27 May 2026 - 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, allowing for direct engagement with players and more open discussion about the pressures and risks they may encounter. Athletes across all nine CFL teams have taken part in the training sessions, including those in Edmonton and Calgary, both based in Alberta, which is due to launch its new licensing model for sports betting and gaming on 13 July. The sessions also included teams in Toronto and Hamilton, located 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 included the 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 full 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. That will include a third consecutive year of player education, conducted alongside PFA Canada, for Canadian Premier League (CPL) players and staff later this year.
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