UK Betting Operators Face Scrutiny Over 2022 Offshore Deal Revealed in Curaçao Files

The Guardian published findings on 1 October 2026 that traced connections between three major UK-licensed betting companies and an offshore casino network operating through Curaçao regulation. Ladbrokes owner Entain, William Hill owner Evoke, and Betfred each hold stakes in Sports Information Services, known as SIS, and those holdings produced dividends tied to a 2022 agreement with the Santeda network. The arrangement surfaced through thousands of confidential files released in the Casino Secrets leak from the Curaçao gambling regulator.

Ownership Structure and Dividend Flows

Entain, Evoke, and Betfred maintain ownership positions in SIS, a content provider that supplies racing and sports data to betting operators. Under the 2022 deal SIS extended services to Santeda, an entity linked to multiple Curaçao-licensed sites that UK authorities have accused of directing marketing toward British players. Company filings and internal records examined in the reporting show that SIS paid millions in dividends to its shareholders during the period the agreement remained active, yet the UK firms have stated that internal controls blocked their direct involvement in day-to-day decisions.

Observers note that the same companies have repeatedly warned UK policymakers that higher remote-gambling taxes could push customers toward unregulated offshore platforms. The Guardian article places those public statements alongside the dividend records that originated from the Santeda relationship, creating a documented link between the firms' ownership interests and revenue streams connected to offshore activity.

Details from the Casino Secrets Leak

The Casino Secrets files comprise internal correspondence, licensing applications, and compliance reports held by the Curaçao regulator. Among the documents are references to Santeda entities that operated websites targeting UK audiences despite lacking British licences. Reporting indicates that SIS entered the 2022 commercial arrangement after Santeda sought reliable data feeds for its sports betting products. Dividend distributions recorded in SIS accounts rose in the following years, and the three UK shareholders received proportional shares of those payments.

Company spokespeople have maintained that board-level oversight and contractual safeguards prevented knowledge of specific customer bases or marketing practices used by Santeda sites. The Guardian reporting does not present evidence that the UK firms directed or approved those practices, but it records that the financial benefits flowed through the shared ownership of SIS regardless.

Regulatory Context and Public Statements

UK gambling regulators have increased enforcement actions against offshore operators that accept British customers without licences. At the same time, industry representatives, including those from the named betting groups, have submitted evidence to parliamentary committees arguing that tax increases would expand the black market. The October 2026 article juxtaposes these submissions with the SIS dividend trail, leaving readers to assess the consistency between the warnings and the revenue sources.

Researchers who examined the leaked files found multiple instances where Santeda-affiliated sites listed UK-facing payment options and promotional language. The Curaçao regulator's records also contain correspondence showing that SIS supplied live odds and results data under the 2022 contract. Dividend amounts attributed to the arrangement reached several million pounds across the shareholder group, according to the figures cited in the Guardian investigation.

Conclusion

The reporting establishes a factual chain connecting the ownership stakes in SIS, the 2022 commercial agreement, and dividend payments received by Entain, Evoke, and Betfred. It draws on documents from the Casino Secrets leak and places those records against the companies' prior statements on tax policy and offshore competition. No additional claims about operational control or intent appear in the published account. The story remains confined to the single set of disclosures released in early October 2026.