Offshore Gambling Network Shifts Licenses Amid Growing UK Scrutiny

A group of offshore gambling websites popular among British players has moved its operations to a new license structure based in Curaçao. This change comes as campaigners, journalists, and regulators pay more attention to these sites.

Unregulated Betting Brands Shift Curaçao Structure After Investigations

The brands involved, including MyStake, Velobet, Donbet, and Goldenbet, have operated outside the UK’s regulated system for a long time. They attract customers looking for betting platforms not connected to GamStop, the national self-exclusion program. In the past, these sites were linked to a Curaçao entity called Santeda International. Recent updates to their website disclosures now mention a different company, GTW B.V., which got a local business-to-consumer license last year.

Experts in the field say moving company vehicles and permits is a common strategy in offshore betting markets. This allows businesses to keep operating while putting distance between themselves and any issues. Curaçao’s rules let companies legally work during renewal times even if official permit dates look expired in public records.

This change happens after news reports showed how far the uncontrolled network reached in the UK. Guesses pointed to British users betting billions of pounds across the group’s websites in 2025 alone. MyStake made up a big part of that activity.

Along with financial worries, the network has come under fire for how it deals with at-risk gamblers. GAMRS, a group that speaks up for gamblers, has gathered stories and numbers from people who used to bet. They say they have uncovered some troubling practices. These include sending ads to players who have asked to be left alone, making it hard to close accounts, and pushing hard to keep people betting.

Illegal Betting Sites Grow as Vulnerable Players Are Targeted

What GAMRS found matches wider worries raised in recent news reports. These reports look into offshore gambling sites that try to make money from people trying to stop gambling. Many of these sites are advertised on other websites that use phrases like “not on GamStop.” This leads users away from UK-approved betting companies to places with fewer rules.

Experts who track illegal gambling online say this part of the industry has grown a lot in recent years. They think it now makes up most of the illegal online betting content that people in Britain access.

The human toll behind this trend has come to light. Families dealing with gambling addiction have told how offshore websites hindered recovery attempts by providing easy access with few protections. Advocates claim that the absence of real oversight allows harmful business practices to flourish.

To tackle the growing black market, UK officials have started to increase enforcement funding and team up with tech companies to remove unlicensed operators from search results and social platforms. Reports say hundreds of sites have been blocked or shut down in recent months, but critics argue that the problem remains too big to handle. As offshore groups keep changing their licenses and company names, regulators in the UK and places like Curaçao face growing pressure to strengthen their rules. They need to close gaps that let controversial operators stay in business.