1xBet, a partner of English top-flight soccer clubs Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, has suspended its UK operations following a 🧲 Sunday Times investigation into improper conduct.
The Russian gambling firm has blocked access to its site in the UK, but is 🧲 still actively promoting itself on social media, including relationships with its Premier League partners.
The Sunday Times investigation into the firm’s 🧲 global operations found that 1xBet was promoting a casino featuring topless croupiers, taking bets on children’s sports, advertising on illegal 🧲 websites and cockfighting live streams emblazoned with the three club’s logos. In response to the findings, the Gambling Commission confirmed 🧲 it had launched an investigation.
Some of the clubs’ top players, including Roberto Firmino, Willian and Olivier Giroud, have all fronted 🧲 campaigns for the Russian company, which is now based in Cyprus.
The three Premier League clubs, who finished second, third and 🧲 fourth last season, all have close ties to the 1xBet.
Last August, Tottenham revealed 1xBet as their official betting partner for 🧲 Africa. The firm’s licence has since been suspended in Kenya – a country with an endemic problem with gambling addiction 🧲 – over betting industry-wide tax issues.
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Liverpool only penned deals with 1xBet in July. Additionally, Spanish soccer champions 🧲 Barcelona, ranked as the world’s fourth most valuable sports team, have a global betting partnership with the company until June 🧲 2024.
In response, 1xBet blamed its overseas marketing partners for its promotions and advertising on piracy websites.
The company told the Sunday 🧲 Times: “If any of these third-party networks or partners are found to advertise the 1xBet brand on prohibited sites or 🧲 sites which break the law, 1xBet shall investigate immediately.”
Betting tech company FSB Technology said players deposits would be protected on 🧲 the suspended website and told the Sunday Times that it had always complied with UK regulations, adding it would renew 🧲 its licensing agreement with 1xBet.
Tottenham told the UK weekly that 1xBet had assured them that it provides a safe environment 🧲 to protect people from “irresponsible gambling and addiction”.
Liverpool confirmed to the Sunday Times that there were restrictions on their partnership 🧲 deals to ensure all marketing content was appropriate.
Chelsea did not respond to a request for comment from the newspaper.
The Gambling 🧲 Commission is investigating allegations into breaches of gaming and advertising regulations.
1xBet, a partner of English top-flight soccer clubs Chelsea, Liverpool 🧲 and Tottenham Hotspur, has suspended its UK operations following a Sunday Times investigation into improper conduct.
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The Russian gambling firm has blocked access to its site in the 🧲 UK, but is still actively promoting itself on social media, including relationships with its Premier League partners.
The Sunday Times investigation 🧲 into the firm’s global operations found that 1xBet was promoting a casino featuring topless croupiers, taking bets on children’s sports, 🧲 advertising on illegal websites and cockfighting live streams emblazoned with the three club’s logos. In response to the findings, the 🧲 Gambling Commission confirmed it had launched an investigation.
Some of the clubs’ top players, including Roberto Firmino, Willian and Olivier Giroud, 🧲 have all fronted campaigns for the Russian company, which is now based in Cyprus.
The three Premier League clubs, who finished 🧲 second, third and fourth last season, all have close ties to the 1xBet.
Last August, Tottenham revealed 1xBet as their official 🧲 betting partner for Africa. The firm’s licence has since been suspended in Kenya – a country with an endemic problem 🧲 with gambling addiction – over betting industry-wide tax issues.
Meanwhile, Chelsea and Liverpool only penned deals with 1xBet in July. Additionally, 🧲 Spanish soccer champions Barcelona, ranked as the world’s fourth most valuable sports team, have a global betting partnership with the 🧲 company until June 2024.
In response, 1xBet blamed its overseas marketing partners for its promotions and advertising on piracy websites.
The company 🧲 told the Sunday Times: “If any of these third-party networks or partners are found to advertise the 1xBet brand on 🧲 prohibited sites or sites which break the law, 1xBet shall investigate immediately.”
Betting tech company FSB Technology said players deposits would 🧲 be protected on the suspended website and told the Sunday Times that it had always complied with UK regulations, adding 🧲 it would renew its licensing agreement with 1xBet.
Tottenham told the UK weekly that 1xBet had assured them that it provides 🧲 a safe environment to protect people from “irresponsible gambling and addiction”.
Liverpool confirmed to the Sunday Times that there were restrictions 🧲 on their partnership deals to ensure all marketing content was appropriate.
Chelsea did not respond to a request for comment from 🧲 the newspaper.
Chelsea FC
