the league, betting operators and integrity specialists to educate players and staff on match manipulation, its impacts and how to respond if confronted with it. There is no place for it in our game, and we will continue to take every step necessary to protect the CFL.”

The initiative reflects a broader approach across sport and betting towards prevention as the most effective way to protect integrity. By addressing risks early through education, awareness and direct engagement with athletes, stakeholders aim to reduce opportunities for misconduct before they arise. The impact extends beyond the dressing room, helping to safeguard competitions and regulated betting markets while protecting the credibility of sport as a whole.

IBIA’s involvement in this initiative is part of a CAD $300,000 investment committed by IBIA and its members, FanDuel, bet365 and Betway, to support integrity education and prevention measures in Canadian sport. This will include a third consecutive year of player education, conducted alongside PFA Canada, for Canadian Premier League (CPL) players and staff later this year.

About IBIA

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) is a not-for-profit association funded by betting operators committed to safeguarding betting integrity. Its Global Monitoring & Alert Platform (Global MAP) uses intelligence from 90+ members to identify and share alerts about suspicious betting activity across regulated markets worldwide.

Through its collaboration model, IBIA enables intelligence sharing between operators, sport’s governing bodies, regulators and law enforcement agencies. The organization helps prevent the manipulation of sports and betting markets through athlete education, policy guidance, and by promoting integrity standards.

About Genius Sports

Genius Sports is the official data, technology and broadcast partner powering the global sports, betting and media ecosystem. Often described as the operating system of modern sport, its technology is used in more than 150 countries, enabling highly immersive products that enhance fan experiences across the sports industry.

Genius Sports works with over 1,000 sports organizations, including many of the world’s largest leagues, teams, sportsbooks, brands and broadcasters—such as the NFL, English Premier League, NCAA, DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, Coca-Cola, EA Sports, CBS, NBC, and ESPN.

Its position in the market is strengthened by the use of AI, computer vision and big data to help shape the next generation of sports fan experiences. From augmented broadcasts and enhanced highlights to automated officiating tools, immersive betting solutions and personalized marketing activations, Genius Sports connects the broader sports value chain—from rights holders to fans.

About the Canadian Football League (CFL)

Deeply rooted in Canadian sporting culture and tradition, the Canadian Football League (CFL) features nine teams: the BC Lions, Edmonton Elks, Calgary Stampeders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Toronto Argonauts, Ottawa REDBLACKS, and Montreal Alouettes. Each team plays an 18-game regular season schedule, culminating in Canadian football’s ultimate prize, the Grey Cup—the country’s largest single-day sporting event, featuring Canada’s most-watched concert, the Bud Light Grey Cup Halftime Show.