ESL tight-lipped on controversial 1xBet partnership as deal is extended

Esports tournament organizer ESL has a partnership with betting company 1xBet. The company has been declared bankrupt by a court in Curaçao. 1XBet is headquartered in Cyprus and has license issued in a tax haven. It promoted a pornhub casino, took bets on children's sports and cockfighting, and advertised on websites that streamed Premier League matches illegally. Ukrainian tournament organiser WePlay also has an agreement with 1 xBet, which has also been criticized. It sponsors a number of esports organizations, including OG, Team Spirit and MIBR.

1xBet's parent company, 1X Corp N.V, was declared bankrupt in Curaçao at the end of 2021. It owes money to customers. 1x Bet is still available in many countries, including France, the UK, Spain, Poland and the Netherlands. It signed a three-year deal with PSG to become the club's regional partner in Africa and Asia. The company is illegal in France. Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham ended sponsorship deals with 1 xBet. UK Gambling Commission warned them promoting the company could be a breach of UK law.

1xBet has been declared bankrupt in Curaçao. The news adds fuel to discussions about the future of the ESL and FACEIT partnership. Earlier this year, ESL was acquired by Savvy Gaming Group, backed by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund.