Bellingcat has uncovered a connection between the Croatian national football team and the unlicensed iGaming operator Dragon Z6. According to a joint investigation by Bellingcat and the Norwegian journalism outlet Josimar, the Croatian team signed a two-year agreement with Dragon Z6 in May 2024, designating them as the exclusive betting partner for the Asian market ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The investigation revealed that Dragon Z6 does not hold a valid gaming license, and the representative who signed the agreement with the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) used a fictitious name. iGN highlights the following findings from the investigation:
The representative of Dragon Z6 at the signing ceremony in Zagreb introduced himself as Alexander Smith. However, Bellingcat, using the facial recognition search engine PimEyes, identified him as Branko Balon, a senior lecturer in computer science at the Zagreb University of Algebra Bernays and president of the Croatian-Chinese Friendship Society (CCFS). His role within Dragon Z6 remains undisclosed, and he has not responded to journalists' inquiries.
According to regulatory intelligence from Gaming Compliance International (GCI), neither Dragon Z6 nor its associated entity KashBet holds a valid gaming license in any recognized jurisdiction.
The investigation also linked Dragon Z6 to the iGaming operator KashBet (KB88), which has connections to Hong Kong and had sponsorship agreements with FC Ajax, AS Roma, Bayer Leverkusen, Fluminense, and Wigan Athletic in 2017 and 2019.
Keen Ocean Entertainment (IOM) Limited, the company behind KashBet, obtained a gaming license in the Isle of Man in 2012. By 2016, the sole director, Yun Tang, ceased responding to registry inquiries, leading to the company's removal from the registry.
Dragon Z6's product operates not on the main domain Z6.com, but on a rotation of mirror sites featuring Chinese-language content, including live broadcasts of card games. GCI reports that the operator is deliberately targeting a Chinese audience, where gambling is completely banned.
According to the agent of former Dutch footballer Robin van Persie, images of the player are being used on Dragon Z6's mirror sites without his permission. The agent stated that van Persie has not entered into agreements with KashBet or Dragon Z6 and announced impending legal action.
Bellingcat also identified that the live studio of Dragon Z6 was located in the Philippines, where offshore iGaming operators were banned in 2024, thanks to a promotional video on the Dragon Z6 YouTube channel.
HNS International President Dennis Lukancic stated that the federation conducted standard compliance procedures before finalizing the deal and cannot comment on Dragon Z6's internal decisions, including the use of names or identification data.
GCI President Ismail Vali noted that unlicensed iGaming operators leverage football sponsorships to build brand recognition through international sports broadcasts, subsequently transitioning players from betting to casino verticals with higher margins.