Entain has publicly expressed its disappointment after reports emerged linking racing live feed supplier SIS to unlicensed bookmaker Santeda.
The controversy stems from documents obtained through a data leak from the Curaçao gambling authority, which revealed a commercial agreement between SIS and Santeda dating back to 2022.
The deal is understood to have potentially continued as recently as this year, raising significant questions about oversight within the racing data supply industry.
SIS counts some of the biggest names in UK gambling among its shareholders, including Entain, which holds a 23.4% stake in the company.
Other major shareholders include evoke with 19.5%, while Betfred and The Tote collectively hold 13.5% of the business.
Despite these ownership ties, SIS maintains independence in its governance affairs, including the negotiation and execution of media rights deals, due to competition law considerations.
SBC News understands that neither Entain nor Betfred had any prior knowledge of the commercial arrangement struck between SIS and Santeda.
Entain confirmed it was “surprised and disappointed” upon learning of the reports and has since taken the matter directly to the SIS Board.
The operator stated: “Entain, as a minority shareholder and to ensure compliance with competition law, is not a party to the commercial or customer arrangements SIS decides to strike.”
Entain continued: “Now that this relationship has come to light, we take it very seriously and have raised our concerns to SIS.”
The company also made its broader stance on unlicensed gambling clear, stating: “Entain’s position on illegal gambling is clear and unchanged: we support robust enforcement against unlicensed operators.”
The episode highlights the complications that arise when major regulated operators hold minority stakes in third-party suppliers that operate independently.
Regulatory scrutiny of business relationships between licensed and unlicensed entities has intensified across the industry in recent years.
The Curaçao data leak that surfaced the Santeda agreement has already drawn attention to multiple operators and suppliers with potentially questionable commercial ties.
How SIS responds to the pressure now being applied by its shareholders is likely to be watched closely by regulators and industry observers alike.
