Copyright takedowns targeting 1xBet coverage raise questions over suppression tactics

A series of copyright complaints filed through Google's takedown system has sparked fresh questions about the relationship between global operator 1xBet and sports-data provider Sportradar, as well as potential efforts to suppress critical reporting.

The investigation, published by Active8Insights, traces at least 12 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices bearing the name "Alex Gramm" that targeted approximately 84 URLs across roughly 68 domains. Active8Insights says 10 of those notices appear connected to 1xBet's interests, covering the operator's branding, marketing material, and journalism about the company. The takedown pattern extends to major publications including Gaming Intelligence, The Hindu, Brazilian media outlet Estadao, and other gambling and sports publications.

The investigation began after Active8Insights itself received a Google notice in early August claiming copyright infringement on its own reporting. By tracing the complaint through Google's notice system and the Lumen Database, which archives takedown requests, Active8Insights reconstructed a broader pattern. One October 2025 notice was explicitly filed as "Alex Gramm on behalf of 1xBet," though this represents only what the filer declared - not proof of authorization.

Particularly striking to investigators was an April 27 notice seeking removal of material across 14 domains covering the Sportradar short-seller reports published April 22 by Callisto Research and Muddy Waters Research. Those reports accused Sportradar of extensive relationships with black and grey-market gambling operators, with Callisto estimating roughly one-third of Sportradar's revenue could be connected to illicit platforms. Sportradar's share price fell approximately 20 percent following the reports.

Notably, one takedown notice was allegedly submitted on behalf of Muddy Waters Research itself, which Active8Insights says the firm has denied filing.

Both 1xBet and Sportradar have categorically denied involvement. Simon Westbury, strategic adviser for 1xBet, stated the company "had no involvement in or knowledge of that notice." Sportradar said it "did not file or commission the notice in question and has never sought the removal of such press coverage from search results" and added it has "no relationship with, or knowledge of, anyone filing copyright takedown notices under the name Alex Gramm."

Crucially, Active8Insights itself states: "We have no evidence that 1xBet, or Sportradar, filed, commissioned, or knew about this notice, and we do not allege it." The investigation documents what the filings did - target journalism - rather than definitively establishing who commissioned them.

The timing coincides with 1xBet's repositioning as a licensed global operator. In recent months, the company has emphasized its growing portfolio of local licenses in regulated markets, including a Brazilian license announced in February. This rebranding effort appears designed to distance 1xBet from historical criticism regarding operations in illegal or grey markets.

The broader Sportradar controversy remains unresolved. The company maintains its compliance framework includes license verification, ownership checks, sanctions screening, and continuing audits. It argues that licensing determination rests with regulatory bodies in relevant jurisdictions, not with Sportradar itself. An independent third-party review commissioned by Sportradar's Audit Committee concluded the short-seller allegations are "unfounded and present a deliberately misleading narrative."

However, the dispute has moved beyond stock-market allegations into litigation, with investors filing lawsuits related to the short-seller reports. The takedown pattern adds a new dimension to an already complex dispute, raising questions about information suppression tactics in the online gambling industry at a moment when operators face intense scrutiny over market practices and compliance standards.