On January 16th, we warned that leading Asian bookmaker Pointbet was hovering between going underground and going out of existence in it's original form (see: http://footballisfixed.blogspot.com/2007/01/bettor-beware.html).
This week marked the final threshold and the operation is no longer out there. The domain is using a new server and IP address and was moved manually so we are not looking at a technical issue here. Pointbet have not been paying out leisure punters since December and have been illegally operating from Batam Island for the last year. Underground activities will continue utilising the millions stolen from gullible bettors.
Historically, all Asian bookies started at a street level and all are willing to return to trading on the move if global necessities so dictate.
The reaction of the European bookmakers to the few Asian operators who have explored market making possibilities outside their home region has been hostile and destabilising. The fragmented cartelisation of the global football betting industry is solidified by Europe's posturing. If the Europeans had put a longer term strategy ahead of their short term abusive market manipulation, they might have remained informationally competitive into the future. Short-termism is a basic characteristic of psychopathic operators. But so is hierarchical power and Europe is already in the process of self-undermining it's limited competitive advantage (see http://footballisfixed.blogspot.com/2007/01/psychopathic-personality-disorder.html).
We would continue to advise caution in leaving money deposited with the more vulnerable lower tier British bookies.
