Trial Scheduled Through 2029
The London court has mapped out the trial calendar for the Entain case, which extends into 2029. Subsequent hearings will target distinct defendant groups. The second phase, commencing in October 2028, will prosecute former executives Alexander MacAngus on conspiracy to defraud charges, and Richard Raubitscheck-Smith and Raymond Smart on fraud and bribery charges. A final trial is scheduled to begin on March 5, 2029, addressing allegations against former governance chief Robert Hoskin, who is accused of perverting the course of justice during his tenure from 2020 to 2023.
Evidence Clash
Defense teams challenged the evidence volume from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) during Monday's hearing. This prompted Judge Baumgartner to mandate ongoing negotiations for streamlined evidence handling. While commercial reporting restrictions remain unresolved, the court rejected relocating the proceedings to Leeds, citing "great cost for the public purse" if the case were moved.
Probe Focuses on Turkish Affiliate
Authorities have linked the criminal case to GVC's former ownership of Headlong Limited, a Turkish subsidiary operated from 2011 until its 2017 sale to Ropso Malta Limited. The deal included performance-based incentives valued at up to €150 million.
The prosecution follows HMRC's 2020 expansion of its probe into potential "corporate offending" after Entain acknowledged historical misconduct by former staff and third parties. As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, Entain agreed to pay £585 million in penalties, £20 million in charities, and £10 million in legal costs.
"This has been a complex and international investigation. These are serious charges that relate to conspiracy to defraud, bribery, cheating the public revenue, evasion of income tax, and perverting the course of justice, among others," explained HMRC director Richard Las.
