28th Mar 2023 07:56
(Alliance News) - Three gambling businesses owned by 888 Holdings PLC's William Hill will pay a total of GBP19.2 million for "widespread and alarming" social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures, the UK's Gambling Commission has announced on Tuesday.
The settlement is the largest in the Gambling Commission's history.
WHG (International) Ltd, which runs williamhill.com, will pay GBP12.5 million; Mr Green Ltd, which runs mrgreen.com, will pay GBP3.7 million; and William Hill Organisation Ltd, which operates 1,344 gambling premises across Britain, will pay GBP3 million.
Gambling Commission Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes said: "When we launched this investigation the failings we uncovered were so widespread and alarming serious consideration was given to licence suspension.
"However, because the operator immediately recognised their failings and worked with us to swiftly implement improvements, we instead opted for the largest enforcement payment in our history."
Social responsibility failures at William Hill businesses included allowing one customer to open a new account and spend GBP23,000 in 20 minutes, allowing another to open an account and spend GBP18,000 in 24 hours, and a third able to spend GBP32,500 over two days – all without any checks.
Ineffective controls allowed 331 customers to gamble with WHG (International) Ltd despite having self-excluded with Mr Green.
Anti-money laundering failures included allowing customers to deposit large amounts without carrying out appropriate checks – one customer was able to spend and lose GBP70,134 in a month, another to lose GBP38,000 in five weeks, and another to lose GBP36,000 in four days.
A spokesperson for 888 Holdings PLC, which owns William Hill, said: "The settlement relates to the period when William Hill was under the previous ownership and management. After William Hill was acquired, the company quickly addressed the identified issues with the implementation of a rigorous action plan.
"The entire group shares the Gambling Commission's commitment to improve compliance standards across the industry and we will continue to work collaboratively with the regulator and other stakeholders to achieve this."
The Gambling Commission said all GBP19.2 million will be directed towards "socially responsible purposes" as part of a regulatory settlement.
The previous largest case was a GBP17 million action taken against Entain PLC in August last year.
The William Hill settlement comes a week after the commission fined two operators owned by Kindred Group a combined GBP7.2 million and is the largest enforcement case taken on by the regulator.
Rhodes said: "In the last 15 months we have taken unprecedented action against gambling operators, but we are now starting to see signs of improvement.
"There are indications that the industry is doing more to make gambling safer and reducing the possibility of criminal funds entering their businesses."
Shares in 888 had closed down 0.9% at 54.50 pence each in London on Monday.
By Josie Clarke, PA Consumer Affairs Correspondent
source: PA
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