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Who would have thought that ordinary digital cards would cause so much noise? It would seem that these are just modern analogues of football player stickers that were collected in childhood. FIFA has decided that this is a great way to earn money and step into the future. But for the leaders of the organization, this technological innovation has turned into serious problems with the Swiss authorities, and it's no longer just an administrative fine.

The Swiss gambling regulator GESPA conducted an investigation and referred the case to the prosecutor's office. FIFA may now face criminal charges. All because of their FIFA Collect platform, which, according to the supervisory authority, crossed the line between ordinary collecting and gambling, which is subject to strict control.

Instead of simply buying virtual assets, FIFA involved users in contests where participation required placing a bet, and the main reward was real money. In fact, the winner was determined randomly, which according to Swiss law is nothing more than a lottery. To hold lotteries in Switzerland, you need a special permit, which FIFA Collect, of course, did not have.

This scandal seriously undermines the reputation of all large-scale digital initiatives of the organization. Let's recall that FIFA actively developed Web3, launching collections on the blockchains of Algorand and Polygon. Of particular interest were the unique tokens that give fans a chance to win, for example, a ticket to the 2026 World Cup finals. Now, these projects may be suspended due to the investigation.

The FIFA Collect story shows that even large international organizations can face legal challenges in the digital world. The desire to learn new technologies and make money from them led to a legal conflict. The result of this case will show everyone where digital souvenirs end and gambling begins, requiring regulation.