UK Gambling Commission shows its teeth again

Ending the week on a threatening note Friday, the UK Gambling Commission issued a statement advising that it is investigating 17 of its licensed operators for “failings” in anti-money laundering and responsible gambling policies, advising that five of these may have their licenses reviewed.

The Commission does not name any of the operators, but the warning will likely send tremors through the UK licensed list, representing another example of the Commission’s more aggressive approach to regulation (see previous reports).

The decision to investigate comes after the Commission conducted a review of its operators to assess their compliance with licensing obligations.

In a letter to all operators, CEO Sarah Harrison commented:

“It is vital that the gambling industry takes its duty to protect consumers and keep crime out of gambling seriously. The Gambling Commission’s new strategy sets out our vision for a fairer and safer gambling market.

“The action we are taking to examine online casino operators’ compliance with money laundering and customer interaction requirements is just one example of how we will be relentless in turning that vision into reality.”

Harrison noted that the online sector now accounts for a third of British gambling, necessitating a wider ranging review of online gambling and looking at how the market has evolved in order to identify where further action can be taken to make gambling fairer and safer for consumers.

Related and similar