Online betting firm 1XBet has responded to allegations of irresponsible behaviour following its UK website closure.
An investigation by The Sunday Times discovered on Sunday that the site allowed betting on cockfighting and children’s sports and had promoted topless croupiers on its website. The betting site was also found promoting advertisements on illegal sites such as file-sharing websites.
The 1XBet website has since shut down but the firm has denied the allegations and shifted the blame onto third-party networks and said it was working with the UK Gambling Commission to address the issues and secure a gambling license to once again operate in the UK.
In a statement, a 1XBet spokesperson said: “We take very seriously the allegation that 1XBet’s brand has been promoted on prohibited sites. We have launched an immediate internal investigation to ensure we improve our monitoring in this regard.
“Further, we have retained the services of an additional team including the UK’s leading specialist gaming and gambling consultants to advise us on all matters relating to this market.”
The spokesperson added: “We are an established, international gaming company, which abides by all the relevant laws and regulations in every jurisdiction in which we operate. We are fully committed to creating an environment that protects people from irresponsible gambling and addiction.
“We wish to reassure you that our application for a full UK operating license is on track and we are fully committed to the UK market.”
News of the allegations came out this week and the betting site, which is powered by FSB Tech and regulated by Curacao, is now closed to all UK players but is still operating across Europe.
The UK Gambling Commission reportedly told iGamingBusiness that it was launching an enquiry into 1XBet and its relationship with operator FSB Tech. However, the organisation refused to further discuss the issue.
The news comes after as the UK Gambling Commission tightens its rules over online gambling. The organisation is set to launch a 12-week consultation on credit card use with online casinos and recently launched new policies which better protect online gamblers.
The UK government has also been clamping down on gambling after reducing the maximum stake limit on fixed-odds betting terminals from £100 to £2. It’s also now considering raising the age limit for National Lottery games from 16 to 18.
Meanwhile, the NHS launched the first-ever gambling clinic for children alongside several other clinics for gambling addicts throughout the country.
