An illegal supplier of gaming machines in the UK has been fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs following a successful Gambling Commission prosecution.
Marc Darren Bird, aged 38, of Coventry had already been found guilty of eight counts of making gaming machines available for use and eight counts of supplying and maintaining gaming machines without an operating licence at Birmingham Magistrates Court in January 2009. An earlier appeal against the conviction was abandoned in August this year following a ruling of the Divisional Court in March.
Bird was fined £16,000 (£1,000 for each of the 16 counts) and the Court ordered forfeiture of eight gaming machines and that Bird pay £10,000 towards the Commission’s costs. The Commission was also awarded £947.50 cash proceeds from the cash boxes of the forfeited gaming machines. On the application of the Commission, under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, confiscation proceedings have now been commenced against Bird.
Nick Tofiluk, director of regulation at the Gambling Commission said: "Tackling the illegal supply of gaming machines remains a priority for the Gambling Commission and this sentence sends out a warning to illegal operators who seek to benefit at the expense of both the general public and responsible licensed machine suppliers. Businesses supplying or making gaming machines available for use without a licence risk action from the Commission or its co-regulators."
