Last week’s round of UKGC fines – totaling £4.5 million in penalties or payments – come as a clear reminder to operators that activity on AML, customer due diligence and social responsibility are very much in focus.
In 2018 alone the UKGC issued pentalties of £27 million, a dramatic increase in enforcement which seems to have carried through into the early part of 2019. “We expect operators to know their customers and to ask the right questions to make sure they meet their anti-money laundering and social responsibility obligations,” said Gambling Commission Executive Director Richard Watson.
Failings centered around operators’ failure to implement sufficient safeguards that protect users, or red flags for signs of money laundering activity. The UKGC’s investigation of InTouch, for example, showed that no action was taken when a customer’s spending increased from £200/month to £10,000/month as triggers had been set too high.
With the UKGC’s focus sharpening, operators must take the initiative to avoid being hit with significant fines or challenges to their license.
Training all relevant staff is critical in ensuring the effectiveness of AML, customer due diligence and social responsibility strategies. iGaming Academy’s suite of eLearning compliance courses and our industry-leading LMS learning management system are ideal for ensuring all staff have the training they need.
Managing Director of iGaming Academy, Jaime Debono, said: “The UKGC’s enforcement of regulation keeps players safe, and raises standards across the industry. It’s important that all relevant staff understand the principles behind key regulations, and know their responsibilities clearly.”
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