Magellan

What is Magellan?

“Joining OpenBet gives us the opportunity to build on that foundation as part of one of the world’s leading sportsbook businesses. For our customers, it brings the additional scale, capabilities and product portfolio of OpenBet, while maintaining the specialist knowledge and continuity they value today.”

Last year, OpenBet completed its management buyout in a $450 million deal that saw CEO Jordan Levin and other senior executives take control over the platform business from Endeavor. 

“As this new chapter begins, OpenBet is better positioned than ever to drive market expansion and product innovation while defining the future of betting and gaming entertainment,” Levin said at the time.

How to play Magellan

It is important to stress that the Commission has not published detailed findings or established that breaches occurred. Customers can still access their accounts and withdraw funds. Following the closures the sites still provided messaging about the suspended licences.

Even so, suspension is an unusually forceful intervention.

“In my experience, where compliance concerns can be satisfactorily addressed without suspending an operator’s licence, the Commission may allow the operator to implement remedial measures or an action plan while continuing to trade,” says Richard Williams, partner at Keystone Law, speaking before the news of the collapse of the businesses.

How to play Magellan

This latest operation forms part of an ongoing surge in Türkiye’s efforts to curb illegal betting throughout 2026. 

Earlier this year, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi called illegal betting a “scourge that corrupts society” and emphasised a move towards tougher enforcement.

According to Çiftçi, the rapid growth of digital payments and cryptocurrencies has transformed illegal betting into a major conduit for money laundering.