Newcastle United’s new Asian betting partner 8Xbet almost entirely vanished late in 2024, only to reappear with a mysterious new “owner” shortly afterwards. It is now embroiled in an unprecedented trademark war with a mysterious US company in the UK and elsewhere. What is going on?
By Philippe Auclair, with additional reporting by Jack Kerr, Sam Kunti and Steve Menary
Illegal sports betting operators take extra care not to do anything which might expose their structure and the identity of their owners; but, at the same time, they must protect their businesses and their all-important brands in a chaotic industry where impersonation and brand counterfeiting are rife. The question is how to do this without revealing what and who they are, which means, for example, not getting law enforcement agencies involved and keeping out of court to settle disputes.
There is one exception to this rule: English football’s favourite sponsor 8Xbet, a unique brand in more ways than one. Josimar has catalogued no fewer than ten complaints filed by the owners of the brand with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) since September 2023. All ten cases were decided in their favour. No other illegal gambling operator has ever adopted such a - risky - strategy or adhered to it so rigorously.
And now, in March 2026, 8Xbet is embroiled in a new turf war, this time with an American company which may or may not be linked to one of 8Xbet’s main competitors in its key market, Vietnam. But this strange tale can only be told properly if the scene is set properly first, which means leaving the Far East for a while and heading for the Caribbean.
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