• Source: 1xbet

1xBet is an online gambling company licensed by Curaçao eGaming License. It was founded in 2007, is based in Cyprus, and licensed in Curacao.
The organisation operates a franchise business model. Following revelations into the company's finances, it is not allowed to operate in a variety of countries 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. Amid these controversies, the company changed its focus to Africa, South America and India.
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. The company has also accepted betting on cockfighting. Despite the controversial nature of the company, it is a sponsor of FC Barcelona until 2029 and Paris Saint-Germain until 2025.




History


The company was founded in Russia by Roman Semiokhin, Dmitry Kazorin, and a former Russian intelligence agent named Sergey Karshkov (d. June 2023). By 2021, their company had made more than US$655 mln in illegal gambling.
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.
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.
In June 2023, 1xBet was named 'Sportsbook Operator of the Year' at the SiGMA Americas Awards.
In October 2023, Congolese musician Maître Gims became an ambassador for 1xBet.
As of November 2023, the 1xBet gaming platform is visited by more than 3 million registered users each month.
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.
In March 2024, 1xBet reduced the minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts for clients in the Republic of Congo.
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.




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."
1xBet features on Russia's payment processor and Federal Tax Service blacklist.
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.




Criminal investigation


In early 2020, awareness was raised of an unlawful practice, an international arrest warrant was issued by Russian authorities. 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". All three have Cypriot citizenship. 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.
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.
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.
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. The individuals state that 1xBet structurally deniеs the legitimate wins of players with millions of euros in unpaid winnings. In January 2023, 1xCorp MV was declared bankrupt by the Dutch Supreme Court in the Netherlands.




References






External links


Official website

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