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1xBet
Type of businessFranchising
Type of site
Private
Available inEnglish
Russian
Founded2007
Headquarters
Limassol
,
Cyprus
Area servedInternational
Key peopleAlex Sommers (spokesperson)[1]
IndustryOnline gambling
ServicesOnline betting & gaming
Employees5000 (2022)[2]
Subsidiaries1xbetaffiliates, partners1xbet
URL1xbet.com

1xBet is an online gambling company licensed by Curaçao eGaming License. It was founded in 2007, is based in Cyprus, and licensed in Curacao.[3]

The organisation operates a franchise business model.[4] Following revelations into the company's finances, it is not allowed to operate in a variety of countries[5] including the US, UK, Russia, France and Spain. International arrest warrants have been issued for the company's three founders, one of whom reportedly died in Switzerland in 2023.[3] Amid these controversies, the company changed its focus to Africa, South America and India.[6]

1xBet is one of the world's largest online casinos, accepting bets on amateur sporting events, including children's sports, broadcast live on its website.[3] The company has also accepted betting on cockfighting.[3] Despite the controversial nature of the company, it is a sponsor of FC Barcelona until 2029 and Paris Saint-Germain until 2025.[3]

History

The company was founded in Russia by Roman Semiokhin, Dmitry Kazorin, and a former Russian intelligence agent named Sergey Karshkov (d. June 2023).[6] By 2021, their company had made more than US$655 mln in illegal gambling.[3]

In March 2020, 1xBet confirmed the company's expansion into the Mexican market following its approval for an operational licence. The company also announced its plan to focus on the esports betting market within the Latin American country.[7]

In March 2022, 1xBet expanded into the Chilean market by signing a partnership agreement with the Chilean football championship, with the company becoming part of the 138 matches of the 2022 season.[8]

In June 2023, 1xBet was named 'Sportsbook Operator of the Year' at the SiGMA Americas Awards.[9]

In October 2023, Congolese musician Maître Gims became an ambassador for 1xBet.[10]

As of November 2023, the 1xBet gaming platform is visited by more than 3 million registered users each month.[11]

In December 2023, 1xBet began offering Cameroonian bettors the option of receiving winnings in cash and placing bets online, offline, or choosing a hybrid option. The company provides multiple payment methods and betting markets to cater to different preferences and enhance the overall convenience for users.[12]

In March 2024, 1xBet reduced the minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts for clients in the Republic of Congo.[13]

Despite criminal prosecution in several countries, 1xBet secures major sponsorship contracts, for example, it remains the sponsor of FC Barcelona until 2029 and sponsors FC Paris Saint-Germain in seasons 2022–25. As of 2024, the monthly average number of visitors to its platform exceeds 5 mln, the company has passed the first round of license applications to legally operate in Brazil.[3]

Controversies

Following an investigation by The Sunday Times in 2019, 1xBet's licence was rescinded by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) after revelations of involvement ‘promoting a "pornhub casino’, bets on children's sports and cockfighting, and advertising on illegal websites."[14][15][3]

1xBet features on Russia's payment processor and Federal Tax Service blacklist.[16][17]

In 2024, Bellingcat and the platform Josimar reported that 1xBet allegedly organized thousands of live-streamed amateur games involving fake teams and children as young as 14 years old.[18][19]

Criminal investigation

In early 2020, awareness was raised of an unlawful practice,[20] an international arrest warrant was issued by Russian authorities.[3] Later, in August 2020, the Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Russian Bryansk Region released the names of the supposed creators of 1xBet. These are "Sergey Karshkov", "Roman Semiokhin" and "Dmitry Kazorin".[21] All three have Cypriot citizenship.[20] The trio are suspected of organizing the online bookmaker 1xBet, and are defendants in a criminal case, with penalty of imprisonment. A number of estates in Russia with a total value of 1.5 billion rubles were seized.[21]

In 2021, Parlan Law Firm announced a search for victims of 1xBet in Russia. The company has organized a service for filing applications to the investigative committee. They filed a lawsuit against the owner of the Russian version of 1xBet – bookmaker 1xStavka.[22]

In 2023, Morocco's National Judicial Police Brigade (BNPJ) opened a mass investigation into 1xBet among other gambling websites on charges of operating an illegal gambling enterprise following a complaint by MDJS.[23][3]

