What happened?
Switzerland’s gambling authority Gespa has opened a preliminary review into FIFA’s “Right-to-Buy” tokens to see if they fall under gambling rules. The tokens aren’t tickets but conditional rights that let holders buy World Cup tickets if their chosen team qualifies. FIFA has moved its NFT platform to Avalanche and sold many tokens priced by team odds, with prices ranging from about $299 to $999.
Who does this affect?
Fans who bought or plan to buy RTB tokens are directly affected because the review could change how those tokens can be sold or used. FIFA, marketplace operator Modex, and the Avalanche infrastructure could face new compliance requirements or restrictions if regulators say the tokens are gambling. NFT marketplaces, secondary traders, sponsors, and other sports organizations experimenting with Web3 will also be watching the outcome closely.
Why does this matter?
If regulators classify RTB tokens as gambling, platforms may need to add age and geo-blocking, limit resales, or stop sales in some markets, which would cut demand and secondary-market liquidity. That would raise compliance costs and likely cool investor and fan appetite for sports NFTs, pushing projects toward more regulated or off-chain solutions. On the other hand, a quick clearance would be a green light that could boost mainstream adoption and valuations for similar fan-engagement tokens.