By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS, Oct 14 (Reuters) – Sports technology company Sportradar Group was hit with antitrust complaints to EU and UK regulators on Wednesday by sportsbook software company Altenar Technologies, which accused it of blocking rivals’ access to its live official sports data.
Swiss-headquartered Sportradar is a leading content provider of betting-related content in major sports including tennis, soccer and basketball.
Its exclusive deals with major sports leagues MLB, NBA, ATP, and NHL include data collection and distribution rights, as well as the right to provide live betting odds derived from that data.
The complaints follow an antitrust lawsuit Altenar filed in a US court in April, alleging Sportradar has monopolised the market for live official sports data in the US and stifled competition.
Sportradar declined to comment. Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority said it does not comment on specific examples or scenarios outside of a formal investigation. The European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We believe Sportradar is using its control of essential sports data to shut out businesses with a competing offer,” an Altenar spokesperson said.
“Bookmakers across the EU and UK need a choice of suppliers and a market that supports competition and innovation. We are asking the European Commission and the CMA to intervene and ensure that independent providers can compete on fair terms,” the spokesperson said.
Altenar is also asking the CMA to impose interim measures restoring access to essential data and odds pending the outcome of an investigation.
EU antitrust violations can result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s annual global turnover.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee. Editing by Mark Potter)
