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The Great Britain’s Gambling Commission has announced that it’s aware that some licensed gaming content is appearing on unregulated websites that target British players. The regulator has also called on licensed operators and suppliers to review their practices and prevent breaches linked to illegal sites.
The statement released yesterday(Jan. 20), read, “The Commission has found that, in some instances, third-party resellers are distributing games supplied by operators to the illegal market, often in breach of their contractual obligations. Commission licensees may have been negligent in allowing them to do so and in the process, place their own licence at risk.”
It also emphasized its commitment to a proactive approach in addressing these issues. It may initiate test purchasing activities at any time to identify potential breaches, ensuring that operators remain vigilant in their partnerships. The Commission also warned that operators who engage in this ‘place their own licence at risk.’
This comes after the regulator announced last December that it was reviewing Evolution’s operator license due to investigations uncovering that its games were accessible on unlicensed platforms.
In the latest release, the Commission said that it had discovered more licensed B2B operators, including those offering live casino games and slots, appearing on these illegal platforms. It warned that the trend raises significant concerns regarding consumer safety.
“The websites may have inadequate social responsibility and anti-money laundering controls in place and leave customers open to risks of fraud, data privacy issues and unfair practices,” the regulator said in its release. “It is therefore imperative the Commission, in collaboration with the gambling industry and key partners take all possible steps to mitigate risk to GB consumers.”
Licensees Must Step Up Their Vigilance
The Commission has called on licensed operators and suppliers to be more vigilant and ensure they are not contributing directly or indirectly to the unlicensed market. It noted that many of the issues stem from relationships with third-party resellers, who are often found breaching contractual obligations by distributing games to illegal operators.
The regulator then advised operators to actively monitor their business relationships and ensure that partners are not participating in ‘offering illegal gambling facilities to the British market.’ It also urged operators to terminate agreements with these faulty companies and actively engage with the commission to develop clear plans to address any potential compliance issues.
“Tackling unlicensed gambling is central to our objective of preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disrupting this illegal activity at scale, the regulator said.
These statements closely mirror those made by UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes last week at the International Association of Gaming Advisors.
He said: “I do not understand why anyone in the licensed industry would want to be in business with a company that is supporting illegal competition — it makes no sense to me at all and would suggest the illegal market is not the issue some suggest, if this wasdeemed acceptable.”
Source: iGamingBusiness
