ARD documentary: Bundesliga clubs and dubious Asian betting providers as part of a trillion-dollar business

Sports betting is a gigantic market, the international scale of which remains hidden from most people. A recent ARD documentary shows that the business is flourishing in Asia in particular - often under questionable conditions. Licenses are usually not available and betting fraud seems to be the order of the day. Experts estimate the turnover from illegal activities alone at well over 1 trillion euros - a figure with 13 digits! In the midst of this, Bundesliga clubs have partnerships with various dubious betting sites and presumably profit handsomely from the hustle and bustle.

In recent weeks and months, public broadcasters have focused heavily on gambling-related topics. Most recently, we reported on the NDR documentary “Tatort Eckkneipe: Auf den Spuren der Glücksspiel-Mafia” (“Crime Scene Corner Pub: On the Trail of the Gambling Mafia”), which takes a look at the millions being defrauded by manipulated slot machines in Germany. In August, a critical report on betting on amateur soccer triggered a chain reaction: since then, betting data scouts have been deliberately uncovered at more and more amateur matches and expelled from the pitch. In this context, numerous possible betting manipulations at lower-class soccer matches in Hamburg, Hesse and Saarland came to public attention. The DFB called in the Federal Criminal Police Office.

The journalists reveal that the majority of global revenue is generated in Asia. We are talking about 1.7 trillion euros worldwide, which in fact goes over the digital betting counters with illegal providers alone! Asian bookies are ideal platforms for betting fraud due to their many freedoms, which are largely made possible by the fact that the operators often have no licenses. Insiders and investigators emphasize the scope and lucrativeness of the schemes. And in the midst of all this, the names of various top Bundesliga clubs appear, which have entered into partnerships with some large, sometimes very dubious bookmakers from Asia.

Illegal Asian betting providers generate unimaginable sums and manipulation appears attractive

The sums generated in the illegal betting market are beyond imagination. The ARD documentary reveals that around 1.7 trillion euros flow into this non-transparent competition every year. This amount illustrates the dimensions of a barely comprehensible business sector that operates completely outside of state control.

The convicted betting fraudster Siva provides an insight into the workings of this cosmos, emphasizing that even high stakes in the millions are easily possible with Asian bookies - even on matches that are potentially highly susceptible to manipulation. For example, you could easily place a huge amount of money on the outcome of a German U19 match. Betting on youth matches, which is strictly prohibited in the regulated German market in order to protect the young players, is part of everyday betting life in Asia.

Experts such as Frank Schüngel, a specialist in gambling licenses, point out that the global online betting market has reached a huge dimension and that the actual size of turnover is usually underestimated. The entire volume of the industry is massive - and completely unregulated in the illegal segment.

Investigators in Europe and Asia have been observing the steady growth of this lucrative area of crime for over 15 years, but the lack of international cooperation and the limited scope of local laws make prosecution difficult. Francesco Baranca, an experienced expert in betting crime who has already been involved in uncovering a betting ring in Spain, comments dryly:

"If I were a criminal, I would be a betting cheat. There is simply no control."

Bayer Leverkusen, BVB and other Bundesliga clubs are involved in these tricky structures

The connections between German Bundesliga clubs and the Asian betting market are indeed numerous. The ARD documentary illustrates how complex and at the same time lucrative such partnerships can be. It is shown by way of example that major clubs such as the current champions Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund have entered into contracts with Asian bookmakers and how the partnerships are used.

Very large sums of money are likely to be involved for the clubs - sums in the millions cannot be ruled out given the market volume mentioned. Interestingly, while the cooperation is staged visibly for Asian fans - for example through high-profile contract ceremonies and specially positioned stadium banners or even greetings from prominent players - it usually remains hidden in Germany.

• Bayer Leverkusen: Bayer 04 works with the betting operator Kaiyun, formerly known as Yabo. The name change took place in 2021 after the Chinese authorities arrested several thousand suspects in a large-scale operation against illegal bookmakers. The operator Kaiyun is registered in the Philippines, but without a valid betting license in the country, which raises questions about legality and regulation. Bayer Leverkusen refused to provide specific information about Kaiyun's license and ownership structure when asked by ARD.
• Borussia Dortmund (BVB): BVB maintains a partnership with Xing Kong, another Asian betting provider. Here, too, it remains unclear how the licensing is regulated and what interests are behind the company. Although Borussia Dortmund asserts that it thoroughly examines all partners, the actual background for the German market remains opaque.
• VfB Stuttgart: Stuttgart cooperates with Lucky Block, a provider that does not appear to come from Asia, but is very active there. Supported languages include Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai. Until recently, the platform was also accessible from Germany, but is now blocked by the operator. Lucky Block uses VfB's reputation to attract Asian customers, while the club reveals little about itself on the German market.
• Other clubs: Werder Bremen and FC Augsburg have also concluded contracts with Asian gambling providers. There is hardly any information about the partnerships in Germany.

State Secretary puts the size of amateur soccer betting at 7.7 billion and describes the fight against betting fraud

In connection with the ARD report, State Secretary Mahmut Özdemir talks in an interview about the extent of international betting on amateur soccer and the cases of fraud involved.

Incidentally, Interwetten recently withdrew from betting on German amateur matches due to the ongoing controversy, but lower leagues in other countries are still in the program for international customers.

For Mahmut Özdemir, it is clear that the strategies for combating with global networking and digital investigation approaches are indispensable.

• International cooperation: The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has been working closely with Interpol, Europol and the Group of Copenhagen since the National Platform to Combat Betting Fraud and Gambling Manipulation was founded. This international association, which emerged from the Macolin Convention adopted in 2019, enables information on cross-border cases to be shared efficiently and links to organized crime to be uncovered.
• Digital investigation and control measures: Combating illegal offers and manipulative strategies requires specialized digital surveillance methods. The Federal Criminal Police Offices cooperate closely with IT forensic experts who analyze suspicious betting data or anomalous gaming patterns and point out possible manipulation patterns. The findings flow directly into the networks of national and international security authorities in real time.
• Independent Reporting Office for Sports Manipulation: Since its establishment in 2022, the Reporting Office for Sports Manipulation has received 76 reports, 31 of them in soccer alone. This centralized point of contact operates across all sports and acts as a neutral body. Most of the reported cases were forwarded to law enforcement authorities, which underlines the effectiveness of the initiative. Incidentally, the GGL recently expressed its gratitude for 1,500 anonymous reports of critical incidents in gambling.

Özdemir emphasizes the need to take consistent action against loopholes in the legal framework that criminals use for manipulated betting. Illegal providers in Asia and the rest of the world pose one of the biggest challenges, as they circumvent national control measures and yet remain accessible to players on the betting market.

Conclusion

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