Bet365 accused of illegal online betting activity in China

The Stoke-based gambling firm used leading actor Ray Winston to promote their adverts and has grown into one of the world’s leading online sports betting companies, helped by the Chinese gamblers who risk prison by betting on the company’s illegal websites within the country.

In the report from the Guardian it says that Bet365 sports betting  is now three times larger than William Hill’s own sports business and seven times larger than that of Ladbrokes and has seen a jump of 78% in their online business over two years.

Within the Guardian report it says that Bet365 which has no physical presence in China has set up a warren of online betting sites that are able to avoid Chinese government attempts to close them down.

However, Bet 365 says that by offering their services online in China it has not broken any laws, even though the newspaper says that Chinese nationals have been arrested for interacting with Bet365 online among other online betting websites.

It is reported that Bet365 frequently changes its website addresses in China, thereby side-stepping attempts by local regulators to close its sites down. The company has also set up a complex payment system that allows it to take bets in the Chinese currency.

Another interesting part of the report says that Bet365 only makes 50% of its £1.3 billion profits from regulated licensed countries.

All of Bet365 competitors who are all Plc listed William Hill, Betfair, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power say they do not take bets from within the Chinese territory.