MC Networking shpk: 30-year gambling-monitoring concession and reported Olsi Rama link
Status: Concession awarded (per exit.al, 2017). Ownership claims disputed or conflicting in reporting. Current status of the concession not found.
Summary
A public concession, not a call-center matter. Per exit.al (16 Mar 2017), the government ran a tender in January 2017 (opened 12 Jan, extended to 23 Jan) for a Central Online Monitoring System (SQMO) for the Gambling Monitoring Agency, and a consortium including MC Networking shpk was named winner for a 30-year term. Exit.al reported that MC Networking was owned by Endri Meksi, former co-administrator of Pegasus Communications shpk, together with Olsi Rama, and cited a Reporter investigation for Olsi Rama's involvement. A second exit.al article (18 Jan 2018) described the company as 100% owned by Meksi, described Meksi as Olsi Rama's business partner, and projected about EUR 1.9 million a year in tariffs over 30 years. The two exit.al articles conflict on ownership. The Reporter investigation, the contract, the government decisions and any Olsi Rama response were not retrieved. This case is included because it is a public contract tied to a company linked to him in reporting.
Key facts
- Tender opened 12 Jan 2017 and extended to 23 Jan 2017 because no offers were received (exit.al, 16 Mar 2017).
- Two consortia bid: (1) Admiral Sportwetten GmbH, ATSI Spokla Akcyjna and MC Networking; (2) Qualysoft GmbH, Comtrade d.o.o., Starsat Internation shpk and Communication Progress shpk (exit.al, 16 Mar 2017).
- Government criteria set by VKM no. 647 (2016) for the operator, which is paid through a tariff on licensed gambling businesses (exit.al, 16 Mar 2017).
- Exit.al (18 Jan 2018) projects tariffs of about EUR 1,899,000 a year, or about EUR 56,970,000 over 30 years, as its own calculation from location counts.
- Exit.al (18 Jan 2018) says a recent Constitutional Court decision rejected a claim by the Association of Sports Betting Societies that the concession duplicated the Gambling Monitoring Agency's role (decision not retrieved directly).
The record
Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.
What is proven (1)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
- A tender for the SQMO concession was opened in January 2017 and a consortium including MC Networking was named winner, per exit.al (16 Mar 2017). Official contract not retrieved.
What is alleged (2)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
- AllegationThat Olsi Rama had an ownership or business interest in MC Networking shpk (exit.al, citing Reporter).
- AllegationThat the concession was linked to the Prime Minister's family (exit.al 2017; Sali Berisha, undated).
Allegations and who made them (4)
Each line is an allegation as recorded, with the person or body that made it where the record names them.
- AllegationExit.al (16 Mar 2017), citing several media reports: MC Networking is 100% owned by Endri Meksi, former business partner and co-administrator of Pegasus Communications shpk, together with the brother of Prime Minister Rama, Olsi Rama.
- AllegationExit.al (16 Mar 2017, as repeated in its 2018 article): a Reporter investigation showed that Olsi Rama was also involved in the related EM.POS VAT-collection matter.
- AllegationExit.al (18 Jan 2018): Meksi is the business partner of Prime Minister Edi Rama's brother Olsi Rama; MC Networking was local partner of EM.POS Ltd, which made an unsolicited offer to privatise VAT collection.
- AllegationSali Berisha (as summarised in search results, undated): Olsi Rama is the main person in illegal gambling games and the gambling bill is the Olsi Rama law. No document cited in retrieved text.
Open questions (4)
- What does the QKB registry show for MC Networking shpk: shareholders, directors, and changes after 2017?
- What did the Reporter investigation cited by exit.al actually document?
- Which exit.al article is accurate on ownership (2017: jointly with Olsi Rama; 2018: 100% Meksi)?
- Is the 30-year concession still in force, and what has MC Networking been paid?
Responses (2)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
- Edi Rama (as summarised in search results, source not pinned): he decided to close online betting too, after accusations that he favoured his brother, who was said to own a gambling company. A primary quotation was not retrieved.
- Olsi Rama: no response found in the retrieved exit.al articles.
Figures
Money trail →Exit.al projected total tariff income for the 30-year gambling-monitoring concession (article calculation, not contract value)
€56,970,000
concessionSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Projection calculated in the exit.al article (about EUR 1,899,000 a year x 30). Not a contract value. The article's lottery line is internally inconsistent (425 locations at EUR 1/day is about EUR 155,000 a year, not EUR 153,000). Payers are licensed gambling businesses through a tariff.
Date: 18 Jan 2018 · Payer: Licensed gambling operators (lotto, sports betting, electronic casinos, national lotteries), via tariff · Payee: MC Networking shpk consortium (per exit.al)
- Rama's Family Takes Control over Gambling Industry (opens in a new tab)exit.al · 18 Jan 2018 · journalism · EN
Exit.al projected annual tariff income for the monitoring concession (article calculation)
€1,899,000
concessionSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Article's own sum of tariffs: lotto and sports betting about EUR 756,000; electronic casinos about EUR 990,000; national lotteries about EUR 153,000 (see the note on the lottery line in the 30-year entry).
Date: 18 Jan 2018 · Payer: Licensed gambling operators, via tariff · Payee: MC Networking shpk consortium (per exit.al)
- Rama's Family Takes Control over Gambling Industry (opens in a new tab)exit.al · 18 Jan 2018 · journalism · EN
Timeline
Full timeline →Government
Tender for gambling Central Online Monitoring System (SQMO) opened
Per exit.al (16 Mar 2017). Extended to 23 Jan 2017 because no offers were received. Operator criteria set by VKM no. 647 (2016).
Media
Exit.al reports MC Networking consortium won 30-year concession; says ownership linked to Endri Meksi and Olsi Rama
Exit.al article. Says MC Networking is 100% owned by Endri Meksi, former co-administrator of Pegasus Communications shpk, together with Olsi Rama; cites a Reporter investigation. The article contains no response from Olsi Rama, Meksi, the company or the government.
Media
Exit.al reports MC Networking 100% owned by Endri Meksi; projects EUR 56.97m tariff income over 30 years
Exit.al article. Describes Meksi as business partner of Olsi Rama and says a Reporter investigation showed Olsi Rama was involved in the matter. The ownership statement conflicts with the 2017 article. The projection is the article's own calculation.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 3 sources.
Source label: VerifiedVerified · 1 source
- Publisher
- RIPE NCC
- Date
- 2026
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 2 sources
- Publisher
- exit.al
- Date
- 16 Mar 2017
- Publisher
- exit.al
- Date
- 18 Jan 2018