Online gambling firm 888 fined £9.4m over money laundering

Online gambling firm 888 fined £9.4m over money laundering and social responsibility failings


Online gambling firm 888 has been fined £9.4million for social responsibility and money laundering failings.

The Gambling Commission said 888 UK Limited, which operates 78 websites, said that the fine is one of the largest it has imposed to date. 

In 2017, it fined 888 £7.8million for failing vulnerable customers.

The Gambling Commission said the £9.4m fine on 888UK is one of the largest it has imposed to date. In 2017, it fined 888 £7.8m for failing vulnerable customers

The Gambling Commission said the £9.4m fine on 888UK is one of the largest it has imposed to date. In 2017, it fined 888 £7.8m for failing vulnerable customers

It said 888 failed to identify players at risk of harm by only making financial checks after a customer had deposited £40,000.

888 did not contact a user who lost £37,000 in six weeks and gave someone on £1,400 a month a monthly deposit cap of £1,300.

Money laundering failures included letting users deposit £40,000 before doing a source-of-funds check, and accepting verbal assurances about income. 

One spent £65,835 in five months without a check.

Commission chief Andrew Rhodes said: ‘If there is a repeat at 888 then we have to seriously consider the suitability of the operator to uphold the licensing objectives and keep gambling safe and crime-free.’

source: dailymail.co.uk