Exposed: Curaçao Casino Network Bypassing UK Self-Exclusion Draws Millions Amid Gambling Harm

A joint investigation by the Guardian and Investigate Europe, published in early April 2026, has pulled back the curtain on a sprawling network of at least eight unlicensed online casinos that specifically target UK players, operating from Curaçao under the umbrella of Santeda International N.V. while linked to Georgian businessmen including Tornike Tvauri, Alexander Makashvili, and Mikheil Merebashvili; these platforms, among them MyStake, Velobet, and Goldenbet, cleverly sidestep major UK self-exclusion tools like GamStop, drawing in an average of 2.3 million unique visitors from the UK each month between November 2025 and January 2026.

What's interesting here is how these sites, despite lacking UK licenses, mirror legitimate operations with flashy promotions, live dealers, and sports betting options, yet they thrive in a regulatory gray zone that experts have long flagged as a vulnerability in cross-border online gambling.

Santeda International, registered in Curaçao—a jurisdiction known for its lighter touch on online gambling oversight—serves as the backbone for this operation, hosting multiple brands that share backend infrastructure, payment processors, and even affiliate programs tailored to pull in UK traffic; researchers from Investigate Europe mapped out connections through domain registrations, IP addresses, and corporate filings that tie the sites back to the Georgian trio at the helm, with Tornike Tvauri emerging as a key figure via shared business entities and promotional partnerships.

And while Curaçao's gaming authorities have historically issued licenses to such entities, the investigation revealed these casinos operate without the stringent consumer protections demanded in the UK, allowing unrestricted access to players who've opted into self-exclusion schemes elsewhere; take MyStake, for instance, a site boasting thousands of slots and table games that aggressively markets via UK-facing affiliates, or Velobet with its sportsbook focus drawing punters during major football seasons.

Goldenbet rounds out the prominent trio, offering crypto deposits that further obscure transaction trails, and all three, along with five others in the network, funnel players through identical welcome bonuses and VIP ladders designed to keep engagement high; data from the probe shows these platforms raked in substantial UK visits precisely because they ignore GamStop's central barrier, a tool that blocks access across licensed UK sites for those seeking a break from gambling.

Figures from the investigation paint a stark picture: between November 2025 and January 2026, the network averaged 2.3 million unique UK visitors monthly, a number that spikes during high-profile events like Premier League matches or holiday betting surges, underscoring how these offshore operators capitalize on demand that regulated markets can't fully meet; observers note this traffic equates to a significant slice of the UK's online gambling audience, with tools like SimilarWeb confirming the influx via geolocation data and user agent strings.

But here's the thing—this isn't just about numbers; the bypass of self-exclusion schemes like GamStop correlates directly with heightened risks of gambling harm, as evidenced by patterns in player complaints logged with European consumer watchdogs; people who've self-excluded often find themselves drawn back in through targeted ads or simple searches, landing on these unrestricted sites where deposit limits and reality checks remain optional at best.

One tragic case that crystallized the dangers came to light in a January 2026 coroner's inquest: 36-year-old Ollie Long from the UK took his own life after accruing massive debts on one of these platforms, with the ruling explicitly linking his suicide to gambling losses sustained despite his attempts to self-exclude via GamStop; Long's family shared details of how he slipped through the cracks, accessing sites like those in the Santeda network that offered no integration with UK-wide blocks, a story that echoes broader data from the US National Council on Problem Gambling on how unlicensed operators exacerbate addiction cycles worldwide.

Experts who've analyzed similar networks point out that such operations don't just evade safeguards—they actively market to vulnerable groups via social media and SEO tactics optimized for UK searches like "non-GamStop casinos," turning a momentary lapse into prolonged exposure.

Tornike Tvauri, Alexander Makashvili, and Mikheil Merebashvili don't operate in isolation; corporate records unearthed by the investigators link them through overlapping companies in Georgia and Cyprus, jurisdictions with growing footprints in iGaming entrepreneurship, where they manage everything from site development to affiliate payouts; Santeda's Curaçao setup provides the legal veneer, but the probe found no evidence of robust local oversight enforcing player protections akin to those in Europe or North America.

Turns out, this model—offshore licensing paired with aggressive UK targeting—has persisted for years, with previous busts by EU authorities like those in the Netherlands barely denting the resilience of such networks; the Georgian angle adds a layer, as Tvauri's past ventures include betting shops back home, now scaled digitally to tap wealthier markets like the UK.

Software plays a role too: these sites relied on Upgaming's backend for games and interfaces until the revelations hit, prompting a swift cutoff that highlights how providers can react when spotlights turn on.

Upgaming, a Latvia-based provider of casino software, announced it had severed all ties with Santeda International within days of the April 2026 exposé, citing a commitment to ethical partnerships and compliance with international standards; this move came as affiliates and payment gateways faced similar pressure, with some pausing promotions to avoid backlash.

So, while the network keeps chugging along—mirroring domains and shifting servers to stay online—calls for tougher measures have intensified, with the UK Gambling Commission publicly urging enhanced tools to tackle these elusive operations that self-exclusion alone can't contain; data indicates such networks regenerate quickly, often rebranding under new Curaçao shells, making enforcement a game of whack-a-mole for regulators everywhere.

People in the industry, from affiliate marketers to compliance officers, now watch closely as this story unfolds in April 2026, wondering if broader collaborations—like those seen in Australia's crackdowns by the Australian Communications and Media Authority on offshore sites—could inspire similar cross-border action.

The reality is these revelations spotlight a persistent loophole in global online gambling, where Curaçao-licensed sites draw UK players by the millions, bypassing GamStop and fueling harms like the one that claimed Ollie Long; researchers tracking visitor trends expect the network's traffic to dip short-term post-exposure, yet history shows operators adapt fast, tweaking domains or doubling down on crypto anonymity.

That's where the rubber meets the road for self-excluded players: tools like GamStop work wonders against licensed foes, but offshore shadows persist, underscoring the need for tech like global IP blocks or AI-driven ad filters; as of April 2026, families affected by cases like Long's push for urgency, while providers like Upgaming's exit signals that sunlight can force change, even if regulators play catch-up.

One study from Canadian researchers at the Gambling Research Exchange (GREO) mirrors this, revealing how unlicensed access triples relapse risks for problem gamblers, a pattern now front and center in the UK debate.

In wrapping up this April 2026 bombshell, the Guardian-Investigate Europe probe into Santeda's eight-site empire lays bare the scale—2.3 million monthly UK hits, Georgian masterminds, Curaçao cover—and the toll, from bypassed exclusions to lives lost like Ollie Long's; Upgaming's quick cut ties offer a glimmer, but observers agree the ball's in regulators' court to fortify defenses against these hard-to-kill networks, ensuring self-exclusion means something real across borders.

Players navigating this landscape often discover that vigilance, paired with emerging global tools, remains key; the story's not over, and those watching closely know more moves lie ahead.