Dicks, 64, has been bailed with a hearing scheduled for the September 28. He had been with the group since the launch of the company in 2000. SportingBet was said to have accepted the immediate departure with “great reluctance”. His departure is believed to have urged to him by his legal counsel. SportingBet has also announced that a new independent non-executive chairman will be appointed some time in the future.
He is the second major figure in the world of online gambling to be arrested in a short period of time. David Carruthers, Chief Executive of Betonsports was arrested in July, at Dallas Fort Worth airport where he was due to fly to the groups headquarters in Coasta Rica.
Online gambling creates $12 billion-a-year (£6.4 billion) in America but its rapid expansion has meant the law banning interstate betting using telephone lines is being violated. The American Congress is proposing to strengthen the law by banning banks and credit card companies from processing Internet gambling payments.
