Santeda Faces Curaçao Appeal Over €246,500 in Confiscated Winnings

A Curaçao appeals court is expected to rule on Santeda’s attempt to overturn a judgement ordering the operator behind MyStake to return €246,500 in confiscated player winnings. 

The case concerns a Spanish customer whose winnings were cancelled after MyStake claimed the player had breached its terms by exceeding a maximum stake limit. Santeda lost the first-instance case in March 2025 but appealed the ruling. The dispute could also create licensing consequences if the operator refuses payment after exhausting its legal options.

Santeda has attracted attention in the UK because its network operates brands including MyStake, Donbet, Velobet and Goldenbet without blocking British customers. Industry groups and gambling reform campaigners have cited the network during debates about black-market growth and offshore operators targeting legal jurisdictions.

Offshore licensing dispute follows earlier BC.Game enforcement case

This case carries added significance following a similar dispute involving Curaçao licensee BC.Game. MyStake faced licence revocation in 2024 after refusing to pay player claims, while claimants later secured a local bankruptcy declaration.

This controversy contributed to increased scrutiny of unlicensed sponsorship arrangements in Britain. The gambling minister has suggested that white-label partnerships and offshore brands could face tougher enforcement.

Santeda and sister company GTW were dissolved earlier this year after legal rulings and growing public attention. The group had previously transferred licensed operations from Santeda to GTW, in response to the March 2025 judgement.

Furthermore, Santeda was named as a defendant with former Curaçao master licence holder Cyberluck. The latter granted the group a sublicence in 2019 before Curaçao abolished the sublicensing structure under its new gambling law at the end of 2024.

Curaçao licences can provide offshore operators with access to payment processors, banking services and other financial infrastructure that may otherwise be unavailable.

Player rejected repeated offers to settle for reduced payment

Sources told NEXT.io that the dispute is the final unresolved case from 25 player claims that were settled for reduced amounts. The Spanish player repeatedly refused offers worth between 72.5% and 75% of the confiscated winnings. 

Santander has made more than 60 attempts to settle the dispute. MyStake argued that it was entitled to cancel almost all the winnings because the customer exceeded the €20 maximum stake stated in its terms and conditions. 

The operator maintained that only €7,500 should remain payable. In addition, the first-instance court rejected that argument after examining Cyberluck’s licensing conditions.

Licence conditions required MyStake to prevent excessive stakes

The court highlighted a provision requiring the operator to allow customers to adjust their stake or prevent further bets when a wager exceeded the permitted limit.

Because MyStake accepted the bets instead of blocking or correcting them, the court ruled that the operator could not later rely on its stake condition to confiscate the winnings. Santeda was ordered to pay the full €246,500 plus interest, €4,500 in out-of-court recovery costs and the player’s legal expenses.

The appeal will determine whether that judgement stays valid and if further legal action will be necessary.

Expert Opinion

Santeda is facing a case from Curacao appeals court over confiscating a Spanish player’s winnings of around €246,500 under its MyStake brand. Despite efforts to settle the dispute, the court has rejected their standpoint because it negates their licensing conditions under Cyberluck.