Serbian Tennis Player’s 24-Year Ban Puts Match-Fixing Risk Back in View

The International Tennis Integrity Agency has suspended Serbian player Stefan Milićević for 24 years and fined him $70,000 after a match-fixing investigation. The case is unusually long in sporting terms, but the useful detail for a bettor is simpler: suspicious conduct can change the status of a market long after an odds screen has made a match look routine.

The ITIA says Milićević fixed six matches between 2022 and 2024, including five in which he played, and attempted to fix six more. It also says he recruited or tried to recruit other professional players. He did not respond to seven attempts to contact him, so the deemed sanction took effect on 9 October and runs until 8 October 2050.

Why one ban matters to a betting market

The suspension does not mean every tennis match or every small event is compromised. It does show why integrity agencies, sportsbooks and bettors need separate roles. The ITIA investigates conduct under tennis rules. A sportsbook decides how to suspend, void or settle a market under its published terms. A customer should not try to make that decision from a headline or a social-media rumour.

TopGamb’s explainer on sportsbook traders describes the checks behind a price, while the guide to market suspensions explains why an in-play line can disappear without implying that one side has won. The integrity story and the settlement story are connected, but they are not the same question.

What a bettor should check

If a market is suspended or removed, save the bet slip and the time shown in the account. Read the operator’s sport-specific rules for abandoned matches, investigations, player withdrawals and delayed results. A match-winner bet may have a different rule from a set, game or player-prop market.

That is why the settlement-rules guide is more useful than guessing from another bookmaker’s practice. Check the operator’s licence and complaints route too, using the legal-status checklist before depositing.

Integrity alerts are not a prompt to chase a price before the market closes. A sudden move can reflect information, liquidity or a suspension process; it is not proof that a bet is safer. The sanctions-screening explainer puts the wider compliance context around names and restrictions without treating an allegation as a verdict.

Reader questions

What did the ITIA find?

The agency says six matches were fixed, six more were targeted, and Milićević tried to recruit other players. The findings cover 2022 to 2024.

Does the ban void every bet on his old matches?

No. The ITIA sanction and a sportsbook’s settlement decision are separate. Check the operator’s rules and any account notice for a particular market.

What should I do if a match is suspended?

Do not add a new stake to resolve the uncertainty. Save the bet details, wait for the operator’s settlement notice and use the formal complaints route if the result is not handled under the published rule.

Responsible gambling note

Integrity news can make a market feel urgent. Keep the stake inside the budget you set before opening the sportsbook, and step away if the temptation is to bet faster because a price may disappear. GamCare can help if gambling is becoming difficult to control.

References

• International Tennis Integrity Agency: Stefan Milićević suspended for 24 years
• iGaming Business: Serbian tennis player gets 24-year ban for match-fixing
• International Betting Integrity Association: Integrity resources
• GamCare: Gambling support