Latest news with #WillProchaska
Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Times
Campaigner says watchdog lets gambling groups act ‘with impunity'
The daughter of a gambling addict who lost thousands of pounds while battling cancer says the regulator is letting betting companies 'behave with impunity'. The number of inspections carried out by the Gambling Commission has fallen by 98 per cent in ten years. Last year it carried out 19 compliance assessments compared with 1,149 in 2015-16, according to data obtained under freedom of information laws. The regulator said it was using 'a more targeted model of assessing licensees' and making 'greater use of technology'. It also claimed too many councils were failing to use licence fees from gambling premises to fund inspections, as required by the rules. Most assessments last year were as a result of 'improvement notices' handed to gambling companies when serious failings had already been identified. This contrasts with the situation ten years ago when hundreds of full and targeted assessments were carried out. Will Prochaska, a campaigner for gambling reform, claimed he had observed rule-breaking on gambling premises that could be picked up if regulators made in-person visits. 'I've visited multiple adult gaming centres in the past year and the rules are consistently being bent or broken,' he said. 'If the Gambling Commission bothered to check, they would find the same things.' Among alleged breaches he claims to have observed were bingo premises that offer 'just addictive machine gambling' and gaming stores with 'stacks of unplayable iPads left at the back of shops to get round machine ratio rules' designed to protect customers. Jackie Olden, whose late mother became addicted to slot machines and lost thousands while undergoing cancer treatment, said: 'It takes a lifetime for an inspection to happen. Meanwhile, the operators can behave with impunity.' The Gambling Commission said: 'Since 2014-15 we have reviewed and improved the way we conduct compliance assessments. We now make greater use of technology and have adapted to new practices and a significant shift in the sector towards online gambling.' A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council, the standards body for the regulated UK industry, said more than 30 per cent of betting shops had closed since 2019 as a result of 'regulatory, tax and economic pressures'.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Four Premier League clubs warned over gambling sponsors
Four Premier League clubs have been warned by the Gambling Commission over their relationship with an unlicensed gambling business. Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle, and Wolves, as well newly promoted Burnley, are all sponsored by betting websites run by TGP Europe. The company surrendered its UK licence after an investigation found it had failed to "carry out sufficient checks on business partners" and breached "anti-money laundering rules". A letter sent to the clubs has warned they "may be liable to prosecution…if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain". TGP Europe brands bj88 (Bournemouth), SBOTOP (Fulham), DEBET (Wolves), and (Burnley) all currently appear as match day shirt sponsors. FUN88 was Newcastle's shirt sponsor from 2017 to 2023, before becoming the club's "official Asian betting partner". BBC Sport has approached the five clubs and TGP Europe for comment. In February, the Gambling Commission contacted Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester about three other TGP Europe websites that had already lost their licence. Stake (Everton), kaiyun (Nottingham Forest), and (Leicester) have all remained on the respective shirts since. TGP Europe surrendered its licence after being told it needed to pay a £3.3 million penalty and "make significant improvements" to continue trading. The Gambling Commission says it is seeking assurances "that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed sites". "Clubs will be asked to demonstrate that they have assurance that any steps to geo-block the sites are effective, recognising that some blocking can be easily bypassed by use of tools such as a Virtual Private Network", they added. From beer to betting - how have football shirt sponsors changed? Premier League to limit gambling sponsors on shirts More than half of this season's Premier League teams have a gambling company as their shirt sponsor. Premier League clubs have agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of their matchday shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season. The Coalition to End Gambling Ads raised concerns about TGP Europe's practices with the Gambling Commission. Director Will Prochaska said: "Action against TGP Europe is welcome, but warnings against advertising unlicensed gambling companies ring hollow." "Premier League clubs – including Everton and Leicester – have been advertising unlicensed sites for months." The Gambling Commission's head of enforcement John Pierce said: "We have already been in contact with several football clubs to highlight the impact of the withdrawal from the market by TGP and make clear that we will be carrying out checks - without further notice - to ensure these sites remain blocked. "We will also conduct ongoing spot checks as necessary to ensure they are not accessible to consumers in Great Britain by any means. Should any of these sites be available to GB consumers, we will take appropriate action. "It is essential that football clubs play their part in protecting fans and GB consumers who may be exposed to advertising of these sites through their sponsorship arrangements from harm or exploitation. All licensed operators with similar arrangements to TGP should take notice of the action taken in this case." Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Four Premier League clubs warned over gambling sponsors
Four Premier League clubs have been warned by the Gambling Commission over their relationship with an unlicensed gambling business. Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle, and Wolves, as well newly promoted Burnley, are all sponsored by betting websites run by TGP Europe. The company surrendered its UK licence after an investigation found it had failed to "carry out sufficient checks on business partners" and breached "anti-money laundering rules". A letter sent to the clubs has warned they "may be liable to prosecution…if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain". TGP Europe brands bj88 (Bournemouth), SBOTOP (Fulham), DEBET (Wolves), and (Burnley) all currently appear as match day shirt sponsors. FUN88 was Newcastle's shirt sponsor from 2017 to 2023, before becoming the club's "official Asian betting partner". BBC Sport has approached the five clubs and TGP Europe for comment. In February, the Gambling Commission contacted Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester about three other TGP Europe websites that had already lost their licence. Stake (Everton), kaiyun (Nottingham Forest), and (Leicester) have all remained on the respective shirts since. TGP Europe surrendered its licence after being told it needed to pay a £3.3 million penalty and "make significant improvements" to continue trading. The Gambling Commission says it is seeking assurances "that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed sites". "Clubs will be asked to demonstrate that they have assurance that any steps to geo-block the sites are effective, recognising that some blocking can be easily bypassed by use of tools such as a Virtual Private Network", they added. From beer to betting - how have football shirt sponsors changed? Premier League to limit gambling sponsors on shirts More than half of this season's Premier League teams have a gambling company as their shirt sponsor. Premier League clubs have agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of their matchday shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season. The Coalition to End Gambling Ads raised concerns about TGP Europe's practices with the Gambling Commission. Director Will Prochaska said: "Action against TGP Europe is welcome, but warnings against advertising unlicensed gambling companies ring hollow." "Premier League clubs – including Everton and Leicester – have been advertising unlicensed sites for months." The Gambling Commission's head of enforcement John Pierce said: "We have already been in contact with several football clubs to highlight the impact of the withdrawal from the market by TGP and make clear that we will be carrying out checks - without further notice - to ensure these sites remain blocked. "We will also conduct ongoing spot checks as necessary to ensure they are not accessible to consumers in Great Britain by any means. Should any of these sites be available to GB consumers, we will take appropriate action. "It is essential that football clubs play their part in protecting fans and GB consumers who may be exposed to advertising of these sites through their sponsorship arrangements from harm or exploitation. All licensed operators with similar arrangements to TGP should take notice of the action taken in this case." Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Get football news sent straight to your phone
