FIBA Picks Gambling Company 1xBet as Global Betting Partner

FIBA, the world’s basketball governing body, has promoted 1xBet, a popular casino and sports wagering company, to be its official Global Betting Partner through December 2027. The partnership is intended to strengthen the sports’ reach owing to 1xBet’s presence across the globe.

1xBet to Boost FIBA’s Integrity Efforts in Basketball

1xBet will promote national and international basketball formats and focus on pushing the traditional five-versus-five format while highlighting smaller formats, such as three-versus-three. FIBA will work with 1xBet to establish a digital presence across each company’s platforms, leading to better fan engagement and game awareness.

1xBet will similarly contribute financially to FIBA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the integrity of international sports. 1xBet will have a Single Point of Contact for integrity who will be charged with working closely with FIBA and investigating any potential integrity issues.

Independent governing bodies have been more open to working with sports betting companies that are willing to act quickly in the case of match manipulations and provide relevant data to uncover fraud and integrity breaches. Commenting on this opportunity, 1xBet chief gaming officer Valerii Kharitonov had this to say:

“Signing an agreement with FIBA is a strategic step that opens up very significant opportunities for promoting our brand. The partnership will increase fan engagement and help create exclusive content. We love this game and are ready to actively promote basketball on all continents.”

He was joined by FIBA director general of media and marketing services Frank Leenders who said that the organization was thrilled to welcome 1xBet as its newest Global Partner tasked with not just boosting awareness for the game globally, but also leveraging technology and innovation to stamp out fraud.

1xBet also scored another major partnership with a soccer club this summer when it renewed its existing partnership for a period of five years with FC Barcelona.

Criticism Does Not Undermine 1xBet’s Reputation

1xBet has not always been covered in a positive light by the media. Bellingcat, an investigative outfit of journalists, has repeatedly criticized the operator for what it has called out to be questionable practices, and even “staging” of events or accepting wagers on children’s events.

Regardless of the allegations, 1xBet’s international reputation has remained intact, and the company will be now stepping into its new position as a leading Global Betting Partner for FIBA.

In 2023, 1xBet reached the finals of the EGR Operator Awards, an esteemed industry format that distinguishes the very best companies in the sector.