Kindred Group exits Poland after pulling sports betting product

Kindred Group has pulled its sports betting product from Poland, weeks after removing casino, poker and bingo from the market.

The operator currently runs the Unibet brand in Poland, via its Trannel International subsidiary which has previously been called out by local operators for serving Polish customers without a licence in the country.

At the end of October, Kindred announced it was pulling casino, poker and bingo from the Polish market.

This was in line with La Française des Jeux (FDJ) purchasing the operator and stating in its initial public tender offer from January that any combined group would operate only in locally regulated markets.

With only its sports betting product remaining in Poland, a message sent to Unibet customers announced the withdrawal of the bookmaker from the market.

It added that accounts would remain open but sports bets would be settled by today, 25 November.

Sports bets not settled by that date will be voided, while players will be given the chance to cash out any pending bets.

Players with money left in their accounts have until 30 December to withdraw funds.

The move came days after Graj Legalnie, Poland’s sports betting trade association, wrote to the French ambassador to Poland for an “adequate response” to Kindred’s presence in the Polish market.

In the letter to FDJ, seen by EGR, chair Zdzislaw Kostrubala claimed the Polish treasury is being depleted of “tens of millions of zlotys” due to Kindred’s “illegal and criminal activities”.

A Kindred spokesperson told EGR: “Following Kindred’s acquisition by FDJ, a leading lottery, betting and gaming operator in France, the new group reaffirms its commitment to operating exclusively in locally regulated markets, or in markets with a clear path to regulation. As part of this commitment, Kindred will stop its international .com operations.”

The FDJ added: “From the start of the acquisition of Kindred, FDJ has always communicated it will cease all activities in non-regulated markets, except where there is a clear path towards a locally regulated business.

“Since the acquisition was completed in October, this decision is being implemented by Kindred’s team.”

Play Legally president Zdzislaw Kostrubala called for an immediate amendment to the Polish gambling act.

Kostrubala said: “As members of the association, which for years has been fighting for the elimination of the grey market in the igaming industry, we draw attention to the necessity of immediate adjustment of Polish gambling act to the changing reality and technology, so that the Polish state is not powerless against foreign entities stealing from the Polish taxpayer.”

Kostrubala added that Kindred represented “only a fragment of a problem” in the Polish market.

He told EGR: “It is difficult to estimate today how many tens of millions of zlotys the Polish budget has lost due to the activities of this entity in recent years.

“However, this is only a fragment of a problem, because the entire market of illegal online games and pari-mutuel betting is – according to EY estimates – PLN 35 billion, which flows out of Poland every year.

“As members of the association, which for years has been fighting for the elimination of the grey market in iGaming industry, we draw attention to the necessity of immediate adjustment of Polish gambling act to the changing reality and technology, so that the Polish State is not powerless against foreign entities stealing from the Polish taxpayer.”