Compliance Updates
UKGC: Systemic failings at Caesars Entertainment UK leads to the departure of three senior managers and sanctions of £13m
The UK Gambling Commission has announced that Caesars Entertainment UK Limited is to pay £13m and must implement a series of improvements following a catalogue of social responsibility, money laundering and customer interaction failures including those involving ‘VIPs’.
As a result of this investigation three senior managers at the company surrendered their personal licences.
The Regulator’s investigations into Personal Management Licence holders are ongoing.
The land-based gambling business, which operates 11 casinos across Britain, will pay the money following an investigation by the Commission which found serious systematic failings in the way the company took decisions about VIP customers between January 2016 and December 2018.
Social responsibility failings included:
- Inadequate interaction with a customer who was known to have previously self-excluded and lost £240,000 over a 13-month period
- Inadequate interaction with a customer who lost £323,000 in a 12-month period and had displayed signs of problem gambling which included 30 sessions exceeding five hours
- A customer allowed to lose £18,000 in a year despite identifying herself as a self-employed nanny and informing staff that her savings had been spent, and that she was borrowing money from family and using an overdraft facility to fund gambling activities
- Inadequate interaction with, and source of funds checks on, a customer who identified as a retired postman and lost £15,000 in 44 days.
Money laundering failings included:
- The operator not carrying out adequate source of funds checks on a customer who was allowed to drop around £3.5 million and lose £1.6 million over a period of three months.
- The operator not obtaining adequate evidence of source of funds for a politically exposed person (PEP) who lost £795,000 during a 13-month period
- The operator not carrying out enhanced customer due diligence (ECDD) checks on a consumer who lost £240,000 over a 13-month period
- The operator not carrying out adequate source of funds checks on a customer who identified as a waitress and was allowed to buy-in £87,000 and lose £15,000 during a 12-month period.
Neil McArthur, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “We have published this case at this time because it’s vitally important that the lessons are factored into the work the industry is currently doing to address poor practices of VIP management in which we must see rapid progress made.
“The failings in this case are extremely serious. A culture of putting customer safety at the heart of business decisions should be set from the very top of every company and Caesars failed to do this. We will now continue to investigate the individual licence holders involved with the decisions taken in this case.
“In recent times the online sector has received the greatest scrutiny around VIP practices but VIP practices are found right across the industry and our tough approach to compliance and enforcement will continue, whether a business is on the high street or online.
“We are absolutely clear about our expectations of operators – whatever type of gambling they offer they must know their customers. They must interact with them and check what they can afford to gamble with – stepping in when they see signs of harm. Consumer safety is non-negotiable.”
All £13m from this case will be directed towards delivering the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.
The action against Caesars is the latest in a line of tough regulatory action by the Commission.
Since January the Commission has suspended the operating licences of Stakers Limited, Addison Global Limited, and Multi Media International Limited.
So far this year regulatory action has led to the industry paying £27 million in penalty packages. This includes £11.6 million for Betway and £3 million for Mr Green.
Read public statement about Caesars Entertainment here.
Source: UKGC
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) has issued a cease-and-desist order to BetUS, an offshore gambling operator, for illegally offering internet gaming and sports betting to Michigan residents without proper licensure.
Investigations by the MGCB revealed that BetUS was accepting wagers from Michigan residents on various gambling activities, including sports and casino-style games, without the necessary state authorization. This operation violates Michigan’s Lawful Internet Gaming Act, the Gaming Control and Revenue Act, and the Michigan Penal Code.
“Unlicensed operators like BetUS undermine the integrity of Michigan’s regulated gaming market and expose consumers to potential risks. The MGCB is committed to protecting Michigan residents by ensuring that all gambling activities are conducted legally and responsibly,” said Henry Williams, Executive Director of MGCB.
The cease-and-desist order mandates that BetUS immediately halt all operations involving Michigan residents. The company has 14 days to comply or face further legal action in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General.
The post MGCB Issues Cease-and-Desist Order to BetUS appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Your recent AML Outlook report highlights over €36 million in fines issued across Europe in just one year. What recurring weaknesses or compliance gaps are regulators most commonly identifying in payments and e-money firms?
