Mayus Karia and Ronnie O’Sullivan’s firm claim snooker is locked by monopoly control
A Hampshire solicitor is taking on the giants of professional snooker in a legal battle over claims that the sport is being run as a monopoly.
Mayus Karia, who is based near Southampton, is a joint director of NST Worldwide Limited, a company he runs alongside six-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and O’Sullivan’s manager, Jason Francis. Together, they are challenging the dominance of World Snooker Holding Limited (WST) and the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association Limited (WPBSA), both owned by the Hearn family.
NST alleges that the two organisations hold a monopoly on elite-level tournaments, preventing other promoters from organising their own events featuring top players.
Court papers filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal claim that long-time promoter Barry Hearn admitted in a recorded call: “I don’t want any competition, you know that… mate I spent 45 years of my life making sure I don’t have competition, I’m not gonna start now am I you know.”
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NST wants to run its own high-profile snooker events, but argues that contractual restrictions imposed by the governing bodies block players from participating. The case, which has attracted attention across the sporting world, could reshape the professional snooker calendar if successful.
During a hearing on Friday, judges dismissed an application by WST and WPBSA for NST to provide an extra £800,000 in security of costs on top of the £2 million already paid. The court also confirmed that snooker professionals can provide evidence and witness statements in the case without facing disciplinary action from the sport’s governing bodies.
According to evidence presented, WST is expected to spend around £2.1 million on legal costs by the time of the full trial, while WPBSA is forecast to spend £1.85 million. The trial itself is scheduled for 18 January 2027 and will run for two weeks.
The defendants deny all allegations of anti-competitive conduct. They argue that player contracts are lawful and designed to protect the integrity of the sport, safeguard its commercial value, and maintain its global reach. They maintain that limiting participation in non-sanctioned events is necessary to protect the tour’s stability.
Mr Karia said after the hearing: “Today’s hearing is another step toward ending what we say is a monopoly hold over the world of top-flight snooker. We look forward to the trial in January 2027 that will ultimately pave the way to allowing players engage in tournaments we intend to run once this claim is finalised.”
He added that more opportunities to compete would be welcomed by fans: “Holding more tournaments will be something lovers of the sport will welcome.”
NST Worldwide Limited has positioned itself as a fresh force in snooker promotion, promising to inject competition into a field it argues has been tightly controlled for decades. With O’Sullivan’s involvement, the case has also drawn the attention of players and fans concerned about freedom to participate in alternative events.
The outcome of the trial could set a precedent for sports governance in the UK, especially regarding the balance between commercial control and fair competition. If the claims succeed, it may open the door for rival promoters to run events featuring the sport’s biggest names — a change that could alter the future of snooker.
For now, the battle continues in court, with both sides preparing for a lengthy and costly showdown.