A gambling operator with links to a Cambodian cyber slavery operation, a drug lord named in the International Criminal Court and a sponsor of five Premier League clubs has folded its UK operation – yet continues to advertise at the stadiums.
By Jack Kerr, Philippe Auclair, Andy Brown and Steve Menary
Asian betting company 8Xbet has withdrawn from the UK market – just months after extending its English Premier League sponsorship portfolio to cover a quarter of all top-flight clubs.
Since signing a sponsorship deal with Manchester City in mid-2022, the betting platform has been the subject of multiple investigations by Josimar and others.
Despite numerous red flags – including links to a Cambodian cyber slavery compound, the discovery that a bikini model had posed as a company executive in a launch video, and the illegality of gambling in the bookmaker's target markets – 8Xbet has built an enviable roster of sponsorship agreements.
It partnered with Leicester City last season and inked deals with a trio of top-flight sides, AFC Bournemouth, Ipswich Town and Chelsea, in the latest off-season.
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