In a drab gymnasium, an amateur three-a-side game of futsal unfolds on a scaled-down surface. Billed as “Arsenal versus Real Madrid,” the spectacle is uninspiring. There is no referee, no spectators, and the players appear bored. One team scores, yet no one celebrates.
1XBet’s underwhelming sports streams, many of which involve children as young as 14, are filmed in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, according to Bellingcat.
Elsewhere, a cricket match of sorts is taking place. Two teams of two players compete in a room adorned with murals of cheering fans. These scenes illustrate live-streamed gambling entertainment provided by the controversial Russian sportsbook and casino, 1XBet.
Operating non-stop throughout the year, 1XBet offers in-play bets on these lackluster events. Their primary aim is to lure in bettors, who then become targets for cross-selling to the casino. Considering the lure of watching a free live stream of Arsenal versus Real Madrid, it’s not surprising.
Recently, investigative site Bellingcat scrutinized hundreds of hours of 1XBet’s amateur tournaments. Using techniques such as reverse imaging, Bellingcat pinpointed the locations to venues across Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. This is notable as 1XBet is banned in both Russia and Ukraine.
In 2020, Russian prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant for 1XBet’s three founders—Dmitry Kazorin, Roman Semiokhin, and the now-deceased Sergey Karshkov—accusing them of offering illegal gambling. Their indictment reveals 1XBet as one of the world’s largest sportsbooks, generating revenues of $2 billion.
In September 2022, Ukraine’s gambling regulator revoked 1xBet’s license due to its Russian ties. Bellingcat’s investigation revealed that players featured as “Liverpool” might reappear in later matches under different team names like “Barcelona.” Alarmingly, children as young as 14 were involved.
Josimar Football, assisting Bellingcat, tracked down a player who participated in the fake games. The player disclosed that while they were instructed not to fix outcomes, they were told not to score more than five goals per game, which in itself constitutes match-fixing.
Despite 1XBet’s liberal use of prestigious soccer team names, it maintains commercial ties with Barcelona and Paris St. Germain. However, EPL teams Tottenham, Liverpool, and Chelsea severed their deals with 1XBet in 2019 following accusations of offering bets on cockfighting and promoting a porn-themed casino. Further, the company was found to be one of the largest advertisers on piracy sites illegally streaming EPL soccer games.