Seven individuals have appeared before Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court facing serious fraud allegations connected to the UK betting operator bet365.
The group, made up of six men and one woman, allegedly abused bet365’s free introductory betting offer designed for new customers joining the platform.
Prosecutors claim the defendants used the welcome offer to obtain free betting credit and move illicit funds into other accounts.
The Institute of Licensing has reported that the group relied on personal data, false representations, and criminal transfers to carry out the alleged fraud.
Guisseppe Sangiovanni, 35, has been identified by prosecutors as the alleged ringleader of the operation, which is said to have run over a significant period.
Sangiovanni is specifically accused of holding lists of personal details that were used to repeatedly claim free introductory funds between January 2021 and August 2023.
The alleged scheme is a clear example of bonus abuse, a growing concern for licensed operators across the UK iGaming market.
Sangiovanni is currently being held at Oakwood Prison, and his hearing was adjourned to 20 August due to video link difficulties at his detention facility.
All seven accused were listed to appear before magistrates on 8 August, though only four of them were able to attend proceedings on the day.
The four who attended were committed to Gloucester Crown Court, where they will await a jury trial to determine the outcome of the fraud allegations against them.
Proceedings against two further defendants could not go ahead due to prison video link communication problems, and their cases were also adjourned until 20 August.
Bonus abuse fraud remains a significant challenge for licensed gambling operators, with criminals increasingly targeting welcome offers and promotional credits to launder money and generate illicit gains.
