London’s Southwark Crown Court has formally scheduled the first stage of a sweeping criminal prosecution involving former Entain (previously GVC Holdings) executives, including ex–chief executive Kenny Alexander. A provisional trial date has been fixed for February 2028, marking a significant milestone in a long-running investigation into alleged misconduct tied to historic operations serving the Turkish market.
At Monday’s plea and trial preparation hearing, Judge Baumgartner opted to postpone the formal arraignment process, meaning no defendants entered pleas during the session. He also confirmed that proceedings will be split across three separate trials due to the volume of charges, number of defendants, and breadth of evidence.
Alexander, along with former GVC chairman Lee Feldman and five additional defendants, will feature in the opening trial beginning February 14, 2028, with four months allocated for the proceedings. This group faces accusations including conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to bribe relating to GVC’s former Turkey-facing operations, which took place between 2011 and 2018.
Further hearings are set to follow later in 2028 and into 2029. A second trial beginning in October 2028 will address charges against Alexander MacAngus, Richard Raubitscheck-Smith, and Raymond Smart. MacAngus faces a conspiracy-to-defraud charge, while Raubitscheck-Smith and Smart are accused of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to bribe.
The final trial is scheduled for March 5, 2029, focusing solely on former governance chief Robert Hoskin, charged with perverting the course of justice. Hoskin served as Entain’s chief governance officer between 2020 and 2023.
Defense Raises Evidence Concerns; Judge Rejects Venue Change
During the hearing, defense representatives questioned the extensive documentation expected from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), with one lawyer referring to the anticipated materials as a “blizzard of material,” according to Racing Post. Judge Baumgartner urged both legal teams to continue discussions about managing the vast evidence load throughout the trial process.
The court also addressed potential reporting restrictions tied to commercial sensitivities, though no ruling was made. Additionally, despite expectations that the case might shift to Leeds due to alleged offenses occurring largely in northern England, the judge ruled against relocation, citing disruption and stating that moving the case could cause “great cost for the public purse.”
Allegations Stemming From GVC’s Former Turkey Operations
The prosecution—authorized in August following a lengthy investigation—covers alleged wrongdoing linked to GVC’s operation of Headlong Limited, a Turkish affiliate the company owned from 2011 until its sale in 2017. Entain previously asserted it severed all ties with the business when it was sold to Ropso Malta Limited under a deal containing performance-based incentives potentially worth up to €150 million.
As scrutiny intensified, HMRC expanded its probe in 2020 to examine possible “corporate offending.” After rebranding as Entain, the company acknowledged that historical misconduct may have taken place involving former staff and external partners. Entain subsequently agreed to pay a £585 million penalty, make £20 million in charitable contributions, and cover £10 million in legal costs for the CPS and HMRC.
The CPS confirmed it has authorized prosecution of 11 individuals for seven alleged offences ranging from conspiracy to defraud and bribery to cheating the public revenue and evading income tax. “This has been a complex and international investigation. These are serious charges that relate to conspiracy to defraud, bribery, cheating the public revenue, evasion of income tax and perverting the course of justice among others,” said Richard Las, director of HMRC’s fraud investigation service.
Entain Not Charged; Former Executives Deny Wrongdoing
The company emphasized that it has not been charged and highlighted that none of the individuals currently under prosecution remain employed by the group. Alexander, who led GVC from 2007 to 2020 and oversaw its £4 billion Ladbrokes Coral acquisition, also appeared in person at the Southwark hearing.
The high-profile case marks one of the most significant prosecutions to emerge from the UK gambling sector, and its progression will be closely watched across the industry in the years leading up to the first trial date.
