Sorare.com had a licence deal to release digital cards of Premier League players as part of its free-to-play online fantasy football game.
More than £10 million of Premier League funds will remain frozen amid an international criminal investigation into its former fantasy football game partner.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and Luxembourg authorities are investigating Sorare.com, which had a licence deal to release digital cards of Premier League players as part of its free-to-play online fantasy football game.
The NCA, often dubbed Britain’s FBI, secured an order last January to freeze £10,024,041.33 held in the Premier League’s bank account.
A further four-month freeze was granted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, the licence having been due to expire the following Monday and after a request from the NCA.
District Judge Sam Goozee said: “The freezing of accounts is necessary and proportionate to prevent dissipation of funds which are suspected to be the fruits of criminal conduct and enable proper investigation by the authorities.”
Premier League was aware in October 2021 that the Gambling Commission was carrying out inquiries into Sorare, after the commission published a press release on its website.
It was looking into whether the French-based company’s services qualified as gambling, and if it therefore needed an operating licence.
As a result, Premier League held a meeting with Sorare and acquired a summary of the legal opinion the company had received, the court heard.
Judge Goozee said: “In summary the conclusion of that legal opinion was that Sorare believes that its contests are not a form of gambling.
“The summary of the legal opinion it received clearly states that ‘it should not be relied upon by any third party’.”
In January 2023, Premier League bosses announced a £120 million four-year deal with the company.
It said the firm’s digital player cards would give fans “a new way to feel closer to the Premier League whether they are watching in the stadium or from around the world”.
About a year and a half later, Sorare told the Premier League that it had been charged with three offences by the Gambling Commission.
They relate to providing unlicensed gambling facilities and a trial was scheduled for June 2027.
The judge told the court: “I find on the NCA evidence that Sorare’s activities have continued in Great Britain since the date of the charges.
“The Premier League continued to receive funds into the account until June 2025.”
