The GB Gambling Commission has ordered Novomatic subsidiary Greentube Alderney to pay £685,000 (€805,448/$912,304) over social responsibility and money laundering failings.

On Thursday of this week, the Gambling Commission in the United Kingdom disclosed a fresh inquiry. Greentube Alderney, a corporation that operates online casino brands bellfruitcasino.com and admiralcasino.co.uk, was found to have violated anti-money laundering and social responsibility regulations.

A review of the company’s operations, which began in December 2020, revealed flaws in Greentube’s anti-money laundering (AML) rules and safer gambling measures across its Admiralcasino.co.uk and Bellfruitcasino.com websites.

The GC Investigated Greentube Alderney’s Breach

The Gambling Commission’s inquiry determined that the breaches happened between December 2019 and November 2020. The GC stated that the operator failed to establish anti-money laundering (AML) rules, controls, and procedures during that period. The Commission noted that the operator did not conduct a source of wealth investigation following a politically vulnerable individual (PEP). Rather than that, the GC alleges that the operator conducted the appropriate checks only after the individual reached the £1,000 ($1,330) deposit limit. The GC stated that this action violated the 2017 Money Laundering Regulations.

Greentube has been deemed to have “weaknesses in its reporting systems” by the GC. The Commission determined that the operator “failed to notify the Commission of significant events within five working days of submitting six suspicious activity reports (SARs) to the National Crime Agency.”

Moreover, but certainly not least, the examination discovered that the operator violated a requirement of the social responsibility code (SRCP). According to the legend, each licensee must connect with its consumers to minimize the danger of gambling injury. Licensees must identify and contact consumers who may be at risk of gambling-related harms.

The Operator Paid a Penalty for the Violations

The GC noted various mitigating considerations in its announcement. It stated that the operator cooperated with the Commission and acknowledged its shortcomings early on. Additionally, the operator has taken the required steps to correct the violations. As a result, Greentube and the GC achieved a regulatory settlement. The operator was fined £685,000 ($911,440) for the violations. According to the GC, the acceptable will had used to “further the implementation of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.” Additionally, the operator will be able to pay £8,789.86 ($10,694) toward the Commission’s investigation costs.

Considering Greentube’s corrective actions and following our Statement of licensing and regulatory principles, Greentube will pay a total of £685,000 in place of a financial penalty. Furthermore, the operator committed to submitting to a third-party audit within twelve months to guarantee compliance with the Licensing rules of practice. The audit’s findings have been expected to communicate with the Commission.

The financial penalty announcement comes after the GC reaffirmed its commitment to safer gambling last week at the 2021 Bacta Annual Convention. Sarah Gardener, the Commission’s deputy chief executive officer at the time, detailed the Commission’s recent progress. Additionally, she stated that over $133 million in penalties had been imposed since 2017/18. According to Gardener, the Commission’s first aim continues to be to ensure that gambling in the country is fair, secure, and crime-free.

“Compliance with Commission laws geared at keeping people safe and gambling crime-free is not optional,” Gambling Commission executive director Helen Venn said.

“We will always take decisive action against those providers who fail to achieve the high standards we demand customers in Britain.”