Former Entain CEO faces bribery charges over Turkish gambling operations

The former chief executive of Entain, Kenny Alexander, appeared in a London court Monday charged with bribery and fraud connected to the British betting company's former Turkish operations.

Alexander, who transformed the company from a small gambling firm into a FTSE 100 giant during his 2007-2020 leadership, faces allegations spanning 2011 to 2018.

The 56-year-old executive, alongside former non-executive chairman Lee Feldman, 57, and ex-chief financial officer Richard Cooper, 64, is charged with conspiracy to bribe and conspiracy to defraud financial institutions.

The prosecution alleges the trio concealed money originating from gambling activities in Turkey, deceiving financial monitoring and compliance systems.

None of the defendants entered pleas during Monday's hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, with all three granted bail pending their next appearance at Southwark Crown Court on November 3, 2025.

Alexander had previously indicated through legal representatives that the case would be "vigorously defended" though his lawyer was not immediately available for comment following the court proceedings.

Entain, formerly known as GVC until rebranding in 2020, emphasized in an August statement that neither the current company nor any present employees face charges related to the investigation.

The allegations focus on activities preceding Alexander's departure and the company's subsequent corporate restructuring, which included the landmark £4 billion acquisition of Ladbrokes Coral that established Entain as a gambling industry powerhouse.