Online sportsbook denies illegal gambling allegations

Claims by US officials that the Asia-facing online sportsbook SBObet was used by an illegal betting ring busted in Las Vegas last weekend (see previous  reports) are false, the operator said in a statement Thursday.

The well-known internet and live tournament high stakes poker player Paul Phua and seven associates, all of Asian origin, were arrested in a raid on three suites at Caesars in Las Vegas, where prosecutors have alleged they were running a betting ring on the World Cup football matches, using the SBObet website.

The SBObet statement claims the allegations of its involvement are entirely without foundation, and points out that none of the arrested men have any involvement or relationship with the owners or management of SBObet or its operators, Celton Manx and Richwell Ventures on the Isle of Man.

SBObet does not accept wagers from the United States, the statement continues, pointing out that if bets were placed from Caesars palace by Phua and his associates this could only have been carried out illegally by remotely using proxy computers located elsewhere.

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