Entain Raises Concerns with SIS Over Commercial Deal with Black-Market Operator

According to a report in the Racing Post, Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has raised concerns with racing data and live-feed supplier SIS following reports that the company entered into a commercial arrangement with Santeda, an offshore operator widely identified as one of the largest black-market gambling networks targeting British consumers.

SIS, which supplies live pictures, data and commentary to the betting industry in the UK and Ireland, is majority owned by bookmakers and counts Entain among its shareholders, with a stake of approximately 23.4 per cent. Reports indicate that SIS struck a business-to-business deal with Santeda in 2022, which may have remained in place until recently.

Entain has stated that it was not a party to the agreement, saying it was “not a party to the commercial or customer arrangements SIS decides to strike.” The company added that once the relationship came to light, it raised the matter directly with SIS.

Who Is Santeda?

Santeda International BV, a Curaçao-based operator, has been the subject of investigations linking it to a network of unlicensed casino and betting platforms serving UK customers. Research by the analytics firm GAMRS estimated that Santeda-affiliated sites generate turnover of approximately £3.5 billion per year, with around £2 billion deposited annually by British consumers. These figures underline the scale of the unregulated market that licensed operators, including Entain, have repeatedly warned about.

The reports of the SIS deal emerged alongside wider media investigations into offshore gambling networks and the payment channels that support them, placing the arrangement under renewed scrutiny.

Tension Within the Industry

The situation presents a notable point of tension for the racing and betting sectors. Entain has positioned itself as a leading campaigner against the black market, calling for measures including payment blocking, advertising restrictions and greater cooperation between regulators, sports bodies and technology firms. The revelation that a supplier in which it holds a significant stake may have contracted with an unlicensed operator sits uneasily with that stance.

For SIS, the episode raises questions about commercial governance and due diligence, particularly given its ownership structure. The company’s shareholders include several major licensed bookmakers whose commercial interests depend on directing customers to regulated channels. Revenue flowing from licensed operators also underpins the funding model of British racing, which receives contributions tied to betting activity through regulated channels.

At the same time, industry observers note that suppliers operate in a competitive market and that shareholder companies do not typically dictate individual commercial agreements. SIS has not been reported to have issued a detailed public response addressing the concerns raised.