Altenar has lodged complaints with the European Union and UK competition regulators against Sportradar, alleging that the latter has misused its market power by obstructing access to live sports information and betting odds.
According to Altenar, the obstruction involved Sportradar blocking its access to data covered by exclusive distribution agreements with the NBA, MLB, ATP, and NHL while still supplying it to its betting platforms ORAKO and NSoft.
As per Altenar, such obstruction has diminished its capacity to compete. Moreover, Altenar asserts that Sportradar has made the access to crucial data and odds dependent on purchasing its Managed Trading Services (MTS). Altenar claims it eventually consented to acquire MTS notwithstanding its repeated assertions that it does not need the service.
Altenar is urging the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to look into the alleged behavior.
An Altenar spokesperson said:
We believe Sportradar is using its control of essential sports data to shut out businesses with a competing offer. This is bigger than Altenar: 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.
Altenar calls on the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the practices in question.
Sportradar rejects Altenar’s approach
Sportradar representative said that they are unaware of any notifications regarding recent complaints from Altenar. Yet the company acknowledges threats made by Altenar in February this year whereby Altenar threatened to make a complaint to various competition authorities.
Sportradar claimed that this latest action of Altenar is superfluous, done simply to exert pressure during the time of existing commercial conflicts. The company also made a statement assuring its commitment to adhere to antitrust as well as other laws applicable in the country.
These complaints follow four lawsuits which were initiated by Altenar against Sportradar in the U.S. in April of the current year.
