SBObet’s parent company Celton Manx has voluntarily given up its gambling license for the Isle of Man.
As of May 9, 2025, Celton Manx no longer has a gambling license for the Isle of Man, which it has maintained since August 1, 2008. This has been confirmed on the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission’s (GSC) website, with the company now listed under the regulator’s list of former online gambling license holders.
The voluntary nature of the act was confirmed to EGR Intel, with CEO Bill Mummery stating: “We voluntarily surrendered our licence to the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission effective C.O.B. Friday 9 May 2025”.
Brands under the Celton Manx umbrella include SBO Bet, SBOtop and SBObeteu, all of which will now longer function on the Isle of Man or be able to use the license crest on their websites.
The bigger picture on the Isle of Man
The reason for surrendering the license has not been made public, with the regulator stating that the details of individual cases are not appropriate to disclose. However, it marks a wider pattern within the gambling industry in the region , with Isle of Man Today reporting that as many as 13 companies have surrendered their online gaming licences so far in 2025.
This comes after it was revealed in April that the GSC was anticipating a shortfall of £778,000 in the financial year of 2024/2025, due to a lower-than-expected number of gaming licences on its register. Celton Manx joins other major gambling names like PokerStars, owned by Rational Entertainment Enterprises.
Last month also saw the GSC appoint Nicola Libreri as its new deputy CEO, marking a new change for the regulator. She had been part of the organisation in some capacity since 2018 and stepped into the vacancy left behind by Mark Rutherford, who had only taken on the role of CEO in January 2025.
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