The operator of Unibet has been fined £10m by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for anti-money laundering and social responsibility failings.
Platinum Gaming Limited, the operator of unibet.co.uk and uk.bingo.com, has received a penalty, as well as a warning. It will also be subject to a third-party audit to ensure that AML and safer gambling policies, procedures and controls are being implemented effectively.
In reflection, the UKGC’s Director of Enforcement, John Pierce, stated that the operator’s shortcomings were “particularly disappointing” and that its senior management needs to “take ownership of compliance outcomes and ensure lessons are embedded across the organisation”.
This is the second time Platinum Gaming has been subject to a fine by the UKGC for AML and social responsibility failures in the past two years, as the operator received a £2.9m penalty by the commission back in 2023.
Blocked customers were able to open new accounts
Regarding AML failures, the UKGC noted that Platinum Gaming’s customers who previously had their accounts closed by the licensee before 2023 had been able to open new accounts and gamble.
The commission also highlighted that at the time, the AML policy in place “lacked clarity” regarding the level of customer due diligence and enhanced customer due diligence measures conducted and how a customer’s displayed level of risk impacted this.
It was also stated that when customer reviews were conducted, there was no evidence that potential high-risk factors such as high-risk occupation, high levels of transactions through deposits and withdrawals and a high level of loss, had been considered, despite this being covered in the licensee’s risk assessment.
Customer exceeds £2,500 loss limit within 16 minutes of registering
As for social responsibility failures, the UKGC said in its report that Platinum Gaming had a customer interaction system that failed to spot one customer losing £5,000 within 24 hours of registering, before going on to lose over £16,000 in less than three months.
The commission also noted that the operator failed to identify a customer who, within nine months, lost more than £31,000, hitting their monthly loss limit six times and showcased markers of harm associated with high velocity gambling.
On another occasion, the UKGC said Platinum Gaming failed to spot a customer showing potential risk of harm when they exceeded their loss limit of £2,500 within 16 minutes of registering, in addition to binge gambling.
The operator also failed to interact with a customer who staked £73,000 and lost £4,100 during a period of 23 days.
“While industry-wide progress has been made in reducing unchecked high spending, the failings at Platinum Gaming are particularly disappointing,” Pierce said.
“The case revealed serious shortcomings in customer interaction systems, including failures to identify and act on clear markers of harm. These included consumers losing thousands within hours or days of registration, repeatedly breaching loss limits, and exhibiting patterns of binge and high-velocity gambling without appropriate intervention.
“Significant anti-money laundering failures were also identified. These included gaps in the licensee’s risk assessment, which failed to account for previously blocked accounts linked to money laundering concerns, and a lack of clarity in the AML policy around due diligence thresholds.
“Customer reviews did not consistently consider high-risk factors, despite these being outlined in the licensee’s own framework.”
Previous fine
Platinum Gaming was previously fined £2.9m by the UKGC back in 2023 for social responsibility and AML failures.
At the time, the operator was penalised for failing to have effective policies and procedures designed to identify separate accounts held by the same individual, citing an example that blocked or self-excluded 32Red customers were able to register on Platinum Gaming.
The operator was also flagged for failing to spot and interact with customers who may have been experiencing harms associated with gambling. It was also told that its AML policies, procedures and controls were not appropriate and that it failed to make sure these were kept under review and revised appropriately to make sure they stayed effective.
‘Senior leaders must take ownership’
Pierce warned that the operator’s senior management needs to make sure the outcomes of the upcoming independent audit are acted upon across the organisation, adding that further action from the UKGC could occur.
He added: “Alongside the £10m financial penalty, this operator is required to conduct a follow-up independent audit and internal investigation – providing regular updates to the Commission. These added conditions are designed to drive meaningful change, reinforce accountability, and embed a culture of compliance.
“Senior leaders must take ownership of compliance outcomes and ensure lessons are embedded across the organisation, supported by structured reporting and board-level oversight – and further regulatory activity will remain a possibility.”
UPDATE: An FDJ United spokesperson told iGaming Expert: “Platinum Gaming Ltd, the operator of Unibet in the UK and an entity of FDJ UNITED (at the time under the management of Kindred Group) acknowledges the UKGC’s finding that legacy monitoring technology was not sufficiently effective at the time of the review (i.e. from January 2023 to May 2024).
“As a result of the findings by the UKGC, Platinum Gaming has implemented new software solutions and risk management frameworks across anti-money laundering and safer gambling, providing a detailed knowledge of customer risk allowing for near real-time automated alerts and customer interventions.
“FDJ UNITED remains committed to the highest compliance standards and player protection policies. As part of this, the Group will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of and improve its processes and tools to meet these standards.
“Senior leadership have safer gambling and anti-money laundering as a top priority in operational discussions, as well as a priority in the Group’s strategic agenda. FDJ UNITED will continue to work closely with the UKGC on this matter and remain confident that the external review will show necessary steps have been taken.”
