Entain Raised Concerns Over SIS Betting Deal
Entain questioned a business agreement between SIS and an unlicensed operator that generated millions in dividends.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Financial Services
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Entain has raised concerns regarding a business-to-business deal signed by SIS with the unlicensed operator Santeda in 2022. The agreement led to betting firms, including Entain, receiving a portion of tens of millions of pounds in dividends from SIS.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights concerns over compliance and the industry's indirect involvement with unlicensed betting operators. Entain acted to ensure adherence to competition law and support broader enforcement against unregulated market participants.
Betting firms including Entain, Evoke, Betfred, and the Tote hold over 50 percent of SIS, which provided live pictures and data through the Santeda deal. The partnership, which began in 2022, resulted in significant dividend payouts to these stakeholders.
The players
Entain
This major global sports betting and gambling company owns a minority share of SIS and initiated the inquiry into the unlicensed partnership.
SIS
This provider of live images, data, and commentary serves the betting industry across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Santeda
This is an unlicensed bookmaker that signed a business-to-business agreement with SIS.
Evoke
This international betting and gaming group is one of the firms that collectively holds a majority stake in SIS.
Betfred
This prominent UK-based bookmaker is among the entities that maintain a significant ownership stake in the betting service provider SIS.
The details
While SIS provides essential live data and commentary to the UK and Irish betting industry, regulatory documents from Curacao revealed the undisclosed agreement with the unlicensed operator. Internal controls at SIS reportedly prevented individual betting firms from accessing sensitive information about the deal, leaving them unaware of the source of the dividends.
Timeline
The B2B contract with operator Santeda was signed in 2022.
The agreement may have remained in effect through 2026.
Market Landscape
This dispute reflects the growing tension between legacy betting firms and the complex, often opaque, partnerships maintained by shared industry service providers. It highlights a critical need for tighter oversight to ensure shared infrastructure does not inadvertently fund unlicensed competitors.
While the incident centers on corporate dividend distributions, it underscores the importance of regulatory transparency for all stakeholders in the betting market. Customers should remain aware that industry compliance efforts are ongoing as firms attempt to distance themselves from unlicensed operators.
The takeaway
Maintaining strict oversight in B2B partnerships is essential for large firms to avoid regulatory and reputational risks associated with unlicensed market participants. Shareholders and consumers should monitor how major betting companies tighten their internal controls to prevent similar future lapses.
Further reading
Learn more about industry trends in Financial Services.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Racing Post.
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