UK Gambling Commission Issues Final Warning to Suppliers Servicing Black Markets

The UK Gambling Commission has declared an end to its warnings-based approach for B2B suppliers caught servicing black market operators alongside licensed British gambling companies.

Speaking at the regulator’s CEO Briefing last week, Gambling Commission Chief Executive Andrew Rhodes emphasized that suppliers providing games and software to unlicensed operators will face immediate enforcement action without prior notice.

"There are no excuses. We will not accept any excuses. And you should as a sector, expect to see more enforcement action in the coming weeks and months," Rhodes stated.

Nine Recent Suspensions Signal Enforcement Shift

The Commission has already implemented nine licence suspensions in recent weeks, addressing violations including unauthorized software provision and self-exclusion failures.

Rhodes called on licensed operators to strengthen due diligence processes when selecting B2B suppliers for content and technology services.

"We’ve been working on this area very actively and we don’t intend to stop," he added.

Evolution Investigation Highlights Industry Scrutiny

The black market supply issue gained prominence following an investigation into Evolution Gaming, one of the industry’s largest live casino providers.

In December, the regulator identified Evolution games being made available to UK consumers through operators without valid Commission licences. Evolution has stated it expects a resolution to the case within the coming weeks.

White Label Operations Under Review

Rhodes also addressed concerns surrounding white label arrangements in the British market, particularly those involving brands sponsoring UK football clubs without holding proper licences.

“The Commission thinks it is wrong that people are sponsoring football clubs who don’t have a licence in this country. We just think that is wrong,” Rhodes said.

While acknowledging that sponsorship by unlicensed brands doesn’t automatically breach licensing objectives if they accept no traffic from Great Britain, Rhodes indicated the Commission’s analysis reveals a more complex situation.

“If you are under pressure as a sector to consider how you advertise and when you advertise, who you use to advertise – all of those complex areas – we don’t think that you should be pitted against people who don’t have licence,” he explained.

Government Support for Strategic Solutions

Rhodes confirmed the government has expressed strong support for addressing white label enforcement challenges, with several white label providers already exiting the market following enforcement action.

The Commission is working with government officials on strategic solutions that extend beyond the regulator’s existing resources.

"The answer cannot always be about expecting more and more from the Commission’s limited resources where a more strategic solution could be put in place," Rhodes concluded.

Source: Intergame