InTouch Games Fined £6.1 Million by UKGC for Compliance Shortcomings
In a continued effort to maintain regulatory standards within the gambling industry, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has imposed a substantial fine of £6.1 million on InTouch Games for several shortcomings in their compliance procedures. This fine is the latest in a series of penalties given to the operator, having already paid £2.2 million and £3.4 million in place of fines in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
InTouch Games Hit With Regulator Fine © Pixabay.
The UKGC’s investigation revealed significant deficiencies in InTouch Games’ social responsibility and anti-money laundering (AML) protocols. For example, on the social responsibility front, the operator was found to have delayed interaction with a customer for seven weeks after the individual had been flagged for irregular and extended periods of play.
Additionally, InTouch Games failed to verify a customer’s claim of earning £6,000 a month after their account was flagged for excessive spending and activity during unsociable hours.
Regarding AML, the UKGC found that InTouch Games had not adhered to its policy of requesting source of funds information from a customer who had deposited £10,000 in 12 months.
Furthermore, the operator was found to have not adequately assessed the risk of customers who had benefited from a life insurance policy, those with links to high-risk jurisdictions, or who were politically exposed individuals.
InTouch Games was also found to have not had the appropriate procedures to address these risk factors and did not sufficiently consider the UKGC’s guidance or risk assessment.
Despite previous penalties and warnings, the UKGC found that InTouch Games still had more work to do in terms of compliance during a planned assessment in March 2022.
Kay Roberts, UKGC executive director of operations, stated that “this £6.1m fine shows that we will take escalating enforcement action where failures are repeated, and all licensees should be acutely aware of this.” InTouch Games did cooperate with the investigation and immediately took corrective actions upon identification of the shortcomings.
This penalty is the third regulatory action taken by the UKGC this year, with TonyBet receiving a six-figure fine and BetConstruct subsidiary Vbet agreeing to a regulatory settlement. These actions remind operators in the industry to adhere to strict compliance standards and take the necessary steps to address any identified shortcomings.
The UK Gambling Commission, established under the Gambling Act of 2005, serves as the regulatory authority for all gambling activities within the United Kingdom. Its responsibilities include issuing licenses to operators, enforcing regulations and ensuring fair and open conduct within the industry.
The commission also prioritises the protection of children and vulnerable individuals from harm caused by gambling and preventing gambling from becoming a source of crime or disorder. In cases of non-compliance, the commission has the power to impose fines and revoke licenses. The commission’s funding is provided by fees paid by the operators it regulates.
You can read the full details of the case via the Gambling Commission website.
In related news, GambleAware, an organisation dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of gambling harms, has released a report detailing the voluntary donations made by various companies in the gambling industry for the first three quarters of 2022-23.
The total amount donated was £13.2m, with the majority coming from Hillside Media (operators of bet365) and Ladbrokes Coral, who contributed 90.4% of the total. Ladbrokes Coral alone donated £7m, while Hillside’s various branches donated £4.9m.
Other notable contributors include GAN UK, Casumo, Betway, In Touch Games, VideoSlots, LiveScore, and BetVictor. Gambling companies have until March 31st to donate, and the complete list of donations will be reported to the UK Gambling Commission in April.
GambleAware continues to advocate for a compulsory levy of 1% as a license condition for the gambling industry. All donations support a collaborative, whole-system approach to preventing gambling-related harm.
