Betway facing Belgian investigation
Operator is facing scrutiny in Belgium and is under investigation from the Gaming Commission over tax avoidance issues
Betway is being investigated by the Belgian Gaming Commission over tax avoidance issues.
Betway, which sponsors Belgian Pro League football club Anderlecht, came under fire from national media for being linked with unusual tax schemes and other allegations relating to the operator’s former owner.
Following the outcry, Peter Naessens, director of the Belgian Gaming Commission confirmed to EGR that an investigation into Betway had been launched in co-operation with the country’s Department of Finance.
Naessens’ colleague, Marjolein De Paepe, also told local newspaper De Tijd: “Should it prove that something is not correct, the Commission may suspend or withhold a license.”
EGR contacted Betway for a comment and CEO Anthony Werkman said in a statement: “In response to recent news articles, Betway would like to reiterate that we operate within a number of regulated markets around the world.
“We hold licences in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Belgium and Germany and operate under our licences through a global team of more than 1,000 people.
“We are dedicated to being fully compliant and to building strong relationships with regulators and industry bodies alike- we do this through our market-dedicated Compliance, AML and Legal teams across the world.
“Betway is owned and funded by a group of private shareholders who have been highly successful in both the gaming and technology sectors.
“These shareholders have been disclosed where necessary to regulators in various markets.”
EGR contacted the UK Gambling Commission to see if a similar investigation had been launched, but the regulator said it does not discuss whether individual operators are being investigated or not.