The ACT (Addressing Competitions' Manipulation Together) project, launched in April 2022 by the Council of Europe and supported by the United Lotteries for Integrity for Integrity in Sports (ULIS) and the World Lotteries Association (WLA), has been a key initiative in implementing the Macolin Convention, preventing competition manipulation and fighting illegal betting among other important topics. The project culminated with a final event, the "ACT Closing Conference: Safeguarding Sports Integrity," held in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, on April 3-4, 2025.
The conference in Canada marked the conclusion of a project that has achieved several milestones over the past three years. ACT successfully organized numerous events, including conferences in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Rabat. These events aimed at raising awareness and facilitate more effective cooperation at national and international levels on the evolving issue of competition manipulation. The project also provided technical assistance missions to countries like Iceland and Portugal, and launched studies examining the links between sports manipulation and betting, as well as evaluating the state of national platforms. These efforts have significantly increased the visibility of the Macolin Convention, having a positive impact on the increase of the number of countries ratifying it.
Looking ahead, the future of this initiative lies in the launch of ACT II, set to begin in May 2025. Building on the successes of its predecessor, ACT II will introduce new training programs, an annual awareness event on competition manipulation and illegal betting, and enhanced assistance to national platforms. The momentum generated by ACT I has laid a strong foundation for continued efforts to safeguard sports integrity based on the provisions of the Macolin Convention. ULIS and the WLA will continue to fully support this initiative.
