A recent case raises serious concerns about the operations of the gambling brand 20bet and the role of payment service providers such as Revolut. Based on a formal complaint, the platform and several associated companies are accused of violating German gambling laws, anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, and consumer protection standards.
Background
The website 20bettwin.com is operated by TechSolutions (CY) Group Limited and holds a gambling license issued in Curaçao. However, this license is not automatically recognized within the European Union. In most EU member states – including Germany – operators must obtain a local national license to legally offer online gambling services. Without such authorization, operations are deemed illegal.
Additionally, reports indicate that entities associated with 20bet have been blacklisted in multiple European countries, including France, Poland, Greece, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and Hungary.
The Complaint: Serious Violations
According to a German resident under the national self-exclusion system (OASIS), it was nevertheless possible to register and gamble extensively on 20bet. The allegations include:
- No KYC (Know Your Customer) or AML (Anti-Money Laundering) procedures were carried out;
- The use of mirror websites to bypass local restrictions;
- Payment processing through German service providers such as Revolut, despite the platform’s alleged illegal status;
- A complete failure to uphold responsible gambling obligations, including ignoring active self-exclusion status.
The complaint addresses not only TechSolutions but also domain and licensing facilitators SMES Trust and CMS Trust, and explicitly mentions Revolut for enabling payments.
Revolut Under Focus
A particularly sensitive issue is the alleged role of Revolut in facilitating transactions for 20bet, despite possible indications of the platform’s illegal operations in Germany. If proven, this could expose Revolut to potential regulatory actions.
Important: At this stage, Revolut’s legal liability has not been established. The presumption of innocence applies until any official findings are made.
Possible Consequences
The complainant has indicated that the matter may be escalated to German gambling regulators, financial authorities, EU consumer protection networks, and investigative journalists if not resolved amicably. The goal is to seek a full refund of approximately €20,000 in deposits and to expose the systemic failures within the illegal online gambling ecosystem.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on a formal complaint and publicly available information. All parties mentioned are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a competent legal proceeding.