WILLEMSTAD - A confidential investigative report obtained by Curaçao Chronicle reveals the complex and controversial offshore structure behind the global gambling brand 22Bet, a company operating under Curaçao license #8048/JAZ but tied to a network of entities facing regulatory sanctions, unpaid debts, shell-company collapses, and widespread allegations of misconduct across Europe.
Prepared by independent iGaming investigator João Mar, the report outlines an ecosystem of companies anchored in Curaçao, Cyprus, Estonia, and Malta, all feeding into an operation described as “high-risk, opaque, and operating on the edge of regulatory tolerance.”
A Curaçao Company at the Center of a Global Web
The primary operator behind 22Bet is TechSolutions Group N.V. (Curaçao registration 144920). From Curaçao, this entity oversees a vast portfolio of online casinos, including 22Bet, 20Bet, Bizzo, and National Casino. Its top executives include:
Aleksandr Bocharnikov – Managing Director
Denis Belianin – Former Chief Marketing Officer
Igor Rozkin – Financial and domain controller
Alexey Ponomaryov – Infrastructure lead
The company also holds a Kahnawake license and additional licensing through Estonia, creating the appearance of legitimacy while routing financial operations through multiple jurisdictions.
The report warns that the Curaçao license provides only “nominal oversight,” while operational control sits within a web of offshore entities that make transparency nearly impossible.
A Network Built Through Defunct and Controversial Companies
The 22Bet corporate ecosystem is not isolated. It overlaps with a long list of companies linked to past insolvencies, unpaid affiliate debts, and regulatory breaches:
Direx N.V. – Original SoftSwiss licensee, now defunct
Dama N.V. – Its successor, tied to mass insolvency filings
N1 Interactive Ltd. (Malta)
MiraXTech Ltd.
TechSolutions (CY) Ltd. – Cyprus billing hub
Moon Technologies OÜ – Estonian operator under shared management with TechSolutions
The report states that Direx N.V. and Dama N.V. were instrumental in launching major casino brands such as BitStarz, Bob Casino, King Billy, and PlayAmo — all built on the SoftSwiss platform and associated with recurring financial disputes.
One of the key figures mentioned is Maksim Trafimovic, SoftSwiss COO, named as an architect of white-label structures that have allegedly enabled “regulatory evasion and financial misconduct.”
Regulatory Trouble Across Europe
Despite holding Curaçao and Kahnawake licenses, 22Bet stands accused of illegally targeting players in countries where online gambling must be locally licensed:
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Portugal
Netherlands
Poland
United Kingdom
Regulators including Germany’s Glücksspielbehörde, France’s ANJ, the Netherlands’ KSA, and Poland’s Ministry of Finance have issued warnings or sanctions for unlawful operations.
The report describes 22Bet’s strategy as:
“mirror sites, IP cloaking, and jurisdictional smokescreens to evade enforcement.”
Complex Payment Channels Raise AML Concerns
Payments for 22Bet and connected casinos appear to route through a diverse network of European financial processors:
M Tech OÜ (Estonia) – Crypto and fiat settlements
PRIVALGO Ltd (UK) – FX and transaction processing
Lithuanian, Cypriot, and Georgian PSPs operating under shell labels
These multi-layered structures create what the report describes as “a landscape ripe for AML blind spots and regulatory arbitrage.”
Affiliate Market Exploitation and Unpaid Debts
The investigation highlights systemic exploitation of affiliate marketers, naming groups such as:
22Bet Partners
PlayAmo Partners
Hell Partners
Lucky Media Group
These entities are accused of withholding payments, collapsing companies to escape debts, and relaunching under new names — a cycle repeated across Europe.
A Warning for Curaçao’s New Gaming Regulator
The report concludes that 22Bet operates within a "deeply embedded offshore white-label structure" that poses significant risks under European gambling and anti-money laundering regulations.
With the newly established Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) attempting to reform the island’s reputation, the findings raise critical questions:
How much oversight does Curaçao truly exercise over its licensees?
What liability exists when Curaçao-licensed operators face sanctions abroad?
Will the CGA enforce stronger compliance and transparency standards?
For a jurisdiction seeking to rebuild credibility, the 22Bet case may serve as a pivotal test.
About the Report
The findings come from a July 18, 2025 investigative dossier prepared by João Mar, an independent expert specializing in offshore iGaming structures. The document offers one of the most comprehensive looks yet into the financial and regulatory risks surrounding 22Bet.