A significant penalty
The online gambling platform Mr Green has to pay a fine of £3m ($3.9m) due to its failure to properly protect gambling addicts.
not using proper systems to verify the sources of its customers’ funds
The William Hill-owned brand received the penalty from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). As well as failing to safeguard problem gamblers, Mr Green was not using proper systems to verify the sources of its customers’ funds.
Specific instances of failings
The UKGC’s investigation that led to the fine found “systemic failings” in Mr Green’s operations, with a compliance assessment conducted in July 2018 revealing specific breaches. This was before William Hill took control of the brand after acquiring it for £242m ($311m) in December 2018.
One instance involved a customer who had won £50,000 (£64,000), then quickly lost it by continuing to gamble and depositing thousands more pounds. The gambler did not have their account frozen, as should have been the case.
In another case, Mr Green accepted a gambler’s ten-year-old document as proof of their source of funds. The document was an insurance claim worth £176,000 ($226,000). The customer had deposited over £1m ($1.3m) during the lifetime of their account.
William Hill responds
Following the investigation, UKGC executive director Richard Watson remarked that Mr Green’s failings “affected a significant number of customers across its online casinos.”
Parent company William Hill was quick to note that the shortcomings had occurred before it took control of the brand. It added that, since the acquisition of Mr Green, “we have implemented enhanced policies and processes designed to ensure that the business meets all requisite compliance standards.”
An ongoing crackdown
The UKGC has been cracking down on online operators that are not ensuring adequate protection of problem gamblers. It has also been making sure to penalize businesses that do not have proper anti-money laundering systems in place or are failing to implement them.
the ninth operator to face disciplinary proceedings from the UKGC
The £3m penalty makes Mr Green the ninth operator to face disciplinary proceedings from the UKGC on these grounds.
What the future holds
As well as the £3m ($3.9m) fine, Mr Green also has to cover the £10,349.77 ($13,317) worth of legal costs for the UKGC. It has also paused the promotion of its online casino by UK affiliates.
The money that is received by the commission through these fines goes to the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms. The organization helps to support and provide treatment for gambling addicts.
Richard Watson said consumers in Britain have the right to know that online gambling operators are implementing the proper checks and balances to ensure they are kept safe. The UKGC will continue to punish those operators that fail in this regard.
