TGP Europe, which operated several gambling brands in the Great British market, has surrendered its licence after being told it could only continue to operate there if it paid a £3.3m penalty and made “significant” anti-money laundering improvements.
The move means at least five English football clubs, four currently in the Premier League, are now sponsored by unlicensed operators.
BJ88, the sponsor of AFC Bournemouth, SBOTOP, the front-of-shirt sponsor of Fulham and Fun88, whose logo appears on Newcastle United’s jersey, all had white-label arrangements with TGP Europe to operate in the Great British market.
Wolverhampton Wanderers (DeBet) and Burnley (96) – who will play in the Premier League next season – are also impacted.
A Gambling Commission investigation found that TGP Europe failed to carry out sufficient checks on business partners and for breaching anti-money laundering rules.
TGP Europe was fined £316,250 by the regulator in 2023 for failures in relation to money laundering risks and due diligence on white-label agreements.
The company was in the spotlight earlier this year when Stake, which operated in the Great British market via a similar white-label agreement, was asked to leave the jurisdiction after its logo appeared in a video shot by an adult actress outside a university.
In the latest case involving TGP Europe, the Gambling Commission said the company failed to carry out effective due diligence on each entity involved in the ownership of the third party; carry out due diligence on the source of funds for business arrangements; sufficiently consider money laundering risk; and sufficiently consider any activity by a third-party that is illegal, in either GB or the territory in which it is conducted.
TGP Europe also failed to effectively implement enhanced due diligence measures outlined in its own AML policy, the Gambling Commission said.
The regulator is now turning its attention to the clubs whose sponsors are linked to TGP Europe.
“The Commission is seeking assurance from the clubs that they have carried out due diligence on their white-label partners and that consumers in Great Britain cannot transact with the unlicensed sites,” it said
“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 by-passed by use of tools such as a virtual private network (VPN).
“Clubs will be expected to carry out sufficient due diligence to assure the Commission that consumers cannot transact with the sites from Great Britain by any means.
“The Commission will also be taking steps to independently verify effective measures are in place.”
The letter also warns that club officers may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain.
John Pierce, head of enforcement at the Gambling Commission, said: “Following TGP’s exit, several online gambling operators can no longer lawfully offer gambling facilities to consumers located in Great Britain.
“These sites, previously operating under TGP’s licence, may not provide adequate protection against criminal activity or gambling-related harm and should not be available to GB consumers with immediate effect.
“We have already been in contact with several football clubs today 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. We would like to warn consumers that sites operated by TGP are now unlicensed and may not provide protections against criminality or gambling related harm.”
