For years, SoftSwiss has marketed itself as a neutral software vendor—a technical backbone quietly powering the global iGaming industry. That narrative no longer holds.
A growing body of evidence, now consolidated in an investigative dossier known as “The SoftSwiss Papers,” paints a far darker picture: a vertically integrated gambling empire where software, operators, and payment processors are not separate actors, but components of a single, centralized system designed to bypass regulation, obscure ownership, and move money at scale.
The latest development—reported collaboration with 1xBet-linked entities and regional brands such as PantherBet in South Africa—does not contradict these findings. It confirms them.
The Vendor Myth Collapses
One of the most damaging revelations in The SoftSwiss Papers is the collapse of the “vendor-only” defense.
Corporate records show that Direx N.V. (now DAMA N.V.) was originally incorporated as SoftSwiss N.V., directly linking the platform provider to operational gambling activity. The liquidation of this entity was reportedly managed by Maksim Trafimovich, SoftSwiss’s own Chief Compliance Officer—an extraordinary conflict for any organization claiming strict separation between technology and operations.
This is not a gray area.
It is structural overlap.
The Legal Admission No One Can Ignore
The report’s most significant finding comes from a 2025 WIPO filing, which explicitly acknowledges that SoftSwiss, Hollycorn N.V., and CoinsPaid operate as a single “overarching group.”
This is the smoking gun.
A legal admission in an international intellectual property proceeding directly contradicts years of public positioning. Software provider. Casino operator. Payment processor.
Not partners.
One group.
Sanctions, Exposure, and Willful Risk
The SoftSwiss-linked infrastructure is also reported to provide services to brands owned by Marikit Holdings Ltd, an entity sanctioned by Ukraine for 50 years.
Sanctions exposure is not theoretical here. It is documented.
Any payment processor, bank, or card network touching this ecosystem inherits that risk—whether acknowledged or not.
The 1xBet Connection: From Allegation to Pattern
The SoftSwiss Papers identify direct operational links to the Orakum N.V. cluster, including 1xSlots and Megapari—brands long associated with the 1xBet syndicate.
1xBet is not merely controversial. It has been:
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Banned or restricted across multiple jurisdictions
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Accused repeatedly of fraud, non-payment, and regulatory evasion
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Linked in public reporting to ownership figures wanted by international authorities
By integrating infrastructure connected to this network, SoftSwiss does not appear to be making a neutral commercial choice—it is aligning with a proven high-risk operator.
This is no longer coincidence.
It is continuity.
PantherBet and the Regional Mask
The reported collaboration involving PantherBet in South Africa fits a familiar pattern seen in past offshore gambling operations.
Localized branding.
Foreign infrastructure.
Opaque ownership.
To consumers, PantherBet may appear regional and legitimate. To investigators, it resembles a front-layer brand, designed to provide plausible legitimacy while backend operations remain offshore and difficult to regulate.
South Africa has long been targeted by international gambling networks seeking enforcement gaps. This development should be treated as a consumer and regulatory red flag, not market expansion.
A Vertically Integrated Risk Machine
What emerges from the SoftSwiss Papers is not a collection of bad partners, but a single ecosystem:
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Platform: SoftSwiss
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Operators: DAMA N.V., Hollycorn N.V., Orakum-linked brands
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Payments: CoinsPaid and related crypto/payment channels
This vertical integration enables:
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Transaction laundering
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Rapid brand rotation
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Jurisdiction hopping
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Obscured beneficial ownership
It is a system optimized not for compliance, but for survivability under scrutiny.
Why This Is a Consumer Warning
Players engaging with platforms powered by this ecosystem face serious risks:
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No reliable player protection
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No enforceable dispute resolution
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High probability of non-payment
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Exposure to data misuse and financial fraud
Once funds enter these systems, accountability evaporates.
The Bigger Failure
The real scandal exposed by the SoftSwiss Papers is not just corporate misconduct—it is systemic regulatory failure.
Despite court judgments, sanctions listings, IP filings, and public evidence, this network continues to operate, partner, and expand. That raises uncomfortable questions for regulators, payment networks, and compliance departments worldwide.
When warnings accumulate and business continues unchanged, ignorance is no longer a defense.
Final Warning
The SoftSwiss–1xBet nexus is not a rumor.
It is a case study.
Any entity—bank, processor, affiliate, or investor—encountering:
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SoftSwiss-linked infrastructure
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1xBet-associated brands
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Regional platforms like PantherBet
should treat the exposure as high-risk by default.
The SoftSwiss Papers make one thing clear:
This is not a technology story.
It is an organized gambling and payment system built to look legitimate while operating beyond effective control.
And the longer it remains untouched, the clearer the message becomes:
In today’s global gambling economy, crime doesn’t hide—it integrates.
