Gambling watchdog opens investigation into Soft2Bet websites
Irish gambling regulator investigates Soft2Bet sites for illegally offering gambling to Irish customers without licences or age checks.Summary
The Irish Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRAI) has launched an investigation into 145 websites operated by Soft2Bet after a joint investigation by The Irish Times and Investigate Europe revealed that the sites were accepting Irish wagers illegally, lacking age verification and ID checks. Leaked internal files showed Soft2Bet earned €600 million from entities running betting sites that had been blacklisted for illegal gambling in at least one EU country. The group is run by Israeli-Ukrainian multimillionaire Uri Poliavich. GRAI stated it will use every tool at its disposal to combat and disrupt illegal activity, noting that some sites such as OnlySpins and Betwarts have already announced closures. OnlySpins, a pornographic gambling site, used two Irish companies to process deposits and was licensed through a Canadian First Nation reservation, yet it did not require new users to prove they were over 18. The regulator also warned that unlicensed prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi must block Irish users or face enforcement action. Soft2Bet has denied any wrongdoing.
(Source：The Irish Times)