Sports betting company Tipster has announced it will fully cooperate with the German authorities following a police raid on its offices last week (20 April).
German police suspect the company of being involved in illegal gambling and six persons were arrested, although specific charges have yet to be released.The State Criminal Police Office of North Rhine-Westphalia had been carrying out an undercover investigation for more than two years, with those alleged responsible being investigated for forming a criminal organisation, conducting illegal gambling, and withholding wages.
MGA licence inactive
Tipster holds a licence from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and is also on the whitelist of approved sports betting operators of Germany’s Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL).
A spokesperson for the MGA told iGaming NEXT the Maltese company had not been an active part of Tipster’s operation.
“It had, in effect, been non-operational on its MGA licence since January 2023 and had been operating under its German licence,” said the MGA spokesperson.“Since Tipster had not registered any activity under its MGA licence for the past four months, the MGA had been closely monitoring it and discussions were in place for the company to surrender its MGA licence; a process that is expected to be completed in the coming days.”
GGL reaction
In Germany, the gambling regulator (GGL) said it was closely monitoring the investigation.
“If the investigation confirms the initial suspicion, the GGL will take regulatory measures against the provider,” said GGL co-CEO Benjamin Schwanke.
According to Automatenmarkt.de, Tipster said it fully supports the current investigations by the prosecuting authorities and will take necessary “actions promptly and in close coordination with the relevant authorities if any misconduct has occurred”.