Tipster.de offices raided by police
Police and anti-corruption officers raided the sportsbook’s offices in Cologne.
Germany.- The German media outlet Bild.de has reported that police and anti-corruption officers raided the online sportsbook Tipster.de‘s offices in Cologne. It was reported that 1,000 officers from the North Rhine-Westphalia state police force took part in the operation and searched more than 100 items.
No specific reason was provided for the raid, but reports say the search was related to suspicions of “illegal gambling and the formation of a criminal organisation” and aimed to “secure evidence and assets”. The investigation is reported to be led by prosecutors from the Central Office for Organised Crime (ZEOS) and North Rhine-Westphalia’s financial investigation department.
The operation is reportedly linked to a wider European criminal investigation in which authorities in Croatia and Malta are cooperating with the German anti-corruption units in Bavaria, Berlin, Bremen and Saxony.
Tipster.de is run by Tipster Limited, which has been licensed as a sports betting operator in Germany since 2010, initially under a provisional licence from the Regional Council of Darmstadt and now under the federal gambling regime. With its headquarters in Ta’Xbiex, Malta, it also runs Norobet and Kuka.de.
Bild reported: “Initial information suggests that the raid was successful. Six suspects from Tipster’s management were arrested. Arrest warrants had already been issued for all individuals. The case is said to involve damages in the millions.”
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