A recent communication from Google has sparked new allegations in the complex situation surrounding Sportradar, a sports-data company whose stock value took a hit after short sellers accused it of benefiting from illegal gambling back in April.
The claim originates from Active8Insights, a publication that specializes in data concerning activist short selling. Their investigation, titled "Betting on a Takedown," revealed that a little-known SEO contractor has been submitting numerous copyright complaints—specifically DMCA notices—in an effort to obscure information about the global operator 1xBet and its connections to Sportradar.
An Active8Insights spokesperson said, “We randomly got pulled into this situation. On August 5, we received an email from Google that stated, ‘Hey, you apparently infringed on copyright, and we are removing your link from our search index.’” After tracing the complaint through Google's notice system and the Lumen Database, which archives takedown requests, Active8Insights identified a broader scheme, although both 1xBet and Sportradar have refuted any involvement in these actions.
1xBet has been scrutinized in multiple jurisdictions for allegedly operating in illegal or ambiguous markets. Nonetheless, the company is on a rebranding path to demonstrate its commitment to “increasingly operating in licensed markets,” as noted by Simon Westbury, 1xBet's strategic adviser, in April. This strategy includes enhancing its collection of local licenses in regulated markets worldwide, including a Brazilian license announced in February.
Westbury dismissed the notion that 1xBet could be linked to any takedown operation, stating, “Active8Insights is clear about the limits of what it can establish and does not allege that 1xBet was responsible for the activity described. 1xBet can confirm that it had no involvement in or knowledge of that notice. We have no further comment.”
Sportradar has equally denied any part in this matter. According to a spokesperson, “We did not file or commission the notice in question and have never sought the removal of such press coverage from search results. Sportradar has no relationship with, or knowledge of, anyone filing copyright takedown notices under the name Alex Gramm.” Furthermore, the spokesperson emphasized the company’s commitment to compliance and reputation, outlining that after the short seller reports, Sportradar's Audit Committee engaged a third-party review that validated their compliance framework.
Active8Insights identified the first relevant notice as dating back to November 1, 2013, pertaining to football analysis on a blog seemingly owned by an individual named Alex Gramm, who does not seem connected to 1xBet. The connection to 1xBet became apparent in October 2025. Notably, a complaint from that month listed “Alex Gramm on behalf of 1xBet” as the sender, but this does not prove that 1xBet sanctioned the filing.
According to Active8Insights, their findings indicate that 1xBet might be attempting to enhance its public image through licensing and sponsorship initiatives. They clarify, however, that “We have no evidence that 1xBet, or Sportradar, filed, commissioned, or knew about this notice, and we do not allege it. What we can document is what the filings did.”
The analysis revealed that Alex Gramm appears on at least 12 takedown notices targeting 84 URLs across around 68 different domains. Among these, ten notices seemed to serve the interests of 1xBet, relating to its marketing and branding or journalism covering the operator. Targets included various media outlets, notably some that reported on the April 22 short-seller analyses concerning Sportradar.
DMCA notices are standard legal tools allowing rights holders to address copyright infringement. However, Active8Insights asserts that the mechanism appears to be wielded against journalism, citing a notice allegedly filed on behalf of Muddy Waters Research, which the firm claims it did not submit. This takedown situation emerges amid broader concerns regarding Sportradar’s affiliations with black and grey-market gambling operations.
Reports from Callisto Research and Muddy Waters have suggested that a substantial segment of Sportradar's revenue could be tied to illicit platforms. In light of these allegations, Sportradar’s stock fell sharply, losing about 20% of its value. Sportradar has firmly rebutted these claims, asserting that contracts mandate clients to secure appropriate licenses and that their compliance measures include rigorous audits and verifications.
Moving forward, the controversy has transitioned from the stock market into legal disputes. On May 18, an investor filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, citing securities-law violations linked to a class period from November 7, 2024, to April 21, 2026. The law firm Robbins Geller has since reached out to investors interested in partaking in this proposed class action, alleging that Sportradar and its executives breached the Securities Exchange Act.
While these allegations remain untested in court, they join a complex narrative involving Active8Insights’ claims regarding attempts to suppress negative reporting about both 1xBet and Sportradar.
The findings outlined do not confirm that either company orchestrated a smear campaign; however, they do suggest attempts to obscure the visibility of critical reporting online.
