Two people have been charged and placed in French custody after it was discovered that they might have been running several illegal casino websites. It’s estimated that the gambling ring had generated nearly a billion euros ($1,169,425,000) over the five years that it was running. Investigations came to a head when users trying to withdraw their winnings couldn’t.
Eurojust, a criminal investigation agency for European countries, used judicial cooperation with Cyprus to help with the investigation, as it was found that site managers resided in the country. During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered that more than €100 million was transferred between 2022 and 2025.
During its investigation, those involved met to coordinate searches across Cyprus and Malta. This resulted in two men being brought before the investigative judge in France, who have been charged. The charges include:
Organising prohibited gambling
Operating as part of an organised gang
Offering illegal online gaming
Money laundering
Eurojust orders assets frozen for gambling ring pair
While they’ve been charged, they are now awaiting trial and are in custody. The pair has had their assets ordered to be frozen. However, neither Eurojust nor any of the European authorities involved in the case have named the gambling sites in question.
France and a good majority of Europe allow for gambling, but have strict regulations in place to keep it in check. As such, as soon as an operator falls afoul of the law, investigators will typically act quickly to get to the bottom of it.
As we don’t know the sites in question, it’s always worth double-checking to see whether or not an online casino is licensed. Don’t fall for sites that use false licenses, but make sure to check in with the advertised licensor to see if they’re legit. Some watchdogs will have a dedicated list, like in Malta or the UK.
Featured image: Eurojust
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