In recent news, the UK Gambling Commission has imposed a combined fine of £7.1m on two prominent online gambling companies – 32 Red Limited and Platinum Gaming Limited – for their inability to protect customers from the dangers of problem gambling.
32Red Fine
Operating 32red.com, 32 Red Limited is set to pay £4.2m, while Platinum Gaming Limited, responsible for unibet.co.uk, faces a £2.9m penalty. Both companies fall under the ownership of Kindred Group. The commission has cited several social responsibility shortcomings on the part of 32Red, such as neglecting to recognize customers at risk due to their session durations and insufficient controls to identify and safeguard potential problem gamblers. In one alarming instance, a customer was permitted to deposit £43,000 and lose £36,000 within a week.
Platinum Gaming Fine
Platinum Gaming encountered issues as well, with some customers who had been blocked or self-excluded on the 32Red platform successfully registering on its site. Additionally, the commission found that Platinum failed to detect and engage with customers possibly experiencing harm. These penalties reflect the regulator’s ongoing efforts to shield consumers from the pitfalls of problem gambling. In a similar case, In Touch Games received a £6.1m fine in January for “social responsibility and money laundering failings”.Kay Roberts, Gambling Commission Executive Director, commented on the negligence displayed by both 32 Red and Platinum, stating, “The failures underscore that both operators fell short in interacting with customers to minimize gambling-related harm. Our inquiries also revealed that policies and procedures regarding customer accounts and anti-money laundering practices were disregarded. This serves as a cautionary example for all gambling operators to maintain customer protection at all times.”Kindred Group acknowledged the fines and declared that it had employed additional personnel to enhance its controls and build on the progress made since the investigation to ensure compliance.Henrik Tjärnström, Kindred Group’s CEO, expressed, “While we accept the outcome and the acknowledgement of our significant improvements in processes, we also understand that we must work even harder to guarantee a secure and compliant business. We appreciate the commission’s clear recognition of our improving operations and our continued fitness to hold an operating license. Our dedication to reducing gambling harm across our platforms is a vital aspect of our Journey towards Zero ambition, and we are doubling down on our efforts to ensure continued progress.”