In the fast-paced world of online gambling, brands rise and fall with alarming frequency, but few vanish as abruptly as 8XBet.
Once a prominent sponsor in the football world and an emerging name in the Asian betting market, the brand has seemingly disappeared overnight. Its websites appear offline or no longer functioning, and its digital footprint is disappearing fast. The future of its numerous sports sponsorships also appears to be hanging in the balance.
8XBet made headlines in 2022 when it signed a partnership deal with Manchester City, becoming the football giant’s official Asian betting partner. The move was seen as part of a broader strategy to cement its presence in the lucrative Asian gambling market. The brand also brought on former Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham as a brand ambassador, further bolstering its credibility among football fans.
The company’s association with such high-profile entities suggested deep pockets and ambitious goals. Its logo appeared on digital billboards, its name was tied to global campaigns, and its social media presence was carefully curated to project legitimacy. Yet behind the glitz and glamour of sponsorships lay troubling questions about the company’s origins and operations.
Even during its peak, 8XBet’s legitimacy was called into question. Investigations revealed that its founder Ryan Li, and its CEO Trinh Thu Trang, were virtually invisible figures. Little to no verifiable information existed about them, with online profiles either scant or suspicious—Trang’s LinkedIn page once featured a stock photo as a profile picture, a red flag that was quickly noticed and led to the account’s deletion.
The company did hold a license from the UK Gambling Commission, facilitated by TGP Europe, but the website also seems to have been closed recently. The license for the 8xbet.co.uk domain shows as inactive on the UKGC website, which should mean the company is no longer allowed to sponsor British teams.
Further complicating matters, 8XBet’s operations were reportedly run out of Dubai, where gambling is illegal. Such a setup raised eyebrows, particularly when coupled with the lack of transparency around the company’s ownership structure. Critics argued that 8XBet was emblematic of a growing trend in online gambling – brands that exist primarily to profit from regions with lax oversight while shielding themselves from scrutiny in more tightly regulated markets.
Football has long been a fertile ground for gambling sponsorships, with clubs eager to cash in on lucrative deals. For companies like 8XBet, aligning with globally recognized teams provided instant credibility. But this symbiotic relationship also created an ethical dilemma. By associating with football clubs, brands like 8XBet gained access to fans worldwide, often sidestepping regulatory oversight in the process.
Manchester City’s partnership with 8XBet drew particular attention. Critics questioned why one of the world’s wealthiest football clubs would align itself with a brand that lacked transparency. Some speculated that the deal was less about long-term partnerships and more about short-term financial gain, regardless of the reputational risks involved. The Premier League eventually investigated the partnership amid concerns about financial irregularities and the opaque nature of 8XBet’s operations. However, the findings were never made public, leaving many questions unanswered.
By late 2024, whispers began circulating about 8XBet’s decline. Websites affiliated with the brand started going offline, and its social media channels became inactive. The brand’s disappearance was as sudden as its rise, leaving former employees, partners, and customers in the dark.
Industry insiders point to several potential reasons for the abrupt vanishing act. Regulatory pressure may have finally caught up with the company, forcing it to shut down to avoid legal repercussions. Alternatively, the brand could have been a victim of its own internal issues, from financial mismanagement to disputes among stakeholders.
Another possibility is that 8XBet was never intended to be a long-term venture. Its meteoric rise and fall align with a pattern seen in other questionable gambling operations: establish a presence, rake in profits, and disappear before regulators can act.
The case of 8XBet serves as a cautionary tale for the gambling industry and its stakeholders. It highlights the risks inherent in prioritizing quick financial gains over due diligence and ethical considerations. For football clubs, the saga underscores the importance of vetting potential sponsors, as short-term financial windfalls can lead to long-term reputational damage.
For regulators, 8XBet’s disappearance is a reminder of the challenges in policing an industry that operates across borders and thrives on anonymity. As online gambling continues to grow, the need for stringent oversight and international cooperation becomes increasingly urgent.
