In December 2023, Entain plc, the parent company of Ladbrokes and Coral, agreed to a £615 million settlement with UK authorities over bribery offenses linked to its former Turkish operations. This deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) resolved a multi-year investigation into Entain’s failure to prevent bribery between 2011 and 2017, during which it operated the Turkish-facing brand Headlong Limited.
The settlement included a £585 million financial penalty and disgorgement of profits, a £20 million charitable donation, and a £10 million contribution to cover the costs of HMRC and the CPS.
Despite the gravity of the offenses and the substantial settlement, Turkish authorities have not publicly acknowledged the case, nor have they imposed any penalties or initiated investigations related to Entain’s activities within their jurisdiction. This silence is notable, considering that the bribery offenses occurred within Turkey’s borders and involved Turkish-facing operations.
The absence of a response from Turkish regulators raises questions about the enforcement of anti-corruption laws and the mechanisms in place to address such violations. It also highlights a disparity in accountability, where the UK has taken significant action against a domestic company for foreign offenses, while the host country remains inactive.
This situation underscores the importance of international cooperation in combating corporate misconduct and ensuring that companies are held accountable across all jurisdictions in which they operate.