Gambling Commission Imposes £6.0m

The UK Gambling Commission has issued a hefty £6.0 million fine to Gamesys, a company operating 16 gambling websites in the UK, including Ballycasino.co.uk, Doublebubblebingo.com, Jackpotjoy.com, and Megawayscasino.com. The penalty comes in response to a string of violations related to social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) between November 2021 and July 2022.

The regulatory body identified these failings during a compliance assessment in May 2022 and expressed its commitment to ensuring fair, safe, and crime-free gambling environments. Gamesys will now undergo a third-party audit to verify the effective implementation of AML and safer gambling policies.

Among the social responsibility lapses noted, Gamesys failed to consistently identify customers at risk of gambling-related harm. The company also relied inappropriately on certain checks that did not always signal gambling harm. Deposit limits, in some cases, failed to identify risks, allowing players to accumulate significant losses unnoticed.

In terms of AML, Gamesys allowed some customers to bypass AML checks, resulting in substantial sums being spent without due diligence. The company also relied heavily on third-party information and verbal assurances from customers, which were deemed insufficient. Gamesys' reinvestment of winnings policy was also criticized as inadequate to mitigate the risk of illegitimate funds.

The Commission specified breaches of licence conditions that led to the £6.0 million fine and additional conditions imposed on Gamesys' operating licence in the UK. Despite the penalties, Gamesys cooperated throughout the investigation and took corrective measures. The Commission found no evidence of criminal funds being deposited by the customers under review.

The significant fine underscores the UK Gambling Commission's commitment to ensuring the integrity of the gambling industry and protecting consumers from harm.