1xBet got Curaçao licence while regulator suspected hidden owners

Assessors wanted answers from CEO Ihor Hniedash on ties to three Russians linked to the brand’s founding.

The hit

The Curaçao Gaming Authority licensed 1xBet’s parent company Caecus NV in 2024 despite its own assessors suspecting the firm had multiple owners, according to leaked documents examined by Follow the Money. Officials had sought details from listed owner Ihor Hniedash about ties to three Russians long linked to 1xBet, but the information never arrived before the licence was granted, FTM reports.

Why it matters

The case lands as 1xBet already faces scrutiny across Europe over illegal gambling & advertising, including a Dutch fine & scrapped British football sponsorships. It raises fresh questions about whether Curaçao’s licensing checks can catch hidden ownership before a licence is issued, not after, in a sector a forensic-accountancy professor says is especially exposed to money laundering.

The record

Licence granted	2024, to Caecus NV (Curaçao Gaming Authority)
Listed owner/CEO	Ihor Hniedash, Ukrainian national (FTM)
Russians long linked to 1xBet	Roman Semiokhin, Dmitry Kazorin & Sergey Karshkov, died 2023
Dutch fine	2019, Dutch Gambling Authority sanctioned 1xBet for illegal targeting of Dutch gamblers
UK football ties	Sponsorships with major British clubs terminated amid controversy (FTM)

What happens next

Watch for any response from the Curaçao Gaming Authority beyond its defence of the licensing transition, & whether other regulators cite the FTM findings in future action against 1xBet.

Sources: 1xBet Licensed in Curaçao Despite Regulator Suspecting Company Had Multiple Owners

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