Bwin’s Bodner and Teufelberger arrested
BetandWin’s co-chief executives Manfred Bodner and Norbert Teufelberger have been detained this afternoon for questioning by French police. They were held for allegations relating to French gaming laws violations.
The two executives were arrested at the end of Friday morning at Monaco’s training ground, where they were due to attend a press conference highlighting Bwin’s sponsorship of Monaco football club. BetandWin is also a betting partner with other French teams, Bordeaux and Auxerre are among them.
French authorities said that they would do their utmost to prevent any other private operators from operating in the French market.
“Online betting, lottery and casino games” are “illegal” and that “operating the site is the main offence.”
Online betting has always been illegal in France and as the stakes are getting more and more important the decision to take action was implemented. But this was made possible by the fact that both individuals were on French soil.
The arrests happened on the same day that the German state of Bavaria also banned BetandWin.
Speculations are appearing that the French authorities may have been pressured by France’s two biggest land-based casino groups, Partouche and Barrière.
The two companies had recently wanted to launch online versions of their casino products but had not been allowed to do so by French gaming and gambling authorities. Partouche subsequently set up an office in London to operate its online gaming business.