John Gidla (JG): Regulators continue to flag underinvestment in anti-financial crime controls as a key concern for payments and e-money firms. Common themes include weak governance, limited oversight, and fragmented controls, all of which increase vulnerability to financial crime. There’s a growing expectation that firms scale their compliance frameworks in line with their risk exposure and growth trajectory
The report mentions that AML compliance can be costly—yet the reputational and financial risks of non-compliance are even greater. What are the most cost-effective measures firms can implement today to strengthen their AML frameworks without overwhelming their budgets?
JG: While not all firms can afford advanced compliance tools, strong governance remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce risk. Practical steps such as training staff on emerging threats, embedding a culture of accountability, and regularly updating frameworks as the business grows can go a long way in strengthening AML resilience without major spend.
With the creation of the EU’s new AMLA authority, do you expect a more consistent and centralized enforcement approach across Europe? How might this change how firms prepare for inspections and adapt their compliance strategies?
JG: AMLA has the potential to bring greater consistency to AML enforcement across the EU, addressing long-standing issues caused by fragmented supervision and uneven implementation by national authorities. Its impact will depend on how much direct oversight it gains, how assertively it acts on cross-border risks, and whether it can close the regulatory gaps that have permitted high-profile scandals. Firms should expect more rigorous and standardised inspections and will need to ensure their compliance programmes are not only locally robust, but scalable across jurisdictions.
Vixio emphasizes the importance of a proactive rather than reactive compliance culture. In your view, what does a ‘proactive’ AML strategy look like in 2025, and what technologies or best practices are leading firms adopting to stay ahead?
JG: A truly proactive AML strategy in 2025 extends beyond technology to encompass a strong compliance culture at every level of the organisation. Leading firms understand that combating financial crime isn’t just the responsibility of the compliance team — it’s integrated into day-to-day operations, with senior leadership driving risk awareness across departments. In terms of technology, firms are increasingly adopting AI, machine learning, and automated monitoring systems to detect suspicious activity early and reduce human error. However, culture plays a critical role; firms that foster a compliance-first mindset and invest in ongoing staff training are better positioned to adapt to emerging threats and ensure that their compliance frameworks evolve in step with business growth and digital transformation. A proactive approach also means constantly reassessing risk and using data to predict and prevent issues, rather than just reacting to them. With regulations in constant flux, and regulators ramping up enforcement, proactive compliance looks like implementing strategies to anticipate regulations, not just react to them. In Vixio’s PC Outlook Report, we found that a clear majority of firms surveyed are using some form of outsourcing for their compliance functionality, turning to firms like Vixio to get ahead of regulatory change.
Thanks to John Gidla, Head of Payments Compliance at Vixio, for his insightful responses.
The post Exclusive Commentary from Vixio On Their AML Outlook Findings appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) reported that, a little more than a year after having implemented the law that regulates the online sector, it has been able to reduce by 40% the offer of illegal games in digital platforms and applications.
In a public statement, the Executive portfolio in charge of regulating gambling also highlighted that, thanks to the inspection work, 15% of the illegal websites “have left the Peruvian market” and that “payment methods providers and financial entities have been contacted to block services to unauthorized operators”.
Based on this, Mincetur highlighted that “Peru has managed to position itself as a regional referent in the integral regulation of gambling” and that, through the normative framework, it was possible to “protect the consumer, guarantee transparency in the operations and promote the formal and sustainable economic development”.
The Ministry highlighted that with the implementation of Law No 31557, which regulates sports betting and online games, “the country became the third country in Latin America to establish clear regulations for this activity”.
“Since its entry into force in February 2024, 60 technological platforms have been authorized and 280 linked service providers have been registered, as well as the accreditation of nine international certification laboratories,” Mincetur said.
In this regard, the Ministry stated that “this regulation has made it possible to formalize the digital sector, promoting an environment of trust for both operators and users.” At the same time, it has allowed “new investment opportunities, boosting the digitalization of entertainment and strengthening the country’s tax collection”.
The post Peru Reports 40% Drop in Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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