SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Austrian news sources have reported that former Bwin leaders Manfred Bodner and Norbert Teufelberger are facing charges of bribery relating to the firm’s 2007 application for a sports betting licence for Turkey.
The former Bwin executives have been accused by a Vienna public prosecutor of paying €2.25 million in order to bribe Turkish officials.
Bodner and Teufelberger are set to face charges imposed by Austrian law courts with regards to bribery, corruption, money laundering and breach of trust attached to national business standards.
Austrian business news source TREND, has detailed that the charges relate to Bwin’s attempts to gain a Turkish sports betting licence in 2007. The company is reported to have hired several lobbyist to help with its application.
Bwin would receive a sports betting licence, which would latter be annulled by Turkish authorities who stated that its terms were non legitimate. The operator would write-down the €2.25 million as a consultancy fee.
Representatives of Bodner and Teufelberger have moved to dismiss the charges, stating that the allegations were “without merit”. Both of the execs were “fully confident” that the courts would side with them “in due course.”
Norbert Teufelberger remains a non-executive director at bwin.party following the completion of its merger with London AIM listed GVC Holdings, whilst Manfred Bodner holds no ties with the current company.
