188Bet shuts down UK & IRE betting presence
Annatar Limited the holding company of online bookmaker 188BET, has announced that it will no longer service the UK and Irish online gambling markets.
This morning Annatar published a full closure announcement on the 188BET.co.uk website, stating that it had ceased providing services to players located in the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and Gibraltar.
In its statement, Annatar maintains that the company is ‘solvent’ and will meet its financial/licensee obligations terminating 188BET UK/IRE services, including the ring-fencing and refunding of player accounts.
Annatar details that its UK/IRE closure is a ‘commercial decision operating in a very competitive marketplace’. The betting group will cooperate with all relevant regulators as it handles its website closure and customer refunds in an orderly manner.
The bookmaker confirms that it will honour all ante-post, pending, and multiple bets that have been placed on markets up to 23:59 hrs (GMT+1) on 30 June 2019. Furthermore, single-bets placed for events after 23:59 hrs (GMT+1) on 30 June 2019 will be voided and the stake returned within 48 hours.
188BET has operated in the UK market since 2006, initially launched as a specialist bookmaker in in-play markets, and becoming the first online bookmaker to sponsor two Premier League football clubs’ Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic.
Furthermore, the betting group has maintained one of the sector’s most diverse sports sponsorship portfolios, forming partnerships within cricket, racing, snooker and rugby league.
At present, the management of Annatar and 188BET has yet to release an official statement on its market closure.
Source: SBC News
