Sports Information Services signed a content deal with black-market operator Santeda in 2022, triggering a clash with its largest shareholder Entain. The contract may have run until spring this year, according to leaked Curaçao regulator documents.
SIS is owned by UK-licensed bookmakers: Entain holds 23.4%, evoke 19.5%, Betfred and Fred Done 13.5%. The rest sits with financial investors Caledonia and Catalyst Media Group. The company has supplied horse racing streams, data and commentary to the betting industry since the mid-1980s.
Under the agreement between SIS CFO Nigel Stocks and Santeda CEO Onise Chimakhidze, the supplier provided content for MyStake, Rolletto, Locasbet, GoldenBet and other brands. SIS took 18% of racing GGR and 13% from esports. Britain was formally excluded from permitted markets, but Santeda brands remained accessible to UK players.
The contract auto-renewed annually after the first two years. SIS streams were visible on Santeda sites via UK IP this spring, a source claims.
Entain said independent management means shareholders do not participate in commercial decisions. "Now this has surfaced, we have taken it seriously and expressed our objections. Entain's position on illegal betting is unchanged: we support tough action against unlicensed operators." Sources added Entain was surprised and disappointed, and found SIS management responses unsatisfactory.
SIS replied that it works with operators worldwide within official regulation. Clients commit to offer products only where lawful. When violations occur, the company takes action up to contract termination.
In 2023 SIS paid shareholders a special dividend of £30 million — a year after signing the Santeda contract. The deal came to light after hacker Lilith Wittmann leaked 40,000 Curaçao regulator documents.
