Netherlands-based 3D slots developer Sheriff Gaming has been placed under a microscope following allegations that individuals connected to Sheriff’s parent company Bubble Group NV were involved in drug dealing, money laundering and illegal gambling. On Friday, a joint operation involving Dutch prosecutors, gaming and tax authorities resulted in the seizure of 100 bank accounts, 80 residential and business properties and 20 vehicles across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Spain.
Brothers Maurice and Michel Gregoire and Stijn Flapper all own stakes in telecommunications and online payments outfit Teletick BV, while Flapper is Bubble Group’s CEO. The trio are alleged to have been dealing ‘soft drugs’ and operating seven online gambling sites in order to fund Teletick’s operations. No arrests have been made and an attorney representing the trio has described the police action as “exaggerated” and that her clients intend to contest the allegations. The gambling sites in question – which have all been taken offline – are AmsterdamsCasino, AmsterdamsPoker, JackpotRed, TripleGold, Golden10Casino, Tanzoo and Fruitluck.
Bubble Group holds a B2B foreign gambling associate certificate issued by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC), which issued a statement saying it had “commenced a special investigation” to confirm “that the bases on which Bubble Group NV and its sponsors were approved remain correct.” Flapper told the Omroep Brabant news service that he was innocent of any wrongdoing, although he distanced himself from Michel Gregoire’s current business activities. Flapper and Gregoire set up Teletick in 2004.
Sheriff/Bubble issued a statement saying that “so far no evidence whatsoever has been presented” indicating anyone is guilty of anything, although the statement allowed that “it is still uncertain whether there are any (direct) links between the allegations and Sheriff Gaming/Bubble Group.” The statement said it hoped Sheriff/Bubble’s “strong reputation … will contribute to the continued support of the market in these difficult times.”
