The intervention of Lucas BergaminiThe world number 12, after his early elimination from the FIP World Cup Pairs 2025 in Kuwait, highlights a problem that extends beyond padel. The pressures associated with sports betting, which have become commonplace in other disciplines, are now beginning to affect padel players at an international level.

Bergamini targets the direct impact of sports betting

Eliminated in two sets with Lucas Leal by Maxi Sánchez Blasco and José Jiménez, Bergamini received many aggressive messages on social media.
The Brazilian denounced a worrying trend: "some lose their bets and then harass players from anonymous accounts."

This statement illustrates a phenomenon which, elsewhere, has already taken on much more violent proportions.

In tennis: a long and well-documented history

Tennis has long been one of the sports most vulnerable to the excesses of sports betting. Several major, well-documented cases demonstrate this:

• The case of Match-fixing in France (2020–2024)

Several investigations have led to the indictment of players and intermediaries for score manipulation in ITF and Challenger tournaments.
In France, at least five people have been charged, notably for having organized fixed bets on low-profile matches. (Paris Judicial Court / L'Équipe)

• Live insults at Rome Masters 1000 2024

During the tournament, Jaume Munar, Alex de Miñaur and Jakub Mensik were targeted by insults from bettors in the stands, seeking to influence the outcome of the games.
The Italian Federation expelled several troublemakers and issued lifetime bans of certain courts. (FITP / Gazzetta dello Sport).

• The case Nikoloz Basilashvili accusing the bettors

The Georgian player stated in a press conference that he received "hundreds of threatening messages" after every match where he "caused bets to lose". (ATP Media)

These cases demonstrate the depth of a problem that has been present for years in racket sports.

Football: threats, match-fixing and police operations

Football is one of the sports most affected by betting pressure, with cases uncovered across Europe.

• The case Sandhausen – Bundesliga 2 (2023)

Several SV Sandhausen players have testified to receiving threats after a match that resulted in significant losses in their bets. (Kicker / DFB)

• Operation “Penelope” in Spain

An extensive investigation led to the arrest of players involved in match manipulation in Segunda B and Tercera División. (Policia Nacional / El País).

• Ligue 1 indirectly affected

After a missed penalty or an unexpected match, several players (especially goalkeepers and full-backs) received torrents of abusive messages on Instagram.
French clubs had to contact the Central Directorate of Internal Security to report certain accounts. (LFP / RMC Sport)

Basketball and handball: the digital pressure is also setting in

European basketball has experienced several scandals and excesses:

• Euroleague – 2022 threats after a decisive match

Players from Maccabi Tel Aviv and Bayern Munich have reported receiving insults and threats from bettors demanding specific quarter results. (Euroleague Players Association)

• French Handball Championship – 2012 the emblematic case

The game Montpellier – Cesson-SévignéThe subject of a vast investigation led to several convictions for irregular betting involving players.
This is one of the first cases that led to a reform of sports betting regulations in France. (Montpellier Criminal Court)

Why is padel now affected?

With the explosion of professional padel and the proliferation of global broadcasters, betting operators have rushed into the breach.
Result:

  • Live betting on every game,
  • very rapid fluctuations in odds,
  • high accessibility of players on social media,
  • competitions visible in more than 100 countries.

The cocktail is identical to the one that fueled the excesses in tennis or football.

The message sent by Bergamini: anticipate before the worst happens

By making these abuses public, Lucas Bergamini seeks to prevent padel from experiencing the escalation seen in other sports.
His message comes as the FIP wants to strengthen the fight against sports manipulation and provide more protection for players.

If nothing is done, padel could quickly face the same excesses:
harassment, attempts at live influence, match manipulation in lower categories, and increasing psychological pressure.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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