An online gaming company with links to South East Asia has had its licence cancelled by the industry’s regulator in a move aimed to safeguard the reputation of the Isle of Man.

The Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC) took action against Metagrow Solutions Ltd, saying it was ‘no longer satisfied it was under the control of a person of integrity’.

Metagrow Solutions had been licensed as a gambling software supply company by the GSC since March last year. It was incorporated in August the previous year with its registered office at Millennium House on Victoria Road, Douglas.

The latest annual return lists among its directors Seow Gim Shen, of George Town, Penang in Malaysia.

In October Seow, 42, and co-defendant Kong Chien Hoi, 39, were jailed for 14 weeks by a district court in Singapore for conspiring to obtain personal data from Chinese national Sun Jiao, who is alleged to be linked to a global cybercrime syndicate.

The pair had obtained a file containing the personal details of 9,369 individuals, which was acquired through other gambling websites.

Sun Jiao is one of seven men arrested by police in Singapore in September for their alleged role in a global syndicate which conducted malicious cyber activities.

In a statement, the GSC said it considered it in the public interest to cancel Metagrow Solutions’ licence on December 6 ‘because the Commission was no longer satisfied that Metagrow was under the control of a person of integrity’.

Metagrow’s licence had been suspended on November 12 before it was cancelled.

The GSC noted in its statement that ‘the Commission, in discharging its functions, must have regard to the need to safeguard the reputation of the island’.

Island-based ILS Fiduciaries wrote to Seow Gim Shen on November 1 announcing its intention to resign as registered agent for the company.

The GSC said: ‘The Commission is aware of the reported conviction of one of Metagrow’s directors

‘There are other aspects of the Commission’s investigation into Metagrow that remain ongoing and which are subject to due process. We anticipate making a further, more detailed, public statement once that investigation has concluded.’