Recent reports around the partnership of racing live feed supplier SIS with Santeda, an operator not licensed in the UK, has prompted Entain to voice its ‘serious concerns’ about the deal.
According to documents obtained through the data leak from the Curaçao gambling authority, SIS entered into a commercial agreement with unlicensed bookmaker Santeda in 2022, which is possible to have lasted as far as this year.
Shareholders in SIS are some of the biggest UK gambling brands, including Entain (23.4%), evoke (19.5%), Betfred and The Tote (13.5% collectively).
Because of the ownership structure, in addition to the gambling operators also being SIS clients, the racing feed provider maintains independence in its governance affairs, including media rights deals.
SBC News understands that neither Betfred or Entain knew of the commercial undertaking between SIS and Santeda.
Entain explained that it was “surprised and disappointed” about the reports, and that it has taken the issue with the SIS Board.
The operator added: “Entain, as a minority shareholder and to ensure compliance with competition law, is not a party to the commercial or customer arrangements SIS decides to strike. Now that this relationship has come to light, we take it very seriously and have raised our concerns to SIS.
“Entain’s position on illegal gambling is clear and unchanged: we support robust enforcement against unlicensed operators.”
Entain’s position largely reflects its historic stance on the black market, which has seen the operator appealing directly to UK regulators and football governing bodies about the prominence of unlicensed platforms in its home market.
SBC News has also reached out to SIS, evoke, and The Tote for a comment.
