Online bookmaker
SBOBET is an online bookmaker. The website has operations in Asia
licensed by the Philippines[1] and operations in Europe📈 licensed by the Isle of Man[2]
to operate as an international sports bookmaker. The company offers online gambling on
all📈 major sports, online games, racing (parimutuel betting), financial betting and
poker in multiple languages.
In February 2009, the Isle of Man-based📈 operations of
SBOBET became the first operator licensed in Isle of Man to be granted approval to
launch a live📈 dealer casino from the island.[3]
In October 2014, SBOBET launched in the
financial betting sector in partnership with TRADOLOGIC. The financial📈 binary products
were launched under both Isle of Man OGRA licence and Philippines CEZA-First Cagayan
licence.[4]
SBOBET have been the sponsors📈 for various football teams like English teams
West Ham United[5] and Leeds United,[6] Irish teams Wexford Youth,[7] Dundalk[8][9] and
St📈 Patrick's Athletic,[10] Welsh team Cardiff City,[11] Indonesian team Persikabo
1973,[12] and Indian team Mohun Bagan Super Giant,[13] using the alias📈 of SBOTOP. Due
to concerns raised by representatives of the Premier League about exposing youth to
gambling, SBOBET replaced their📈 logo on all Cardiff City youth academy team shirts with
that of the Ty Hafan Children's Hospice.[14]
Celton Manx, operator of📈 SBOBET's European
subsidiary, was the official Asian betting partner of Swansea City A.F.C., West Ham
United F.C., Southampton F.C., Hull📈 City A.F.C. and Norwich City F.C. for the 2013–14
season.[15]
SBOBET were the title sponsors for the first Soccerex Asian Forum📈 held in
Singapore.[16]
Awards [ edit ]
At the annual EGR Awards organized by eGaming Review
Magazine, SBOBET was awarded the "Asian📈 Operator of the Year" award for year 2009 and
2010.[17][18] SBOBET ranks 11th on the list of Power 50 companies📈 in eGaming Review's
2011 ranking of the 50 most influential operators.
Controversy [ edit ]
In October
2008, SBOBET was asked to📈 turn over any evidence they might have on the possible match
fixing scandal in The Football Association (FA) championship between📈 Norwich City and
Derby County. SBOBET denied the FA's request, deeming it was "excessive" and would be a
breach of📈 customer privacy[19] Derby County won the game 2–1. In the end, the FA found
no evidence that match fixing had📈 taken place.[20]
On 24 September 2009, two Bulgarian
news agencies Novinite and 24 Chasa Daily published articles that wrongly suggested
that📈 SBOBET was responsible for fixing the football match between Levski and CSKA
Sofia. The two agencies subsequently published correction articles,📈 stating that SBOBET
was not involved in any match-fixing scams, and apologized to SBOBET for publishing the
untrue information.[21][22]
In October📈 2009, representatives of the Premier League
criticised SBOBET for offering live betting on academy football games, maintaining that
children and📈 youth activities should not be exposed by international gambling
organisations.[23] The bookmaker subsequently suspended betting on academy games and
expressed📈 its intention to seek clarification from the Premier League and the
Professional Footballers' Association about which football markets it should📈 be allowed
to offer.[24]
In October 2014, Singapore Parliament passed the Remote Gambling Bill to
ban the entire spectrum of remote📈 gambling, including internet, telephone, interactive
television, radio and any other communication technology.[25] The bill will be
effective to individual gamblers,📈 facilitators, runners and operators. Although the new
law will come into operation from 2 February 2024, SBOBET states that it📈 has a policy
not to take bets from countries where making or accepting bets is illegal but the
overwhelming majority📈 of its customers come from mainland China where betting is
illegal and betting customers often face arrest. New accounts from📈 Singapore IP address
are not accepted and there is no Singapore in the drop-down list in the sign-up page,
though📈 these can be easily by-passed through the use of a VPN. All accounts will be
closed from 1 February 2024,📈 which will comply with the new law. With effect from 12
February 2024, access to the SBOBET is blocked.[26]