In November 2021 1xBet's subsidiary company, 1хCorр MV, filed for bankruptcy in a Curaçao court after it refused to refund a group of gamblers represented by the foundation for curaçao gaming victims. The company was declared bankrupt in June 2022 but continued to operate.[24] The individuals state that 1xBet structurally deniеs the legitimate wins of players with millions of euros in unpaid winnings.[25] In January 2023, 1xCorp MV was declared bankrupt by the Dutch Supreme Court in the Netherlands.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ Specter, Heidi (4 August 2019). "Interview with Alex Sommers, 1xBet Spokesperson: 'We're trying to create new products'". GamblingNews. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  2. ^ "1XBET renews Partnership with FC Barcelona".
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Stream Teams: Battery Farming Sport For Bets". Bellingcat. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Start a Betting Business With 1xBet Franchise | Bett-market". bett-market.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  5. ^ Belot, Henry (1 March 2024). "Cricket Australia paid to promote affiliate of controversial gambling company during Boxing Day Test". the Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b Williams, Sean (15 September 2023). "The Wild Quest to Create a Fake Indian Cricket League ... That Was Just the Beginning". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  7. ^ "1xBet confirms Mexican expansion following license approval". 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  8. ^ "1xBet expands in Chile with football deal". agbrief.com. 22 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  9. ^ "1xBet named Sportsbook Operator of the Year in Latin America". Focus Gaming News | Latest Gambling Industry News & Updates. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Maître Gims devient nouvel ambassadeur de 1xBet". ouragan.cd. 19 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  11. ^ Nigeria, Politics (30 November 2023). "1xBet becomes Operator of the Year in Sport Betting in Nigeria". Politics Nigeria. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  12. ^ BAFELI, Franck (5 December 2023). "Actualités CAMEROUN :: 1xBet te propose de parier en ligne et de recevoir les gains en espèces :: CAMEROON News". camer.be (in French). Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Réduction des montants de dépôt et de retrait : 1xBet répond aux besoins des clients du Congo". Les Echos du Congo Brazzaville (in French). 11 January 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  14. ^ Ungoed-Thomas, Jon; Bacon, Lucy. "Premier League clubs accused over links with betting firm". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  15. ^ "FSB suspends 1xBet white label following Sunday Times investigation – EGR Intel". 12 August 2019.
  16. ^ "UKGC Opens Probe into 1xBet UK Brand on Reported Regulatory Breaches". GamblingNews. 13 August 2019. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  17. ^ "What is the bookmaker 1XBet famous for? (rbc description)". www.rbc.ru. 11 August 2020. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Stream Teams: Battery Farming Sport For Bets". Bellingcat. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  19. ^ Auclair, Philippe; Brown, Andy; Kerr, Jack; Kunti, Sam; Menary, Steve (21 October 2024). "Child's play". Josimar. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  20. ^ a b Gm, Ebene Magazine- (10 December 2020). ". EbeneMagazine – RU – "The stars wear their symbols, but no one knows the owners": the main thing from the Forbes text about the founders of the bookmaker 1xBet.. ru". EBENE MAGAZINE (in French). Archived from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  21. ^ a b "СК назвал подозреваемых в создании запрещенного букмекера 1XBet". РБК (in Russian). 11 August 2020. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Клиент 1XBet подал в суд на букмекера и платежные системы Подробнее на РБК". rbc.ru. 22 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  23. ^ El Hourri, Abdelali (14 November 2023). "Plainte de la MDJS contre 1xBet : la BNPJ entre en scene". Medias24.
  24. ^ "Russian gambling company bankrupt but still in business in Curaçao". www.curacaochronicle.com. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  25. ^ Woerd, Frank Op de (18 August 2021). "Belangenbehartiger doet aangifte tegen Curaçaose licentieverstrekker Cyberluck om fraude 1xBet". CasinoNieuws.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  26. ^ Lars (20 January 2023). "Bankrupt and expanding". Josimarfootball.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  27. ^ Davidson, David; Smits, Henk Willem; Koens, Remy (20 June 2023). "Crypto billions and illegal gambling sites: 'Russian' 1xBet conquers the world from Curaçao". Follow the Money – Platform for investigative journalism. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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