Charges Against Crésus Casino CEO for Illegal Gambling Activities
Background on Charges Against Crésus Casino Leadership
Grégoire Auzoux, the CEO of Crésus Casino and a professional poker player, along with another associate, has been detained on allegations of running an illicit gambling operation. The French anti-organized crime authorities apprehended Auzoux in mid-September due to accusations that his offshore gambling platform was targeting the French market.
Details of the Illegal Gambling and Money Laundering Accusations
Investigations revealed financial transactions exceeding EUR 100 million (about $117 million) from 2022 to 2025, raising suspicions of money laundering activities linked to the operation. On October 9, both Auzoux and another involved individual faced judicial proceedings in Paris, confronted with charges including illegal gambling, participation in organized crime, unauthorized online gambling services, and money laundering.
Scope and Scale of the Gambling Operation
Previous reports estimated that the businesses associated with the online platform generated close to EUR 1 billion (around $1.17 billion) in revenue over five years. Several entities linked to Auzoux’s operations include Casino-Prive, Lucky 8, Jackpot Bob, and Olympe Casino.
Although early reports suggested ownership of the sites by Auzoux and his associate, it was clarified that they operated as chief executives rather than owners. Appointed in 2021, Auzoux earned roughly EUR 70,000 (approximately $82,000) monthly. During a police raid in Cyprus, investigators found substantial cash reserves alongside EUR 90,000 (about $105,000) in cryptocurrency, believed to be part of the laundering scheme.
Reasons Behind the CEO’s Downfall
According to anonymous sources reported by industry insiders, Auzoux’s downfall was marked by overconfidence. Following the blocking of the Cresuscasino.com domain by the French regulator Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), which aims to protect citizens from unlicensed gambling operators, Auzoux allegedly launched a second mirror site.
Investigation Process and Cross-Border Cooperation
The probe, integrated within wider Europol operations combating international cybercrime, commenced in July 2024 after disgruntled players flagged Cresus Casino to ANJ. Authorities encountered a persistent digital evasion tactic as Cresus, although registered in Cyprus and Curacao, circumvented domain blocks by launching multiple mirror sites. When cresuscasino.com was blocked, a clone site was quickly activated, even distributing SMS links to French users.
Analysis of web traffic revealed that nearly all visitors to the site originated from French IP addresses, with the platform attracting over one million monthly visitors.
Eurojust highlighted that due to the online gambling operation’s transnational nature, cooperation among various law enforcement bodies was crucial. This collaboration led to coordinated raids in Cyprus and Malta, multiple hearings, and asset seizures, all facilitated through Eurojust’s intervention.
